404 



Notices of Books, 



[Oct. 



" This verse is a quotation from Kachchayano's grammar, the oldest 

 referred to in the Pali literature of Ceylon. The original work is not 

 extant in this island. I shall have to advert to it hereafter. 



" Into this disputed question, as to the relative antiquity of these two 

 ancient languages, it is not my intention to enter. With no other ac- 

 quaintance with the Sanscrit, than what is afforded by its affinity to 

 Pali, I could otfer no opinion which would be entitled to any weight. 

 In abstaining, however, from engaging in this discussion, 1 must run 

 no risk of being considered a participator in the views entertained by 

 the Ceylon buddhists ; nor of being consequently regarded in the light 

 of a prejudiced advocate in the cause of buddhistical literature. Let 

 me, therefore, at once avow, that, exclusive of all philological consi- 

 derations, I am inclined, on prima facie evidence — external as well as 

 internal— to entertain an opinion adverse to the claims of the buddhists 

 on this particular point. The general results of the researches hitherto 

 made by Europeans, both historical and philological, unquestionably 

 converge to prove the greater antiquity of the Sanscrit. Even in this 

 island, all works on astronomy, medicine, and (such as they are) on 

 chemistry and mathematics, are exclusively written in Sanscrit. While 

 the books on buddhism, the histories subsequent to the advent of 

 Gotamo Buddho, and certain philological works, alone, are composed 

 in the Pali language." Page xxxix— xli. 



As a specimen of the style of translation of the Mahawanso as well 

 „ as of the work itself, the 12th chapter is extracted, as it relates to the 

 various embassies for the promulgation of Buddhiski. 



"Chap. xii. — The illuminator of the religion of the vanquisher, 

 the thero son of Moggali, having terminated the third convocation, 

 was reflecting on futurity. Perceiving (that the time had arrived) for 

 the establishment of the religion of Buddho in foreign countries, he 

 dispatched severally, in the month of " Kattiko," the following theros 

 to those foreign parts, 



"He deputed the thero Majjhantiko to Kasmira and Gandhara, and 

 the thero Mahadevo to Mahisamandala. He deputed the thero Rakk- 

 hito to Wanawasi, and similarly the thero Yona-Dhammarakkhito to 

 Aparantaka. He deputed the thero Maha Dhammarakkhito to Maha- 

 ratta ; the thero Maharakkhito to the Yona country. He deputed the 

 thero Majjhimo to the Himawanta country ; and to Sowanabhumi, the 

 two theros Sono and Uttaro. He deputed the thero Maha-mahindo, 

 together with his (Moggali's) disciples, Ittiyo, Uttiyo, Sambalo, Bhad- 

 dasalo (to this island), saying unto these five theros, " Establish ye in 

 the delightful land of Lanka, the delightful religion of the vanquisher." 



" At that time, a savage naga king named Aravalo, who was 

 endowed with supernatural powers, causing a furious deluge to de- 

 scend, was submei'ging all the ripened crops in Kasmira and Gandhara. 



