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JUNE, 1878.]
THE THREE NEW EDICTS OF ASOKA.
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tion, or to support an adjustment. It is quite thodox ascetics against this state of things led true that the number of kings is too small for to the council in Asoka's seventeenth year. the interval of 236 years stated to lie between Its immediate consequence was a purification Vijaya and Devânâ mpiya Tissa. But of the Buddhist Church from the foreign ininstead of reducing that interval, we may just as truders, and a new redaction of the sacred well assume that Vijaya's invasion falls later texts. Another result was the appointment of than the Nirvana, or that the chroniclers did not missionaries for the conversion of foreign, and possess the names of all the princes who ruled even Mlechchha, countries, -an undertaking between Vijaya and Dutthagamini, and were which in later times gave to Buddhism & place tempted by the legend of the synchronism of among the great religions of the world. It Vijaya's conquest and Buddha's death to spread seems only natural that the Buddhist Theras, the soanty materials over too large an area. at such a period, the importance of which for Finally, it seems inadvisable to bring fozward their faith they must have fully felt, should (para. 110) the Brahmanical tradition in order have revised, together with their sacred books, to prove that Sisu någa, Kalasu ka and the lists of their teachers, and of the data referhis ten sons reigned before B hatiya, and to ring to the chief events of their spiritual career, allow the number of years given by the Bud. and that they should have connected the hisdhists to stand. An indiscriminating combina- tory of their patron and of his predecessors in tion of portions of two contradictory traditions, Mågadha with the history of their sect. These however much its results may agree with precon- considerations make it, in my opinion, more ceived notions, has not hitherto been recognized probable that a Therávali and a Màgadha Rajaas being in accordance with the principles of vali similar to, if not identical with, that which historical criticism.
the Ceylonese chronicles give, were arranged in These remarks may suffice to show that India and carried to Ceylon by the first missionhitherto no evidence, be it external or internal, arica, than that fragmentary materials only, out has been bronght forward which proves the of which the Ceylonese later manufactured their date 219 A.B. for Asoka's coronation to be account, came over from the continent. This spurious. It may, therefore, be either really hypothesis, though it would not prove that historical, or at least go back to Asoka's own | every one of the figures and events contained time, i.e. have been calculated by the Indian in the Ceylonese chronicles has remained unBuddhists from the Mâgadha Rajávalis and their changed, would make it probable that some conTherávalis, when Asoka became a patron and siderable portion of the southern tradition might adherent of their faith, and have been carried by be ancient and of Indian origin. The date of the missionaries to Ceylon. Several points can Asoka's coronation, against which no particular be adduced in favour of the latter hypothesis. objection can be urged, would probably have to Firstly, it seems only reasonable to suppose that be included in the latter category. the Buddhists, who, through Asoka's protection, Secondly, a much stronger argument for the obtained a fresh start in the race for spiritual Indian origin of the same date is furnished influence, should have tried to ascertain the by a fuct which first has been brought forward distance of the royal ddyada or relative' of by M. Burnouf (Introd, à l'Hist. du Bouddh. their faith from their first teacher. If their pp. 432-36), but has received little attenaccount of this period is at all to be trusted, tion. This is the statement of a fragment of their sect was, just about the time of Asoka's an Avadána, entitled the Council,--that Asoka conversion, in a somewhat fallen condition. lived not, as the northern Buddhists usually Quarrels had taken place among the Bhikkhus, Assert, one hundred, but two hundred years after and not less than eighteen mutually hostile sects the Nirvana. The story begins: "Deux cent ans had arisen. Asoka's conversion at first made après que le bien-heureux Buddha fut entré matters only worse, as it induced numerous fol. dans le Nirvâņa complet régnait dans la ville de lowers of other faiths to pass themselves off for Pâtaliputtra un roi nommé Asoka." It contains disciples of Buddha in order to participate in in the sequel an account of the birth of Kuņa la Asoka's bounty, and to create confusion in the and the story of Sundara, which agree with Buddhist doctrines. The resistance of the or the common northern traditions. M. Burnouf
