In each earth there are four dwípas, or continents, the inhabitants of which have faces of the same shape as the continent in which they are born. 1. Uturukurudiwayina (7), in shape like a square seat, and 8,000 yojanas in extent, on the north of Maha Méru. 2. Púrwawidésa, in shape like a half-moon, and 7,000 yojanas in extent, on the east of Maha Méru. 3. Aparagódána, in shape like a round mirror, and 7,000 yojanas in extent, on the west of Maha Méru. 4. Jambudwípa, three-sided, or angular, and 10,000 yojanas in extent, on the south of Maha Méru. Of these 10,000 yojanas, 4,000 are covered by the ocean, 3,000 by the forest (8), of Himála (the range of the Himalayan mountains), and 3,000 are inhabited by men.

The sakwala in which Gótama appeared is called magul, festive, or joyous, because it is the only one in which a supreme Budha is ever born; and for the same reason, the most sacred continent in this sakwala is Jambudwípa. In the centre of this continent is the circle called Bódhi-mandala, which is, as it were, its navel; and this circle is so called because it contains the bódha, or bó-tree, under which Gótama became a Budha.

In the earlier ages, there were 199,000 kingdoms in Jambudwípa; in the middle ages, at one time, 84,000, and at another, 63,000; and in more recent ages about a hundred. In the time of Gótama Budha this continent contained 9,600,000 towns, 9,900,000 seaports, and 56 treasure cities.

IV. The sun and moon continually move through the heavens in three paths, accompanied by the stars that are in the same division of the sky (9). The sun gives light to the whole of the four continents, but not at the same time. Thus, when it rises in Jambudwípa, it is in the zenith to the inhabitants of Púrwawidésa, whilst at the same time it is setting in Uturukuru, and it is midnight in Aparagódána. Again, when the sun rises in Aparagódána, it is mid-day in Jambudwípa, sunset in Púrwawidésa, and midnight in Uturukuru. When the sun, moon, and stars go to the other side of the circle of rocks nearest to Maha Méru, called Yugand

hara, they appear to set to the inhabitants of Jambudwípa. The sun and moon are at regular intervals seized by the asúrs Ráhu and Kétu; and these periods are called grahanas, or seizures (eclipses). The declination of the sun is caused. by its gradually passing once in each year, from Maha Méru to the extreme circumference of the sakwala, and from the extreme circumference to Maha Méru.

V. There are six déwa-lókas (worlds in which there is the enjoyment of happiness), and sixteen brahma-lókas (in which the enjoyment is of a more intellectual character, gradually verging towards supreme tranquillity and utter unconsciousness) (10). Under the rock Maha Méru is the residence of the asúrs. The principal narakas (places of suffering) are eight in number (11).

VI. The earth, inhabited by men, with the various continents, lókas, and sakwalas connected with it, is subject alternately to destruction and renovation, in a series of revolutions, to which no beginning, no end, can be discovered. Thus it ever was; thus it will be, ever.

There are three modes of destruction, The sakwalas are destroyed seven times by fire, and the eighth time by water. Every sixty-fourth destruction is by wind.

When the destruction is by the agency of fire, from the period at which the fire begins to burn to the time when the destruction is complete, and the fire entirely burnt out, there are 20 antah-kalpas. This period is called a sangwarttaasankya-kalpa.

From the period at which the fire ceases to burn to the falling of the great rain (12) by which the future world is to be formed, there are 20 antah-kalpas. This period is called a sangwarttastáyi-asankya-kalpa.

From the first falling of the seminal rain to the formation of the sun, moon, rocks, oceans, &c., there are 20 antahkalpas. This period is called a wiwartta-asankya-kalpa.

After the elapse of 20 antah-kalpas more, a great rain begins to fall; and this period is called a wiwarttastáyiasankya-kalpa.

Thus there are four great cycles of mundane revolution: -1. Of destruction (as the names given to the four asankyakalpas respectively signify). 2. Of the continuance of destruction. 3. Of formation. 4. Of the continuance of formation. These four asankya-kalpas make a maha-kalpa.

1. An Asankya.

Were all the mould of which the Great Earth is composed to be counted in molecules the size of the seed called tibbatu; or all the water of the four great oceans, in portions diminutive as the raindrop; the result would be a number of vast extent; but even this great accumulation would be utterly inadequate to set forth the years in an asankya. All the matter in all worlds would fail as a medium by which to exhibit its greatness, and the most skilful arithmeticians are unable rightly to comprehend it; but some idea of its magnitude may be gained from the following scale of numeration.*

Every sentence that appears in the smaller type is translated from some Singhalese MS.; but as the native works abound with repetitions from each other, in the same paragraph I have sometimes culled a portion from several different authors. I have not thought it necessary, in many instances, to insert the name of my authority. To have done so would have been to crowd my pages with names that to the mass of my readers would be of no benefit, as they are not able to refer to them to test the truthfulness of my renderings. It must be understood that where no authority is given the statement appears in different works.

