The History of Ceylon from the earliest period to the present time, with an appendix, containing an account of its present condition

Front matter

THE HISTORY OF CEYLON FROM THE EARLIEST PERIOD TO THE PRESENT TIME ; WITH AN APPENDIX, CONTAINING AN ACCOUNT OF ITS PRESENT CONDITION. " BY WILLIAM KNIGHTON, ESQ., COLOMBO. II(2o? raZra, xpuTn ,u,9)divf &$ o •^a.vff OfOeuv xui -TflEvr eixoua>v, Toivr arnTruffru %(>ova$t Sophocles, apud. Clem. Stromat. iv. p. 742. LONDON: LONGMAN, BROWN, GREEN & LONGMANS; SMITH, ELDER & CO. ; AND MADDEN & MALCOLM. EDINBURGH :— BELL & BRADFUTE. MDCCCXLV. Printed by James Walker, 6. James's Court, Lawnmarket, Edinburgh. TO THE REV. JOHN G. MACVICAR, D.D. &c. AUTHOR OF " THE BEAUTIFUL, THE SUBLIME, AND THE PICTURESQUE," " THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT OF TRUE RELIGION," &c. &c. &c. THIS WORK IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED BY HIS AFFECTIONATE AND GRATEFUL FRIEND, THE AUTHOR.

Preface

. " Every year," said Southey, " adds to our ample stock of books relating to the manners of other nations, and the condition of men in states and stages of society different from our own ; and of such books we cannot have too many." If this be granted, no apology will be needed for the publication of the present volume. The labours of Mr Turnour * and Mr Upham f in the field of Ceylonese antiquities opened up materials for a continued history of a peculiar Asiatic people for upwards of 2000 years. The progress of that people to refinement, the causes of their decline, and the effects of European interference, cannot, I flatter myself, be without interest to a cultivated mind. The student of human nature will find that the History of Ceylon adds another to the arguments commonly adduced to prove that the character of a people is the natural result of its government, its laws and its religion.

I cannot close these remarks without mentioning, that the present volume owes its origin to the advice of the gentleman to whom it is inscribed, and that without his assistance it could not have been completed. * Author of a translation of " the Mahawanso." t Author of " The Sacred and Historical Works of Ceylon." Colombo, Ceylon, 1845. NOTICE BY THE PUBLISHERS. The Author being resident in Ceylon, has not had an opportunity of revising the proof sheets of this work. The indulgence of the reader is therefore requested for any errors of the press which may have escaped notice in the printing. CONTENTS. IMTBODDCTION, Page ni

Chapter I

First settlement of Ceylon — Its various names — The Ramayana — Gotamo Buddhu — Wijeya — Panduwasa — Abhayo — Rebellion of Pandukabhayo — Pandukabhayo's reign — Ganatissa — Mutasewo — Tisso — Arrival of Mahindo and Sanghamittha — Establishment of Buddhism — Tisso's religious erections, ...... 1-25

Chapter II

Utteya — Deaths of Mahindo and Sanghamittha — Mahasewo — Suratisso — Rebellion of Sena and Gutika — Asela — Invasion of Elala — Birth and youth of Gaimono — His war with Elala — His reign — His piety and celebrity — His death — Sali's romantic love — Saidatisso — Toohl and Laiminitisso — Kaluna — "Walagambahu — Invasion of the Malabars — Rebellion of the Prince of Rohona — "Walagambahu flies — is restored — The doctrines of Buddhism committed to writing — Mahachula — Chora Naga, 26-47

Chapter III

State of Ceylon before the Christian Era — Early Civilisation of the East — Development of Civilisation different in the East and "West — Castes introduced by "Wijeya — Origin of Castes — "Wijeya's Government — Remains of early Ceylonese Edifices — The Diigobahs — Anuradhapoora — Excellent Carving, ...... 48-63

