126 General Observations on [Feb. 



The Peninsula of India must however have been far removed from 

 even the first feelers which they pushed out before them, and assuredly 

 if Buddhism did not descend to Hindustan from the N. W., but was 

 indigenous there, its first types, emblems and monuments ought to be 

 also there found. I believe there is no one who does not allow that 

 Brahmanism (not Hinduism) if it ever reached at those early times the 

 Peninsula, pervaded in the first instance the regions of central India, 

 and perhaps those bordering on Guzerat, and that Hinduism appeared 

 on the Peninsula at a much later period than Buddhism. Why the 

 brahmans did not at first proceed there also has not been shewn by any 

 ancient records, and this might lead to the inference that they had 

 really then no regular priesthood, and were therefore careless about 

 making proselytes. 



It seems to me, that until proof to the contrary shall be advanced, it 

 will be safest to consider all the most ancient Buddhist Chaityas as 

 having been clustered towards the countries in, or bordering on the 

 Punjab, and if Buddhism did not at the periods of their erection prevail 

 in southern India, that some religion other than Buddhism or Brahman- 

 ism, must be sought for in it ; allowing for the probability at the same 

 time, that hero-worship may at some remote period have existed 

 in southern India independently altogether of both. Should even Bud- 

 dhism be found to have arisen amongst the brahmans, there is nothing 

 to prevent us supposing that man-worship was brought along with 

 them from Persia or some other western region. 



The Nepal texts were compiled or written when Hinduism had made 

 several rapid strides, and the sanctuary of Buddhism had been invaded 

 by both open and concealed heretical enemies, and we therefore do not, 

 and perhaps cannot, know to what extent reliance is to be placed on 

 these Nepal books — especially as in them " the whole brahmanic society, 

 with its religion, castes, and laws appears." (p. 796.) We know that 

 the heretical Buddhists to the eastward tolerated, if they did not vener- 

 ate, the Hindu gods and the converse as to the Hindus there in respect 

 to Buddha. 



If the Hindu Pantheon, with its complement of male and female deities 

 and inferior Devatas, had actually been erected at the period of Buddha's 

 advent, where are the remains of its Pagodas 1 where are its epigraphic 

 and other records on stone, brass or other metal ? It was natural that 



