Page:Madras Journal of Literature and Science, series 1, volume 6 (1837).djvu/12

4 chapter of regulations against sorcery, witchcraft, administering love philtres and potions, to cause madness or abortion, and against improper exposure of corpses. The leading feature in the land regulations is the right of the sovereign to all land; a law which appears to prevail almost universally both in the Malay peninsula and Indian Archipelago. In fact there appears to be a family resemblance in all these codes; which it would not be devoid of interest to trace to its source.

I shall endeavour to procure a copy of the more ancient records of Siam; which, it may be reasonably surmised, will throw much additional light on the obscurity that shrouds the origin of this singular nation, and on the introduction of the religion of Buddha into Siam; the history of which is intimately connected with that of almost every nation from the mouth of the Indus to the eastern confines of Asia. The Buddhism of Siam is said to resemble the form prevailing in Ceylon, more than the Buddhism of China, Tartary, Hindustan and Japan: but this point requires more careful consideration and analysis. It appears to be certain that both the Burmese and Siamese acknowledge to have received their religion from Ceylon, though it is probable the former received it through the ancient Magas or Mughs of Aracan. Buddha it is well known is supposed to have been born at Cicatá, a place said by the learned author of the Bhagawatomarita to have been a wood near Gaya, an ancient city of south Bahor or Magadha the kingdom of Bali, through which flows the river Fulgo, supposed by Major Wilford to be the Caenthis of Arrian. The date of his birth or incarnation is fixed by Sir W. Jones at about 1,000 years before Christ. Major Wilford informs us that the ancient and most extensive empire Magadha was named from the families descended from the sage Maga, the offspring of the Sun and the grandson of the venerable Twashiah in the west, and who came into India in the time of Krishna, from these are sprung the Magas (or Mughs) of Bengal and Arracan. The old kings of Magadha gave great encouragement to learning, and it is said there were elaborate treatises on religion and almost every science in the Magadhi Báli or Pali dialects. Major Wilford it appears was not successful in his researches to obtain copies, which he supposes, if they do exist, are to be found among the followers of Jaina. The high degree of civilization and commercial influence of the empire of Magadha and the city of Pali Putra, the supposed Palibothra of Ptolemy, said by Diodorus Siculus to have been built by the Indian Hercules Bala, is attested by Arrian in his Periplus, and in the Pentingerian tables. Major Wilford mentions having seen an inscription in Páli, found in Bahar, written in the Burmah character, which