Chapter IV

Buddhism, and its Influence on the Public Mind, 64-86 CONTENTS. VIII

Chapter V

Koodatisso Anula — Her depravity and debauchery — Makalantisso — Batiatisso Maha Daliya — Addagaimono — Kanijani Tisso — Choolabhayo Seewali Ellona — His expulsion and return — Chando — Tasa Siloo — Subho Wasabho's insurrection — His reign and death — "Wankanasiko — Invasion of the Solleans — Gajabahu — Batiatisso II. — The "Wytoolian heresy Abhayo — Sangatisso — Glass known and used as a preventive against lightning — Gotabhayo — Mahasen's inconstancy — Kitsiri Majan — Jetta-tisso Budhadaso — His reforms — Upatisso LT — Mahanamo — The Malabars — Dutasewo — Kassapo — Various other Kings, . 87-113

Chapter VI

State of Ceylon during the first eight centuries after Christ, . 1 14-120

Chapter VII

Invasion of the Malabars — Suicide of Mihindo — Kasiapo — Pandi invaded — Udaya II Rebellion — Kasiapo V. and VI.— Sekka Sena and Dapulo — The King of Pandi seeks refuge in Ceylon — Udaya III Rebellion — Sena, II. III. and IV. — Anuradhapoora — Ceylon tributary to Sollee — Wickramabahu — Wijayabahu — Embassy to Siam — Ceylon independent — Fresh invasion — Wirabahu — Sollee invaded — Jayabahu — Usurpation of "Wickramabahu — Prackramabahu's birth foretold — His early life — His manhood — His reign, ..... 121-141

Chapter VIII

Proceedings of Prackrama — His victories and piety — His improvements, talents and death — Wajayabahu II. and other Kings — Reforms of Kirti Nissanga — Disorders in the Government — State of Ceylon — "Wijayabahu — Learning of Kalikala — The Malays — Measures, death and character of Kalikala, — The Malabars — The Dalada relic — The Mahawanso Fresh invasion — Rebellion — Arrival of the Portuguese, . 142-166

Chapter IX

Remarks on the history of Ceylon prior to the arrival of the Portuguese, ....... 167-188 CONTENTS. IX

Chapter X

Jurisprudence of Ceylon — Rights of persons — Rights of things — Private injuries and actions — Crimes and punishments, . . 189-203

CHAPTER XL

Knowledge possessed of Ceylon in Europe before the arrival of the Portutuguese in 1505 — Introduction and decline of Christianity, . 204-220

Chapter XII

Eastern discoveries of the Portuguese — Arrival of Almeida in Ceylon Native account of his landing — Treaty with Prackrama — Contentions — Second treaty — Prackrama's death — Sakala's noble conduct — Depradations of the Portuguese — Besieged — Distress and relief — They quit Ceylon — Their return — The Moors attack Colombo — Impolicy of the Ceylonese — Wijayabahu — Buwaneko Bahu VII. — Alliance with the Portuguese — Dunnai — Civil war — Death of Buwaneko — Dunnai and the Portuguese — Don Juan — Dunnai's policy — War — The Portuguese and Don Juan worsted — Rajah Singha — Don Juan defeated — Portuguese obtain fresh succours — Are worsted — Siege of Colombo proposed — Prevented — Undertaken — Don John's insurrection — Singha defeated — His death and character, ...... 221-244

Chapter XIII

Don John and De Souza — Don John's stratagem — Defeat of De Souza — Donna Catharina — Defeat of Azevedo — Assassins hired to kill Don John — The Dutch arrive under Spilbergen — His reception at Candy — Treaty with Don John — De "Weerd arrives — His proceedings and death — Don John's death and character — Senerat obtains Donna Catharina and the crown — Boschhouder — His embassy to Europe — His death — Death of Don Juan — Successes of Constantine de Saa — Defeated by Prince Singha — Death of Senerat, .... 245-263

Chapter XIV

Singha defeats Diego de Mela — His treaty with the Dutch — Batticaloa and Trincomalee taken by the Dutch — Negombo taken — Galle taken — Negombo retaken by the Portuguese — Coster murdered — Negombo retaken — Siege of Colombo — Sufferings of the Portuguese — Colombo surrendered to the Dutch, . . . . 264-271 X CONTENTS.

