fore 1797 A. C. or 542 years before the birth of CHRIST; and as their sacred era is reckoned from this epoch, it may be esteemed deserving of credit. It also corresponds, almost exactly, with the computation of the same era in Siam, as stated by Mr. MARSDEN, in his tract on the chronology of the Hindus; wherein, speaking of Siam, he observes, "the civil reckoning is by lunar years, consisting ordinarily of twelve months each, with an inter"calation of seven months in the period of nine66 teen years, and commencing with the new moon that precedes the winter solstice. This era is computed from the supposed time of the intro"duction of their religion by SUMMONACODOM, "544 years before CHRIST; or in the year of the "Julian period 4169." The real time at which BUDDHA, the son of SUDHÓDUN, (from whom he has the appellation Soúdhó-dáni, in the Amara-cósha,) propagated the heterodox doctrines ascribed to him by his followers, and for which they have been branded as atheists, and persecuted as heretics, by the Bráhmens, is, however, a desideratum which the learned knowledge, and indefatigable research, of Sir W. JONES have still left to be satisfactorily ascertained. His usual candour induced him to acknowledge his original error, in supposing this BUDDHA to have been the WODEN of the Goths, and genius of the planet Mercury *; and the passage from the Bhagwatamrita, quoted in his dissertation on the chronology of the Hindus, which states that BUDDHA, (the ninth 'Avatar), "be 66 came visible the thousand and second year of the * Dissertation on the chronology of the Hindus, Asiatic Researches, Volume II. "Cali-age being past," is, I find, open to another reading, which makes it the second thousandth year, or the year 2000, instead of 1002. At least it was so interpreted to me by RA'DHA'CA'NT, the very Pundit who is mentioned by Sir WILLIAM JONES, as having produced to him the book, from which the passage in question is quoted, and who is now one of the Pundits of the court of Sudr Deewanee Adálut. His interpretation was also confirmed to me by SURVÓ TE'WAREE, the other Pundit of the court; but in justice to our revered Founder, whose regard to truth I have but imitated in this remark, I must add, that Mr. BLAQUIERE, whose knowledge of the Sanscrit language is too well known to need my testimony, concurs in the reading and version of Sir WILLIAM JONES. Another point yet to be ascertained is, whether BUDDHA, the ninth 'Avatar of the Hindus, be the same with the heretic BUDDHA, now worshipped at Ceylon, and in the eastern peninsula; as well as in China, Bootan, and Tibet. Sir WILLIAM JONES, in his dissertation on the Gods of Greece, Italy, and India, observes on BUDDHA, that "he seems "to have been a reformer of the doctrines con"tained in the Védas; and though his good na"ture led him to censure these ancient books, be"cause they enjoined sacrifices of cattle, yet he is "admitted as the ninth Avatar, even by the "Brahmens of Cási." Captain WILFORD, in his dissertation on Egypt and the Nilet, after mentioning the subversion of the religion and government of DE'VA'DA'SA, the sovereign of Benares, by * Asiatic Researches, Volume I. VISHNU, in the character of JINA, MAHA'DE VA in the form of ARHAN, or MAHIMA'N, and BRAHMA' in the figure of BUDDHA, remarks, "most of "the Brahmens insist that the BUDDHA, who per"verted DE'VA'DA'SA, was not the ninth incarna"tion of VISHNU, whose name, some say, should "be written BOUDHA, or BÓDDHA; but not to "mention the Amarcósh, the Mughdha-bodh, and "the Gita-góvind, in all of which, the ninth Arva"tár is called BUDDHA, it is expressly declared in "the Bhagavat, that VISHNU should appear ninth"ly in the form of "BUDDHA," son of JINA, for "the purpose of confounding the Daityas, at a place named Cicata, when the Cáli-age should "be completely begun." 66 In this quotation, the ninth Avatar is called the son of JINA; (perhaps as a descendant from JINA, or as having adopted part of his doctrines ;) but the present worshippers of BUDDHA state him to be the son of SUDHÓDUN, and those from whom ABOOLFUZUL took his account of BoоDн in the Ayeen Akbery, gave him the same information; in which they are supported by the Amara-cósha, as already noticed. The followers of BOODн, at Ceylon, although their long intercourse with the Hindus (especially since they have been governed by a Hindu prince) has introduced some Hindû tenets and observances, in addition to what may have been originally derived from them, also positively deny that their BоODH is the Hindu A'vatár. The conclusion of Sir W. JONES*, that a second BUDDHA, assuming the name and character of the first, attempted to overset the system of the * Dissertation on the chronology of the Hindus, Asiatic Researches, Volume II, - M m 3 Brahmens, and was the cause of their persecution of the Boudhas, corresponds with, and is supported by, the information given to ABOOLFUZUl, who says, "The Bráhmens call BoоDн the ninth "Avatar, but assert that the religion which is as"cribed to him is false, and fabricated by some "other person." See further his account of this religion, in the Third Volume of GLADWIN'S Translation of the Ayeen Akbery, page 157. 535 MEMBERS OF THE ASIATIC SOCIETY, 1805. PATRONS. HIS EXCELLENCY THE MOST NOBLE RICHARD THE RIGHT HONOURABLE GENE- SIR GEORGE HILARO BAR LOW, BART. GEORGE UDNY, Esq. Members of the Su preme Council. PRESIDENT, THE HONOURABLE SIR JOHN AN STRUTHER, BART. 1st VICE PRESIDENT, J. H. HARINGTON, Esq. 2d VICE PRESIDENT, H. T. COLEBROOKE, Esg. THE HONOURABLE SIR JOHN ROYDS, KNIGHT. J. BENTLEY, Esq. FRANCIS BUCHANAN, M. D. TREASURERS, MESSRS. TRAIL, PALMER, AND Co. SECRETARY, W. HUNTER, Esq. |