OR TAKSEYO. 



17 



known to the Demonism of the Island. This circumstance is only 

 another proof of the Demon- worship of the Singhalese having had 

 an origin independent both of Brahminism or Hinduism, and of 

 Buddhism. 



According to Buddhism, neither Brahmas* nor Deivo nor Yak- 

 seyo are born from the womb of a mother, but suddenly spring into 

 existence full grown. This sort of birth is called Oapapatiha* 

 Nevertheless the last two classes, viz., Dewo and Yakseyo may have 

 mothers in a peculiar fashion. For instance, if a demon seem to 

 spring into existence from the shoulder or arm of a female demon, 

 the latter is considered to be his mother. Marrying and giving in 

 marriage prevail among them as well as among men. This is the 

 account which Buddhism gives: but that given by Demonism itself 

 differs very widely from this. It represents demons as having 

 human fathers and mothers, and as being born in the ordinary course 

 of nature. This is said to have been the case with almost every 

 demon; but though born of human parents, all their qualities are 

 different from those of men. They leave their parents sometime 

 after their birth, but before doing so they generally take care to try 



* Brahmas are the highest order of gods inhabiting the 16 highest heavens 

 called Brahma loka, as the Dewo are the gods next helow them in rank, inha- 

 biting the 6 Dewa loka situated immediately below the former. Yakseyo are 

 the demons. Brahmas are supposed seldom or never to interfere in the affairs 

 of men, and are therefore never worshipped or invoked by the Singhalese; and 

 even of the Dewo, the people worship only a few of the inferior classes, who 

 do not even dwell in the 6 Dewa loka, but on the tops of large trees, and in 

 the air above, not very far however from the earth, in magnificent palaces 

 invisible to man. The Dewo of this latter class are called dewata generally, 

 and are divided into Tallatoo and Boomatoo dewo. These are the dewo or 

 gods that the people worship, as conferring benefits upon men or punishing them 

 for their misdeeds. The more ignorant of the Singhalese Buddhists know no 

 beings superior to these. These inferior gods are partly Hindoo deities, and 

 partly deified heroes of the Singhalese. 



The fact of Brahmas being mentioned by Buddha as the highest class of 

 beings in existence, inferior only to himself, inhabiting 16 lokas or worlds, is 

 an additional, though a collateral, proof of Brahminism being anterior to 

 Buddhism. 



D 