Chapter XV

Obsequiousness of the Dutch to the Ceylonese — Their embassies and presents The French make a descent on the coast; — Embassy of M. de Lanerolle Death and character of Singha II — "Wimala Dharma Suria Kundisala Embassy of the Dutch — Sri "Wijaya Singha — Kirtisree Singha "War with the Dutch — Rajadhi Singha — Vuist's barbarity — The Dutch governors — Van Goens, Van Imhoff and Falck — The Dutch Go- 272-282 vernment,

Chapter XVI

I. Hahits and condition of the Ceylonese in the seventeenth century — Their religion — State of the arts— Political condition — Prevalence of bribery. II. Introduction of Roman Catholic Christianity by St F. de Xavier — Bigotry of the Portuguese — Avarice of the Dutch — Philalethes' remarks, ....... 283-300

Chapter XVII

Embassies of the English — Trincomalee taken — Negombo and Jaffna taken — Colombo surrendered — Pusillanimity of the Dutch — Death of Rajadhi — Intrigues of Pilame Talawe — Arrival of Mr North — Embassy to Candy — Candy taken — Treaty concluded— Major Davie's errors — Mootu Samy delivered to the king — Cruelty and barbarity — Desultory warfare — Pilame beheaded — Rebellion against "Wickrama — Eheylapola flies to the British — His wife and children — Candy occupied and "Wickrama deposed, ....... 301-325

Chapter XVIII

Formal deposition of Wickrama. — A rebellion crushed, and the complete establishment of the British power over the whole island Conclusion, ....... 327 APPENDICES. No. I. Buddhism and the philosophy of Greece, . . 337 No. II. The Atisara Chikitsawa, ..... 354 No. Ill, Present state of Ceylon, .....

Introduction

. GEOGRAPHICAL NOTICE OF CEYLON. The island of Ceylon lies between 5° 56' and 9° 50' north latitude, and between 80° 4' and 82° east longitude. Its climate, its vegetable, mineral, and marine riches have ever ranked it as one of the finest portions of the earth. In shape it faintly resembles a pear, and it has been ele gantly compared to a pearl-drop from the brow of India, It stretches about 270 miles in length, and has an average breadth of nearly 100. Its superficial extent is upwards of 24,600 miles, and its circuit 750. The Gulf of Manaar separates its north-eastern coast from the shores of the Continent, whilst on all the other sides it is washed by the Indian Ocean. The sea-shore is in general level and monotonous, but the greater part of the interior is diversified by mountains. These approach on the southern, eastern, and western sides, to within about forty miles of the sea, whilst, in the northern part, the level district extends for about seventy or eighty.

By the mountains on the one side, and the ocean on the other, the breezes which fan the island are kept continually cool, and the suffocating winds of the Continent are consequently unknown. Few

INTRODUCTION.

. countries enjoy the same variety of climates as Ceylon, and, in consequence, few can exhibit the same variety of useful and ornamental plants. On the mountains the thermometer * frequently falls to 50°, and is seldom above 65°, whilst, on the coast, 80° or 81° may be taken as an average. Its highest mountains reach an elevation of from six to eight thousand feet, and form a circular barrier to the interior, which rendered it impregnable to European arms for nearly three hundred years. Several rivers take their rise in the elevated district, of which the Mahawelli ganga, the Kalu-ganga, the Welawe, and the Guidora are the most considerable ; and although there is not a natural lake of any extent in the entire island, few countries are better provided with water. The sandy soil of the coast is admirably adapted for the growth of the cocoa-nut, and the cinnamon, with which the entire line of shore is almost literally covered.

In the interior, magnificent forests clothe the mountains, containing a variety of beautiful and useful trees, perhaps un equalled elsewhere ; but the dark groves of satin, ebony, jack, suriya, areka-nuts, and banyan trees are gradually yielding before the axe of civilisation; and where these ancient forests formerly stood for hundreds, possibly for thousands of years, the coffee shrub and the sugar-cane are now appearing. * Fahrenheit's.

