INSCRIPTION FROM BUDDHA GAY A. 167 



sacred year 162, and 186 or B. C. 382 and 358. He is also described as having been of 

 the race of Mauriya, as having killed his predecessor Dhanan ANDa, the last of the eight 

 Nandas, at the instigation of a Brarain named Zanekka, (*) and as having been conse- 

 crated king of the whole earth, implying that he possessed extensive power. The Bur- 

 mese history also applies to this king Tsanda-goutta, and not to Nanda, as Colonel 

 WiLFoRD gives it from Sanscrit authors, the tale of his lifeless corpse having been re-ani- 

 mated and actuated by his presence — but by the soul of a BJieeloo or monster, and not 

 by that of a magician. The son of this king, who was called Bheindoo-thara ("), from 

 the circumstance, it is said, of his body being covered with some eruption, and who 

 appears to be the same as the Varisara of Sanscrit authors, killed the Bheeloo by a 

 device, and ascended the throne in the Burmese sacred era 186 or B. C. 358. He 

 reigned 28 years and was succeeded by his son Theeri Dhamma Thauka, who is also 

 styled Atiiauka, in the Burmese sacred year 214 or B. C. 330. The Burmese alwaya 

 use a soft th for s, and hence Athauka is evidently the same as Asoca-verdhan a and 

 Asoca in Sir Wm. Jones's and Colonel Wilford's lists of the kings of Magadha. 

 This prince appears to have restored or established more extensively the religion of Gau- 

 damA, and hence the Brahmins of India have probably destroyed all accounts of his govern- 

 ment ; but the Burmese possess copious details, and the latter half of the 2d volume 

 of the Myamma MaJia Yazawen-dau-yyee (^), or large Burmese royal history of kings, 

 is filled with an account of this king's reign. He is described as a Mauriya king of 

 Magadha, as the grandson of Tsanda-goutta, and as having held his capital at Pata- 

 lipout, which the Burmese consider with Major RenNELL to have stood on the site of the 

 present town of Patna. He is described also, as having been consecrated, or as having 

 received the sacred affusion as king of Zahoodipa (*) island, four years after his accession to 

 the throne, in the Burmese sacred year 218 or B. C. 326. It was after such considera- 

 tion, as this inscription mentions, that he resolved upon building, and he carried his reso- 

 lution into eflect, a monastery and monument to the memory of Gaudama Boodh, {^) in 

 84,000 diderent parts of his empire ; and he selected that number, it is said, because one 

 collection of the precepts of Gal uama, called Dhamma Khanda, is divided into 84,000 



(') C/iaintci/n of Sanscrit nuthors. 



('') Sec vols. "2(1 and !)lb of Asiatic Researches, Octavo edition. 



(') Jjinditsih a or Bimlasdra, (') Banna maha Rajawendogri, (') Jamlu dwipa, 



(') Caulama Jiuddlia. 



