1808. ] On the Hidory of the Burma Race. 105 



establishment of the monarchy at new Pu-gan, the upper country in 

 time became subject to that kingdom. The large influence which the 

 Pyii tribe had in the formation of that monarchy is evident from the 

 legend of the third king called Pyu-meng-ti, who, the historian is 

 anxious to show, was not a Pyii by race, but a descendant of the an- 

 cient kings of Tagiing. An interval of more than two hundred years 

 occurs before any event of consequence is recorded. The arrival of 

 the celebrated teacher Bud-da-gau-tha, bearing the Buddhist scriptures 

 from Ceylon, is an event which is justly regarded of the highest 

 importance to the Indo-Chinese nations. It may be accepted as an 

 historical fact that he came to Tha-htun, which is situated a few miles 

 north of Martaban, and which was then the capital city of one of the 

 Talaing states. In most histories of Burma, it is stated that he was 

 a native of Tha-htun, hut this claim now seems to be abandoned. 

 The year given for his arrival, A. D. 403, has no doubt been fixed, 

 after consulting the Mahawanso of Ceylon, but still is scarcely consis- 

 tent with it, as he was in Ceylon during the reign of Maha Nama, 

 who began to reign in A. D. 410. The Burmese Maha-radza-weng 

 assumes that the whole of the Buddhist scriptures were at this time 

 brought to Pu-gan. This is not credible. The intercourse between 

 the Burmese and Takings at this time appears to have been but small, 

 and as has been seen, the history subsequently relates the arrival of 

 the scriptures, and the reform of religion, as being brought about in 

 the reign of A-nau-ra-hta, or about six hundred years afterwards. At 

 the beginning of the fifth century of the Christian era. it is probable 

 that Buddhism in Burma was in a very corrupt state. Originally 

 established in the country of the upper Irrawaddy by missionaries from 

 Gangetic India, the religion had been overwhelmed by the irruption 

 of tribes from the eastward ; the Burmese people in the central Irra- 

 waddy country appear to have remained isolated for some centuries. 

 In the year 638, A. D., during the reign of Then-ga Ra-dza there is 

 evidence of intercourse with India, as a new era was then adopted, 

 which is in use to the present time. In the Maha-ra-dza-weng there 

 is a frequent confusion of dates. The writers have attempted to 

 reconcile dates on stone inscriptions recording the dedication of tem- 

 ples and monasteries with those derived from other sources. The 

 consequence is, that in many cases, it is evident that the dates for 

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