Chapter I

First settlement of Ceylon — Its various names — The Ramayana — Gotamo Buddhu — Wijeya — Panduwasa — Abhayo — Rebellion of Pandukabhayo — Pandukabhayo's reign — Ganatissa — Miitasewo — Tisso — Arrival of Mahindo and Sanghamittha — Establishment of Buddhism — Tisso's religious ereetions. The desire of a renowned ancestry is not more common amongst individuals than the assumption of the early celebrity of their forefathers amongst nations. The wild races of the west did not celebrate the heroic deeds of their early progenitors with more enthusiasm than do the more effeminate inhabitants of the east; and China and barbarous Europe, although so dissimilar in customs, habits and national character, yet agreed in this. Nor does Ceylon differ from other nations in this respect. Every class of its inhabitants, whether Ceylonese proper, Malabars or Mohammedans, is equally positive as to the extreme antiquity and early celebrity of the island which they inhabit.

Thus the first assure us, that the successive regenerators of mankind — the long line of Buddhas — frequently resorted hither to instruct and elevate its debased inhabitants. The second assert, that here the supreme Vishnu vanquished his ene- A mies, and that the favoured island was the scene of the beautiful Seeta's confinement by Rawana, the Paris of eastern mythology. Nor are the third less certain, that here the human race had its primeval habitation, and that in Ceylon Adam first enjoyed his terrestrial Paradise, and subsequently endured his painful penance. Few nations can distinctly point to the period at which, and to the place from which, its aborigines arrived, and Ceylon is not of the number. Probability and tradition, however, equally point to the extremity of the Indian peninsula as the country whence it first derived its inha bitants, and the striking resemblance between the Singhs or Rajpoots of the continent and the natives of the island may lend, if not certainty, at least additional probability, to the conjecture.

But this is not the only conjecture on the subject ; another, and that adopted by the Portuguese historians, asserts that China was the parent of the Cey lonese, and that a vessel of that nation, wrecked upon the coast, was the origin of its inhabitants. " The Chinese," says Ribeiro, " having been, at a very remote period, the masters of Oriental commerce, some of their vessels were driven upon the coast near the district which they subsequently termed Chilau, the mariners and passengers saved themselves upon the rocks, and, finding the island fertile and prolific, soon established themselves upon it. Shortly after wards the Malabars having discovered it, sent hither their exiles, whom they denominated Galas. The exiles were not long in mixing with the Chinese, and from the two names one was formed, at first Chingalas, and afterwards Chingalais *."

This fanciful etymology, however, will not support the hypothesis ; as the more common and natural opinion de- * Historie de Ilgha de Zeilan, Introducao. rives the modern title of Singalas or Chingulais from the Indian King *, whom we shall soon find conquering it, and who was famed to have been descended from a lion, (Singha,) whence the name of the island and its inhabitants is now generally conceived to have been derived. The account of the Dutch historians, Baldæusf and Valentyn $ differs somewhat from that of the Portuguese, and represents the Chinese ship as having given, not its inhabitants, but a sovereign to the island, the natives ha ving very generously elected the captain of the vessel as * "Wijeya. t Beschryving van het groote en zeer beroemde Eiland Ceylon. Door Philippus Baldæus.

Folio, Amst. 1672. X The following is the title of Valentyn's valuable and extraordinary work, contained in five volumes folio, and as yet untranslated into English : — " Keurlyke beschryving van Choromaudel, Pegu, Arrakan, Bengale, Mo cha, van 't Nederlandsch comptoir in Persien : en eenige fraaje zaaken van Persepolis overblyfzelen. Een nette beschryving van Malaka, 't Nederlands comptoir op 't Eiland Sumatra, mitsgaders een wydluftige landbeschryving van 't Eiland Ceylon, en een net verhaal van des zelfs keizeren, en zaaken, van ouds hier voergevollen ; als ook van 't Nederlands comptoir op de kust van Malabar, en van onzen handel in Japan ; en eindelyk een beschryving van kaap der Goede Hoope, en *t Eiland Mauritius, met de zaaken tot alle de voornoemde ryken en landen behoorende. Met veel Prentverbeeldingen en landkaarten opgebeldert.

