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JOURNAL, R.A.S. (CEYLON). 



[Vol. XIX. 



circular coins having been the immediate successors of the 

 punch-marked eldlings. 



All of the symbols are Buddhist ; that is to say, each symbol 

 can be justly taken as indicative of Buddhism, if its surround- 

 ings allow of the probability of such being the case. 



This sounds rather unconvincing, but, when analyzed, 

 almost all symbolism goes far back beyond the days of the 

 religion which it commonly typifies . Christianity , for instance , 

 uses many pre-Christian symbols. But as the cross, though 

 pre-Christian, is everywhere recognized as emblematic of that 

 religion, so the tree, the trisula, and other symbols, each in 

 itself much older than the time of Gautama Buddha, are to be 

 fairly included among Buddhist symbols. 



Doubtless to the king who struck these coins they were 

 emblematic of Buddhism and of little else. But taken 

 separately and examined critically they are sufficiently 

 interesting to excuse a somewhat longer notice of them than is 

 perhaps strictly necessary in a coin Paper. The swastika is a 

 universal symbol of good fortune, and is found throughout half 

 the world. Its origin and age are alike unknown. 



The stupa is meant to represent a dagaba enclosing (in this 

 instance) three relic cells. The tree, although not clearly 

 recognizable as a bo-tree, may be presumed to be one, as it is 

 enclosed within a railing. 



The ball and crescent symbols which accompany the bo-tree 

 may represent the sun and moon, or perhaps the full and new 

 phases of the moon ; in which case the Buddhist association 

 of this symbol is easily realized, when it is remembered that 

 Buddhist festivals are all at fixed lunar periods. 



The elephant, as the vehicle of Indra, who figures so largely 

 in Buddhist mythology, is also Buddhist in this case. Nor 

 must the occurrence of the elephant be thought to be indicative 

 of a decadent period of Buddhism, and thus of comparatively 

 late date, for Buddhism was only a reformation of Brahmin- 

 ism ; and, as Rhys Davids has pointed out, Buddha himself 

 lived and died under the conviction that he was an ultra 

 sincere Hindu.* 



* " Buddhism," by T. W. Rhys Davids, page 83. 



