CEYLON BRANCH— ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY. 



9 



these preceding Budhas is unlimited, as, in the infinite series 

 which has been and still is progressing, although some kalpas 

 occur in which no Budha existed, yet in other kalpas two or 

 three have appeared, and in some instances so many as five. 

 These ancient Budhas are the Adi Budhas, but in no respect 

 either of wisdom, holiness or power are they supposed to be 

 superior to Goutama : — The whole of the Budhas, designated 

 ee*!8>o & §©5, Samma Sambudha, true and perfect Budhas, 

 are equal, and to no one of them is creation attributed. How 

 could creation be attributed to any of them, when a funda- 

 mental principle of the system is, that each Budha must pass 

 through a long course of preparation for that dignity, during 

 which period he is called a Bodhisatwayo, and when he has 

 completed this, called the thirty Parimatawas, he must be 

 born of a woman in the world of men : for no being can 

 attain to the dignity of a Budha in either of the heavenly or 

 Brahma Worlds ; he must be of man conceived, of woman 

 born. 



The only way perhaps, in which it can be shewn whether 

 the system of Budhism in different countries is identical, or 

 whether various systems of independent origin exist, is the 

 collation of the sacred text of the different schools. Various 

 interpretations may be given, as is the case with the various 

 sects of Christianity ; but if they all refer to one common 

 standard, as Christians refer to the Bible, the system is 

 evidently the same, although the sects may differ. 



It is much to be regretted that we have not the means of 

 collating these works, there being no funds for purchasing 

 copies of those which exist in Nepal. It is said that the 

 sacred Books of Budha used in Nepal are in the Sanscrit 

 language ; yet as that is nearly allied to the Pali, and as some 

 of the learned in Ceylon have a knowledge of that language, 

 had we the books, the task of comparing them would not be 

 clogged with unsurmoun table difficulties. At present, all 