Door Francois Valentyn, Onlangs Bedienaar des Goddelyken woords in Amboina, Banda enz. Te Amsterdam by Gerard Onder de Linden, 1726." " An accurate description of Coromandel, Pegu, Arrakan, Bengal, Mocha, of the settlement of the Dutch in Persia, with a few interesting particulars of the ruins of Persepolis. A detailed account of Malacca, the settlement of the Dutch in Sumatra, with an extensive geographical account of the island of Ceylon ; its emperors and its antiquities. Lastly, A description of the Cape of Good Hope, and the island Mauritius, with various incidents of all these kingdoms and countries. Embellished with illustrations, &c. By Fran£ois Valentyn, late minister of the gospel in Amboina, Banda, &c. Am sterdam, 1726." a2 their king, a tradition which may remind us of the Manco Capac and Mama Ocollo of Peru *.

If India was peopled before Ceylon, there can be little doubt but that, on the occupation of the entire line of coast on the continent, the island which lay so near its southern extremity could not long be undiscovered, whilst its fertility, salubrity and richness, would make its discovery coeval with its occupation. When this discovery first took place, we have now no means of ascertaining ; and it is useless to search in the shallow waters of the imagination, for what has long been lost in the ocean of antiquity. Like most other countries, also, Ceylon has been de scribed by a great variety of names. The earliest of these is most probably Lanka, (or Lanka-diva,) the Sanscrit and Pali name, although, from the manner in which the country so designated was honoured by Buddha, the na tives of India f of that persuasion assert, that the modern Ceylon is but an island adjacent to the ancient Lanka, which now exists no longer.

To some of the Greeks it was known by the name of XccxX* and the inhabitants z«>_«., but its most usual appellation amongst classical writers was Taprobane. Under this title it is mentioned by Dionysius $, as being famed for elephants ; by Strabo §, as being as large as Britain ; by Ovid ||, as exceedingly remote ; by Pliny f, as the com mencement of a new continent; by Ptolemy **, as stretch ing from north to south more than fifteen degrees ; by Pomponius Mela ff*. as either a continent, or an immense * Robertson's America, book vii. t Colonel Tod. t Periegetes, v. 593. § Lib. ii. 124, 180. || Ex. Ponto, 5, 79. f Hist. Nat. vi. 29. ** Lib. vii. c. 4. ft De situ Orbis, lib. iii. c. 7. island ; and, finally, by Agathemerus *, as the largest of all islands. The authors of the west in the middle ages, such as Arminanus Marcelinus and Cosmas Judicoplenstes, to gether with the greater number of Orientals, called it Serindib, Serinduil, and XiixA/Sx, from the latter of which it is probable the name of Zeilan or Ceylon has been de rived.

The natives, in their vernacular Singhalese, call it Singala, whilst, in their more important Elu, Pali, or Sans crit works, it is invariably styled Lanka. The earliest notice which Oriental literature affords us of this island, is that contained in the Ramayana, an epic poem, which celebrates the actions of Rawana and Rama ; the former king of Ceylon and southern India, who, ha ving been insulted, and his relations abused by the latter, Prince of Yodhya or Oude, revenged himself by carrying off Seeta, the beautiful wife of Rama. This eastern Helen being confined by her ravisher in the woody parts of the island, Rama, like another Menelaus, at once proceeded with a powerful army to revenge his wrongs, and again obtain possession of his lawful spouse. The poem we have just mentioned relates the mighty deeds of the fu ture gods in verses, some of which would not disgrace Homer himself, and over which an additional interest hangs, when we reflect that it is probably the oldest epic in the world.

