Page:Madras Journal of Literature and Science, series 1, volume 6 (1837).djvu/24

16 of the Javans, who is supposed to have introduced a new form of letters and religion into Java A. D. 75, and from whose arrival on their island the Javans date their era, was probably a Buddhist priest of peculiar sanctity from India, cotemporary with Salivahána Saca himself, who flourished and introduced into India at this period the era of Salivahána, a name by which he was distinguished among the six Sacas, who give their names to the six periods, into which the Caliyug is divided. Saca, in Sanscrit, literally signifies an age or era; but, according to Wilford, the six periods are called sacas, because they divide their origin from these six monarchs.

The leading doctrines of the metempsychosis, preservation of animal life, and of the Nirvána, or future state of rest, will be found to assimilate in these nations, and they all look forward to the advent of another and final appearance of Buddha upon earth. The Brahmins in a similar manner look forward to the accomplishment of the 9th and last avatar of Vishnu, viz. that of Calci who will appear, they say, for the destruction of all the impure with a cimeter like a biasing comet. The Buddhists of China believe O-mi-to (Amida) Fuh to have past, Sheh-kea (Sacya) Fuh to have last appeared, and Me-lih Fuh is yet to come.

It would not suit the limits I had set to this paper to enter into a critical examination of the differences existing in the metaphysics and external religious forms and observances of the Jainas of India and the Buddhists of Ceylon, the Indo-Chinese nations and China; suffice to observe that I consider them to have originally sprung from one source, and to express my conviction that a careful consideration of the various habits—the peculiar positions, geographical and political, the prior existing religions, and subsequent influential causes operating upon these nations, will serve in a great measure to account for the present variations. In all future researches into the dogmas of these sects, the vivâ voce evidence of the priests should be received with great caution, and checked by constant reference and comparison with that contained in their sacred books.

Ancient inscriptions should be collected and every precaution taken to secure Buddha MSS. free from Brahminical taint, written in the original Pracrit or Páli. A comparative view of Brahminical and Buddha chronology is still a desideratum. The genius of a Colebrooke itself was bewildered in the chaos of 2,000,000,000,000,000 oceans of years, contained in the Avasarpini and Utsarpini divisions of time.