From the time that the age of man increases from ten years† to an asankya, and decreases from an asankya to ten years, is an antah-kalpa. Were the surface of the earth to increase in elevation at the rate of one inch in a thousand years, and the process to continue in the same proportion, the elevation would extend to twenty-eight miles before the antah-kalpa would be concluded. Twenty antah-kalpas make an asankya-kalpa.

Four asankya-kalpas make a maha-kalpa.

To one antah-kalpa there are eight yugas, four of which are called utsarppani and four arppani. The four utsarppani yugas are progressive, and are therefore called úrdhamukha; but the four arppani are retrograde, and are therefore called adhómukha. From the period in which men live ten years, to that in which they live an asankya, is an úrdhamukha yuga; and from the period in which they live an asankya, to that in which they live ten years, is an adhómukha yuga. The four utsarppani yugas are called kali, dwápara, tréta and krita, respectively; and the four arppani yugas, krita, tréta, dwápara, and kali. Were the krita yuga divided into four parts, the whole four would be good; were the tréta divided in the same way, three would be good; were the dwápara thus divided, two would be good; and were the kali thus divided, only

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In other lists that I have seen, the numbers are differently arranged, and in some instances are expressed by different terms; but the numerical power of the result is always the same. If for three years it should rain incessantly over the whole surface of this earth (or sakwala), the number of drops of rain falling in such a space and time, although far exceeding human conception, would only equal the number of years in an asankya."-Buchanan, Asiatic Researches, vi. The asankya is a unit with 140 cyphers.—Csoma Körösi, As. Res. xx. The brahmans have a number called a parárddha, which is represented by 15 (and sometimes 18) places of figures.

"In the Kali age a man will be grey when he is twelve; and no one will exceed twenty years of life."-Wilson's Vishnu Purána.

one would be good.* It would be as great a miracle for a supreme Budha to be born in a kali yuga, as for a beautiful and sweetscented lotus to blow amidst the flames of hell.

There are súnya and asúnya kalpas. It is only in the asúnya kalpas that the Budhas appear; they are distinguished by the names of sára, manda, wara, sáramanda, and bhadra kalpas. When one Budha is born in a kalpa, it is called sára; when two, it is called manda; when three, wara; when four, sáramanda; and when five, bhadra. It is only after very long intervals that the bhadra kalpa occurs.†

3. The Sakwalas.

One thousand sakwalas are called sahasrí-lókadhátu. Ten lacs of sakwalas are called madyama-lókad hátu. One hundred kelas of sakwalas are called maha-sahasrí-lókadhátu.

That space is infinite; that the beings inhabiting it are infinite : and that the sakwalas are infinite, ‡ is known to Budha, and by him alone is it perceived.§

*These periods correspond with the yugs of the Brahmans, of which the satya yug comprehends 1,728,000 years; the tréta, 1,296,000 years; the dwapar, 164,000 years; and the kali, 432,000 years. The year 1852 is the 4936th year of the kali yug, and the 3,892,936th year of the kalpa. But though the two systems agree as to the order and character of the yugs, there is an essential difference in their duration. It has been remarked that these yugs correspond, in number, succession, and character, with the golden, silver, brazen, and iron ages of the Greek and Roman mythologists.

The brahmanical kalpa, equal to the whole period of the four yugs, consists of four thousand three hundred and twenty millions of solar years, which is a day of Brahma; and his night has the same duration. Three hundred and sixty of these days and nights compose a year of Brahma, and a hundred of these years constitute his life, which therefore exceeds in length three hundred billions of solar years. This system originates in the descending arithmetical progression of 4, 3, 2, and 1, according to the notion of diminishing virtue in the several ages, applied to a circle of 12,000 divine years, each of which is equal to 360 years of mortals; and 12,000 multiplied by 360 is equal to 4,320,000.-Professor H. H. Wilson. The chronology of Manetho appears to have been constructed upon similar principles, as his dynasties are so arranged as to fill up an exact number of Sothaic circles, or per ods of the star Sirius, each comprehending 1460 Julian, or 1461 Egyptian years.--Boeckh's Manetho: Grote's History of Grecce, iii. 448.

The doctrine of an infinity of worlds was taught in Greece by Anaximander and Xenophanes, contemporaries of Gótama Budha, and afterwards by Diogenes Apolloniates, B.C. 428, and by Democritus, B.C. 361. They taught that there is at all times an infinity of co-existent worlds (worldislands) throughout endless and unbounded space; and that it is as absurd to think there should be only one world in space, as that in an extensive field properly cultivated, there should grow up no more than one single blade of corn. It was the opinion of Democritus that some of these worlds resemble each other, whilst others are entirely dissimilar.

§ There are four things which cannot be comprehended by any one that is not a Budha. 1. Karma-wisaya, how it is that effects are produced by the