The Singhalese annals fix the date of Ra wana's death at 2387 b. c, whilst that eminent orientalist, Sir W. Jones, informs us that Rama about 1810 b. c. conquered Silan, a few centuries after the flood. At this early period, then, when the island was much more exten. * Lib ii. c. 8, apud Hudson. sive than it now is, Rama, entering it with a numerous army, laid siege to Rawana's capital, (Sri Lanka-poora.) As, however, the sober pen of history cannot receive ima gination as its guide, we can merely state, that after a tedious and bloody war of twelve years, Rawana was slain, and the triumphant Rama, happy in the renewed possession of bis lovely wife, left the conquered country to the care of Webeeshana, and returned to his native land " to live a king, and die a god ' debellata colebat India." ' Respecting the state of the island at this early period, we have no information at all amounting to certainty, being merely informed respecting Rawana's capital, that it had many noble and extensive palaces, and that it was fortified with seven walls, protected and strengthened by numerous towers ; besides this, it was surrounded by a deep ditch supplied with water from the ocean.

But the Lanka which then existed was not the Lanka of the present day. At that period, we are informed, it was an extensive region of some thousand miles in extent, since reduced by various inundations, and especially by one shortly after Rawana's death, to its present size. Nor is it at all improbable that such inundations and gra dual diminutions of the island may have taken place, since we know that an ancient city on the Coromandel coast of India, called Maha Balipoor is now half imbedded in the ocean ; a circumstance indisputably proving, that there at least, its destroying waves have been stealing from the land. Besides this, we also know, that Sri Lanka-poora, the meridian of the Eastern astronomers, was in 75° 53' east longitude, whilst the western extremity of the present island scarcely reaches 80°.

Taking these things into consideration with the accounts of the early writers formerly mentioned, it is no imaginary idea to assert, that the ancient Lanka was a much more extensive country than the modern Ceylon. From this early period, 1800 years b. c, we must pass over, at one huge step, a period of nearly 1300 years *, during which we know nothing of the island except that at the end of that period it was inhabited by a gentle and unwarlike people. Before proceeding, however, with the proper history of Ceylon at that period, we must say a few words in ex planation of the religion about which we shall afterwards have so much to relate. Those who hold the tenets of Buddhism maintain, that at an immeasurably remote period, during a time of wickedness and depravity, a man, supremely eminent by his exemplary virtues, raised himself to a degree of holiness far above that of other mortals, and, propagating morality and piety by preaching, was finally translated to the su perior regions, where he enjoys endless beatitude and in finite happiness.

Passing on through the lapse of ages, others gradually attained the same virtues, and finally obtained the same reward, at vastly remote periods of time. In this manner twenty-four Buddhas had passed away, filling up a space of many hundreds of thousands of years. At length, about 1800 years f after the wars of Rawana, the last and greatest regenerator of mankind appeared in the person of Gautama Buddha. This individual, the son of Suddho-LanaJ, sovereign of Magadha, a part of north- According to Sir W. Jones. t According to the chronology of Ceylon. X Vulgar tradition asserts that for eleven months his mother "• nnyx' _,*t_* Qutnt. em India, lived there in submission to his parents for sixteen years, under the name of Prince Kumara or Siddharta. He then married *, and, living in peace with his wife till his twenty-ninth year, at that period forsook her on the very day on which she produced their first-born son.

Having resolved on a life of penance and holiness, he remained for six years in the wilderness of Corawella, in the modern Bahar, subsisting on whatever the trees or the earth produced, occasionally aided by alms. Having, in this manner, thoroughly subdued his passions, we are informed, that before again returning to the society of men, he had a fearful struggle with several demons, personifications, as it would seem, of evil passions. Over these, however, he finally prevailed ; and having fasted forty-nine days, proceeded on his mission of reforming the world and establishing his own deityship. He spent the remaining forty-five years of his life in propagating his doctrines and attaining the Buddhaship. The first region in which his principles were openly propounded was that adjoining the modern Benares, where, having taken up his residence in a grove, he daily taught his numerous disciples those pure and excellent moral laws which dis tinguish his religion from that of most other superstitions.

