92 Gleanings in Buddhism. [July, 



and departed all the other spirits. The relics and jars were then easily 

 dug up along with the gold. The king inquired of the Roman if he 

 might take the gold, when the latter replied that it should not be sepa- 

 rated from the relics during their stay on the earth. To impress His 

 Majesty with his veracity, he took a bambu four cubits long and thrust 

 it into one of the jars, when many snakes instantly raised their heads 

 aloft. He next took another bambu and pushing it into the same jar 

 the snakes disappeared. 



The king had prepared a temporary abode for the relics and jars, 

 consisting of nine several successive stories.* 



It was now determined to erect another Chaittya, and a spot for it 

 was accordingly selected. 



The ground for the foundation was a square of eight large cubits 

 [48 feet each side] and it was excavated to the depth of eight cubits," 

 [12 feet, for I suppose it to be the short cubit, as the large one is not 

 mentioned.] " At the bottom of this foundation a small cavity was con- 

 structed of bricks and mortar two cubits deep" [breadth not specified, 

 say 3 feet square], " and water tight (after being shut up). 



When all had been arranged the two chief priests before named 

 raised up the golden ship on their heads, while each poison vase was 

 carried by thirty men. Then three priests, assisted by the Roman com- 

 mander, consecrated the Fane, and deprecated wrath and every ill on 

 the head of the sacrilege ous wretch who should dare to molest the holy 

 precincts. They prayed that the water in the reservoir should ever 

 continue to float the golden ship, that the candles and incense should 

 never cease to burn, nor the flowers to bloom, until the expiration of 

 the five thousand years of the era of Buddha should have expired and 

 a new era have begun. Thakhaphasa or Kakabhasa now directed all the 

 people to remove to a little distance, after which he recited the one 

 hundred and eight Bali invocations ; these being over, the spirits which 

 had been scared away speedily resumed their posts." 



I may merely notice in passing that the boat is the type of the 

 earth, the Argha of the Hindds, or rather are we not to consider that 

 they had it from the Buddhists, as the latter may have derived it either 

 directly or indirectly from the Egyptians, amongst whom it was the 

 cymbium.f 



* Seven is the most common number. t Indian Antiquities of Maurice. 



