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MARCH, 1881.]
ASIATIC SOCIETIES.
95
content with annihilation, with which more sinewywords in the Malay language. The Surat chiri was and vigorous races are not so pleased. The a written charm on the possession of which the author then gives some account of how Nirudna kingdom of Perak was believed to depend. It is is regarded in Chinese books and in modern written in Malay-Arabic character, and runs thus:astic life. The idea of it is that "salvation is
Bi-emi-Udhi-r-rahmani-r-rahim. found in extinction": "it is eủlayacia: it is the Sastata sastatab pramada parkhara parkharaah triumph of the ascetic life over the body." But parmakab parmakam sojana sojanam buana buathere is a strong realism in the account of the nam bakarma bakarnam sawarna sawarnam bangka entrance on Nirvana of sakyamuni as worked out baichara tongkah tinggi dari darandah dari by the northern school, indicating a belief that in darakata malarakta Mahadea bupala beiram beidaa certain way he is still supposed to be possessed riam nilam pualam murdakam durakam kumalam of consciousness. And among the multitude, sawarna manikam shahara Allah badan badan realism triumphs, and Buddha is regarded as a Allah, tajila jibarat samista parwaban sanam awina mighty living power. “The early compilers of karti nagari nugara Sri Saguntang Maha Miru the Stras and Sastras made Buddhism abstruse dipatikatu izna payanti Aho sawasti maha sawasti and metaphysical. The promoters of popular Maharaja Indra Chandra bupati bahutan anu Buddhism have made it more like what the part it karunia nama anu tawat jiwat pari parnanta legoh was to perform as one of the world's great religions menegohkan setia baqti kaba wah duli paduka Sri required to be. If the first is orthodox Buddhism, Sultan Adil-ullah wazina kayubaki di lanjutkan the second is practical Buddhism." The author Allah ka-raja-an Paduka Sri Sultan Mozafar Shah thus concludes :-"It may be said respecting the Zil-ullah filalam biyyarhamati laya-rahmani-r. views held on the Nirvana by the Northern rahimin." Buddhists, that they comprehend all varieties. This document is looked upon by the Perak They have a popular teaching, and a higher Malays as a solemn form of oath, and is always Gnosis. They teach the metempsychosis, but read when investing any important state officer. do not insist on it. If it suits your state of mind, A similar practice exists at the court of the Malay well. They will show you how by Buddha's rája of Brunei (Borneo), but most of it is in wisdom you may reach the final escape from the Arabic. The Perak Malays say the chiri was indelusion of existence in which you are enthralled, troduced by their first Råja who came down from and leaving the sea of misery arrive at the Indra's heaven on the mountain Sagantang Mahê. Nirudna'peaceful shore." And "if you are Meru and appeared suddenly at Palembang, in sceptical, they have a higher Gnosis, the Mahd- Sumatra, riding on a white bull, and manifested ydna. You must submit to a pitiless argument to himself to two women Pak and Malini. The prove that nothing exists which men think exists, Saraja Malayu says,-"Now there was a certain and that annihilation is desirable. You must cow, the support of Wan Pak and Wan Malini; learn to look on life itself as painful. The moral in colour it was white like silver. By the decree feelings and convictions are founded on an intellec. of God most high this cow vomited forth foam, tual weakness. Love, piety, and benevolence are and out of the foam there came forth a man. but delusive elements in the great delusive whole Bhat was his name. And he stood up and reto which the unenlightened at present belong. peated praises and his praises were after this In proportion as you can recognize this, do you wise . . . . . The RÂja received from Bhat the approximate to the Nirvana, for in that there is no title of Sri Tribuana. It is the posterity of the distinction of life and death, or of good and evil. Bhat who have been the readers of the chiri But then comes again the inextinguishable con- from the days of old (even until now)." The hiatus sciousness of future existence. The disciple will containing the formula of praise is filled up in some not be content with this pitiless logio, and the copies thus:--"Aho susanto (or suwasta) paduka Mahayana finds for him a suitable doctrine-that sri maharaja Sara'at (or sari'at) sri sifat buana of the Western Paradise."--"Those who long surana bumi buji pakrama naganlang (or sakafor heaven have a heaven provided for them. lang) krana (or karta) magat rana (or ratna) muka This however is only a means to an end. The tribuans paralasang (or parasang) sakarita bana higher Gnosis knows only annihilation, and tongka darm una besaran (or darma rana sharana) bases it only on what is held by its advocates to katarana singgha sana wan (or rana) wikramawan be metaphysical necessity."
(or wadat) runab (or ratna, or ranei) palawa The fourth paper is 'An account of the Malay dika (or palawika) sadila dewa dida prawadi (or Chiri, a Sanskrit formula,' by W. E. Maxwell. prabudi) kala mula mulai (or kala mulai) malik It is known that there are many purely Sanskrit sri darma-raja aldi-raja (or raja-raja) paramisuri."
1 Malay and Arabic words are in italics.