Having thus assumed the character which future ages willingly assigned to him, he passed over to Ceylon, then inhabited f by a race called Yakkhos, or evil spirits, at whose capital Mahawelligam, (near the modern Binturne,) he propounded those doctrines which the inhabitants of the island have ever since received as the revelations of " Some accounts allow him also 40,000 concubines. See TJpham's Buddhist Tracts, p. 122. t According to Ceylonese history. the Almighty. At this period he was distinguished by the appellation of Gautama Gotamo, or Gaudma Budd ha *. From the circumstances related respecting the wars of Rama and Rawana, and particularly from the description given of Rawana's capital, we cannot suppose that even at that early period Ceylon was sunk into a state of barbarism, nor yet can we suppose that Gautama Buddha, a man who evidently possessed great powers of mind, would have proceeded to an insignificant and barbarous island to pro pagate his tenets ; but, on the other hand, how are we to suppose that Ceylon could have been civilised, when we learn, -that at the period of Buddha's death, it was in vaded by 700 men and conquered ?

Lest we should be thought to represent the island as more advanced than it really was, at that early period, we think it right to call the reader's attention to the manner in which it was con quered by Wijeya and his band, which was not by open violence, but by policy, intrigue, and perfidy. The first visit of Buddha to Ceylon is distinguished in the literature of that religion by many notable miracles. * His names in different countries are most numerous, from which will at present be selected only those titulars connected with their doctrine. By the Japanese and Chinese he is termed Xaca-Sacya, also Abbutto and Buto. His special name Boodh, or Budhu, or Budha, is often called Boudh, Bod, Bot, and, by the arbitrary substitution of the B and P to the F, Fo or Fho, arising from changes in the cognate letters of B, P, T aud D ; the Siamese call him Saman, Samana, Somon, whence the Samaneans, a strictly Buddhist sect, described by Clemens Alexandrinus, and strictly practising the ascetic austerities, so constantly commended in the doctrine.

Gaudma is the derivative of Godam, or Codam. In the celebrated inscription found at Gonja Bahar, Budha is addressed as Sacya and Thacur. Amaracosha, the philologist and supposed author of this inscription, has eighteen names for Budha : Muni, Sastri, Dherma Raja, Sacya, Sinha, Sandhodana, &c Moor's Hindoo Pantheon, 234. At this period we are informed, he preached to the gods and devils, driving those of the latter who were still ob durate out of the island. At the expiration of five years spent in his native land of Dambadiva, (the modern Berar,) he again visited the garden of the east. On this occasion he acted the part of mediator between two rival princes who had deluged the country with blood in the course of their contentions. Great numbers were converted to his tenets on both occasions.

A third and last time he visited it, three years after the former, at the request of one of the native princes, an evident proof that his doctrines were fast gaining ground on the minds of the people. On this occasion, he is said to have left the mark of his foot on the mountain called Adam's Peak, an object of peculiar sanctity amongst his followers *. During these three visits, he had sat upon, * This " faint exaggeration of a footstep " has been claimed by all the various inhabitants of Ceylon as a memorial intrinsically belonging to their own religion. Thus, the Buddhists call it the impression of Buddha's foot, the Moors or Mohammedans claim it for Adam, (stating that it was worn into the rock by the long-enduring penance of our great progenitor, who re mained standing there on one foot for many years,) whilst the Malabars assert that Siva planted the footstep.

" This venerated memorial is five feet seven inches in length, two feet seven inches in breadth, and the very slight resemblance which it has to the shape of a foot is given by a margin of plaster coloured to resemble the rock ; it is upon this moulding that the metal case which we had seen at Palabadoolla is fitted, before the usual time when pilgrims are expected to arrive. A temple built of wood surmounts the rock, and is retained in its elevated position by many strong iron chains fastened to the stone, and also to the trees which grow on the steep sides of the cone." Forbes' Cevlon vol. 1, ch. 8. The inhabitants of Mexico exhibit " an immense block of porphyry, calland thereby hallowed, sixteen places in Ceylon *, on all of which some remarkable structure was afterwards erected. Shortly before Buddha's death, Singhabahu, famed for having been descended from a lion, (whence his descendants obtained the patronymic of Singha,) had obtained the throne of the modern Bengal, then designated Wango.