64 
[No. I, 
H. P. Qistrl —Buddhism in Ben yah • 
He does not sell meat. He sings and dances (prob. professionally). He 
s_ells grass and fruits, &c. He carries on more than one low profession. This 
Acarya was not himself a Dom, but his wife being a Domnl, he was called 
Dom (Tib. Do m-paL which means one having a Dom wife. This Dom 
Acarya acquired many supernatural powers and did immense service to 
the people of Bengal and to Tripura. Less than six years after his initia¬ 
tion into the mysteries of the Tantras, he visited other countries and 
made pilgrimages. 
During his absence from Tripura a great many calamities befel the 
people. Famine appeared and epidemics raged in the country. The court 
astrologer said that the distress and the troubles of the country were due 
to the banishment of the good Baja on account of his religious opinions- 
Accordingly he was invited to revisit his country. The people received 
him as a Siddha (Saint), and bowed down to his feet in veneration and 
received his benediction. He preached the Tantrik doctrine of Buddhism 
called Dharma to them, and obtained numerous followers. Many among 
them became siddhas too. 
He was then invited to the country of Badha, called Bara in the 
common language of the people. The Baja of that country was a bigoted 
follower of the Brahmans, but seeing the supernatural powers of the Dom 
Acarya and his goodness and learning, he became changed in his views. 
Henceforth the Dharma Buddhism in its Tantrik phase became greatly 
honoured and followed by the people of Bengal and Badha and Tippera. 
By the worship of the Dharma is meant that of the Buddhist deities such 
as Vajra-yogini or -varahr, Yajra-bhairava (that is the Ksetra-pala), l 
Vajra-dakini, the Natha, in Tibetan called Gon-po, &c. 
In fact in the latter days of Buddhism the Dik-pala, Dharma-pala and 
other fancied spirit-protectors of Buddhism became the object of worship, 
to the exclusion of the Buddhas and the Bodhisattvas. 
1 Ksetra, i.e Buddha-ksetra. 
