6 On the Code and Historical MSS. of the Siamese, [July 



years ago; though by the Burmese themselves a much earlier date is 

 ascribed to this event.* Buchanan himself admits that the Burma 

 code, more than 600 years old, was introduced from Ceylon; and, 

 according to their own chronological tables, procured by the late em- 

 bassy, their first monarchs are said to have comef from Magadha, 

 more than 300 years B. C. 



Colonel Symes states, " As an incontestible proof that the Burmans 

 acknowledge the superior antiquity of the Cingalese, and the recep- 

 tion of their religion and laws from that quarter, the king of Ava has 

 sent, within these few years, at separate times, two messengers, persons 

 of learning and respectability, to Ceylon, to procure the original books 

 on which their tenets are founded; and in one instance the Burman 

 minister made an official application to the Governor General of India 

 to protect and assist the person charged with the commission." It 

 seems a reasonable conclusion from the statements, as well as from 

 what the Burmese themselves aver regarding the antiquity of their 

 religion, that it originally came, before the Christian era, through 

 Arracan, from the empire of Magadha direct— that on the decay of 

 this Buddhist empire and ascendancy of the Brahmins, they were com- 

 pelled on religious matters to communicate with Ceylon ; the sanctity 

 of which island must have been considerably increased by the influx of 

 Buddhist priests from India. 



Siam. The introduction of Buddhism into Siam, J am assured by 

 several natives of that country, took place at a very remote period 

 from Ceylon; these assertions are corroborated I find by their popular 

 records, which are remarkably clear and decisive on this head ; for 

 instance^, " Five hundred years after the decease of Samono Godon 

 (Gaudama), there were three kings in the island of Ceylon, who, to- 

 gether with the vahans or priests, assembled to consult on matters of 

 religion. One of the kings inquired, whether any persor. present had 

 ever seen the deity during his life time. All replied in the negative. 

 One of the ndks, knowing their conversation, instantly left his resi- 

 dence, came through the air, and presented himself in their assem- 

 bly, saying, that he had seen the deity during his life time, and could 

 create a perfect representafion of him. This he accordingly did, and 

 the kings and people sacrificed to it for seven days, and seven nights 

 successively. The ndk then assumed a human form, and prostrated 

 himself in humble adoration before the priests ; after which he re- 

 sumed his own nature and returned home, and with him disappeared 

 his representation of the deity. But the kings, priests, and people 



• As. Res. vi. p. 302. + Hamilton's Gazetteer— art, A v ». 



$ Chinese Repository, vol. 1Y. p. 177, 



\ 



