1848.] A few Gleanings in Buddhism. 609 



The creed runs thus — Buddhang pachhakhami, D'hammang pachha- 

 khami, Sanghang pachhakhami. Buddha — the Word — the Hierarchy. 

 The Vedas were venerated in human shapes because orally delivered 

 [A. R.] The brahmans who have in later times gone to Siam continu- 

 ed to instil into many there the belief that [their, the brahman] Trivi- 

 krama, and Buddha are the same, alleging that the latter, in guise of an 

 ascetic obtained a boon from a king of Jumbo Dwipa, as much ground as 

 he could compass in three strides, so he compassed the world and thus 

 got the sovereignty, but refused to retain it. 



A prominent feature of Buddhism is the veneration of relics. 



Some years ago a Siamese priest who had gone to Ceylon to procure 

 relics, arrived at Penang from Siam, bearing the Emperor's order to the 

 priests to erect a relic temple, or Chaittya, there, and deposit part of the 

 relics in it. There are now two principal ones and one inferior Chaittya 

 on the Island. 



The inquirer into the origin of Buddhism is in a great measure 

 relieved from the necessity of classifying gods and goddesses, ad infini- 

 tum almost. There is only one real type which he has to trace out, 

 through its corruptions. 



Buddha it is said, declared that the relics or S'arira were for the vul- 

 gar only (meaning the relics of former Buddhas).* But although he 

 certainly did not manifest any particular anxiety as some western heroes 

 did regarding the disposal of his body after his death, the omission must 

 have been owing also in some degree to his being aware that his relics 

 would be worshipped, since the enshrining of those of his predecessors 

 was a rule or dogma of the religion he preached. 



The following is from a Siamese version of a Pali work, entitled " An 

 account of the death of Buddha and the distribution of the relics." 



" Let all praise and glory be ascribed to the mighty and holy Buddho, 

 who when he was on the eve of entering the divine state of Nivan was 

 reclining upon a stone couch shaded by the meeting branches of two 

 sacred (Bo) trees near to the country of Kosinarake, the abode of peace 

 and delight. 



" In the year of the little snake Maseng [sappo sang wachcharo] in the 

 sixth month, on Tuesday, at the golden dawn of day, did Phra Chinnasi 

 [a title of Buddha] disappear from the earth and rest in Nirvana. 

 * T. R. A. S. Vol. XII. 



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