Page:Journal of the Straits Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society (IA journalofstrait561880roya).pdf/243

 vent his escape. But one night the young man, with the help of his charioteer СHANNA, managed to elude the guards, and leaving his home, his power, his wife, and his only child behind him, rode away to become a penniless and despised student, and a homeless wanderer.

SIDDHARTHA rode a long distance that night till he reached the bank of the Anoma river. Then taking off his ornaments, he gave them to CHANNA to take back to Kapila-vastu. CHANNA asked to be allowed to stay with his Master, but SIDDHARTHA Would not suffer him, and the faithful charioteer returned, while his Master ent off his long hair and exchanging clothes with a poor passerby began his new life as an ascetic mendicant. This is a bare outline of the facts concerning the early life of the Buddha, which are probably historical.

The simple history in the course of years became encrusted with a mass of fable. It was said that the historical Buddha, SIDDHARTHA or SAKYA-MOUNI, had taught that he was only one of a series of five Buddhas who appear at intervals in the world and all teach the same truth. That of these five, three had already appeared, that he himself was the fourth, and that another would appear after him. It was taught that SAKYA-MOUNI was omniscient and sinless, that he descended of his own accord from the throne of the Buddhas in heaven into his mother's womb. After seven days of fasting, the holy MAYA dreamed that the future Buddha entered her side in the form of a superb white elephant. The wise men of the Sakyas interpreted the dream to mean that her child would be a Buddha, who would remove the veils of ignorance and sin, and make all the world glad by a sweet taste of the Ambrosia of Nirvana. When the child was born, it took seven steps forward and exclaimed with a lion's voice "I am the Lord of the world"

I have taken these legends that grew up round the early history of the Buddha chiefly from the work of Mr. RHYS DAVIDS. They are among the subjects which M. WILSEN believes to be disclosed in the bas-reliefs, and that this is the case with some of them I think there is no doubt. We are now in a position to examine the plates.

Plate XVI. 1 represents, according to M. WILSEN, King