1848.] Gleanings in Buddhism. 79 



a holy frenzy, and when fully inspired, she predicts, as her consultors 

 believe, the future. 



I have elsewhere described the ceremony which I saw at Jemulabad 

 in Canara.* On reference to the Mahawanso (p. 34,) we find that 

 Dhammasoka in B. C. 321 had constructed splendid dagobas throughout 

 his kingdom, and (in p. 35) that he went in procession on a great festival 

 day, to the temple built by himself. 



" Besides the eight Priestesses thus summoned by Dhammasoka, 

 there were many astrologers in attendance. The united predictions of 

 the whole were so favorable, that the king was confirmed in his belief 

 in the Thero's veracity. The Priestesses now led the way to the spot 

 indicated and His Majesty instantly set a multitude of people to dig up 

 the ground. 



Before the day had closed, however, the greatest number of these 

 labourers had died (magnified to 80,000) owing to their having been too 

 impure in mind for so holy a task." 



" The king desisted from his attempt and lamented over such a loss 

 of human life. In this emergency he prayed to Indra, and this bene- 

 ficent Devata sent down Phetsalukan his Minister, (the Harinar- 

 guneshi of the Jainas, perhaps, f) who appeared in form of an elegant 

 youth bearing his bow and quiver of arrows. The king admired the 

 bow, and inquired to what country he belonged. 



The disguised Devatta replied that he came from a great distance, and 

 that his bow was endowed with miraculous power ; offering at the same 

 time to exhibit these if his Majesty would direct people to dig again at 

 the same spot as before, and refusing all offers of reward if successful. 

 The king gladly renewed his attempt to excavate the ruins. The spirits 

 which Indra on a previous occasion had set to guard the Chaittya now 

 closed round in terrific array. But Indra' s minister told them to recol- 

 lect that the same power which placed them there could remove them. 

 Thus admonished they speedily vanished, and the Devatta returned to 

 Indra' s heaven. 



The king and his people dug again with increased vigor, and soon 

 reached the cavity which contained the relics. And now a glorious 

 apparition amazed the spectators. A Devatta, clothed in heavenly vest- 

 ments and seated on a superb horse, richly caparisoned, arose from the 

 * Paper in the /. A. S. \ As. Res, Vol. 2. 



