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CEYLON BRANCH — ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY. 



evening be waited on Budha, mentioned the subject of bis 

 contemplations, and requested an explanation, Budba replied, 

 Sariputta, under tbe Budbas Wipassi, Sikhi, and Wessabhu, 

 tbe priestly order was only of sbort continuance, but under 

 Kakusandha, Konagama, and Kassapo, it continued for a long 

 period. Sariputta enquired tbe reason of tbis, wben Budha 

 said, Sariputta, tbe Budbas Wipassi, Sikhi and Wessabbu, 

 were not active and diligent in preaching to tbeir disciples. 

 Their sermons, precepts, &c, were few : their laws were not 

 promulgated, and the Pratimoksha was not declared. After 

 their decease, and that of tbeir immediate disciples, tbeir suc- 

 cessors in the priesthood of various races, classes and families, 

 caused the religion rapidly to disappear. Thus, if a collection 

 of flowers be placed, unbound, upon a table, they are scat- 

 tered by the wind, blown from place to place and destroyed ; 

 the reason of which is, their not ha vino- been tied together. 

 Formerly Wessabhu, the holy, blessed, all wise Budha, 

 lived in the midst of a gloomy forest, and instructed 1,000 

 priests, directing their reasonings and investigations, and 

 guiding them in the avoidance of evil, and the practice of 

 virtue : these, receiving his instructions, became free from 

 the influences of their passions and desires. That forest was 

 go dreadful, that if any person, not a Rabat, entered in, his 

 hair stood on end, and bis flesh crept with terror. This is 

 the reason why the religion of the Budhas Wipassi, Sikhi, 



inaccessible, except by superhuman powers. The four continents are Jambudwipa, 

 Uttarakura, Aparagoyana and Purwawidena. Jambadwipa, the one we inhabit 

 is to the South, and Uttarakura to the North of Maha Meru, the latter continent 

 being regarded as an Elysium abounding with every luxury. The solid earth is 

 represented as being 24,000 yoduns thick, and reposing on a world of waters 

 480,000 yoduns in depth, which in its turn rests on a world of air, or an atmos- 

 phere 960,000 yoduns in depth. Mogallana's proposition was to invert this 

 earthly mass of 240,000 yoduns in thickness, that the priests might be fed with 

 the honey-like substance forming the under surface of the earth, reposing on the 

 world of waters. His other proposition to remove the priests to Uttarakura, was 

 to be accomplished through the same miraculous power by which the earth's 

 surface was to have been inverted." 



