JOURNAL 



ASIATIC SOCIETY. 



No. III. 1856. 



Original text and translation of a Scroll of Silver in the Burmese 

 language, found in a Buddhist Pagoda at Prome. — By Major 

 Phayre, Commissioner of Pegu. 



It is well known that the Buddhists of Burinah, like those of 

 ancient India, when building the solid edifices called Pagodas, con- 

 struct therein, generally towards the upper part of the fabric, a 

 hollow chamber in which they deposit relics, and a variety of holy 

 and precious objects. The Burmese also generally place therein, 

 a writing on a thin scroll of silver or copper, setting forth the 

 objects of the founder, and containing a prayer for the salvation of 

 himself and his friends. 



Near the town of Prome, there lately stood a small modern 

 Pagoda of brick and mortar, from the chamber of which, a silver 

 scroll was extracted, and as the writing records iu simple language, 

 the motives which urged the author, a Buddhist monk, to undertake 

 iu the year 1792, A. D. the restoration of the ancient building which 

 formerly occupied the site, I have considered it worth publishing. 

 It is hoped that this record of the motives and hopes which actuated 

 the restorer of the Pagoda, called the " ardently desired," will tend 

 to prevent other Buddhist sacred buildings from being wantonly 

 defaced and dug into, as has heretofore been too commonly the 

 practice, since Pegu became a British Province. 



The language of the scroll is sometimes obscure, but the transla- 

 tion has beeu made as literal as was consistent with clearness of 



No. LXXXL— New Series. Vol. XXV. 2 a 



