of four-wheeled cars, with little chapels at the four corners, each containing a seated Buddha, with Bodhisatwas standing by him. This festival still survives in the Rath Játtrá, or annual procession of Jagannath, which the crafty Brahmans have adopted into their own creed, because it was too popular to be suppressed.*

20. At the time of Fa Hian's visit Buddhism was the prevailing religion of the Panjáb, and of Northern India from Mathura to the mouth of the Ganges. Between the Panjab and Mathura, that is in Brahmavartta Proper, the law of Buddha was not held in honour. But this was the original seat and stronghold of the Brahmans and their religion; and its exception by Fa Hian is one amongst the many proofs of the pilgrim's accuracy. Everywhere else Buddhism was honoured and flourishing; the kings were firmly attached to the law, and showed their reverence for the ascetics by taking off their tiaras before them. But at Sháchi and at Shewei, in Oudh, the heretical Brahmans had attempted to destroy a sacred nettle and some holy Topes. The very attempt shows the increasing power of the Brahmans, and their confident hope of ultimate success.

21. In the Bhitari Pillar inscription, no mention is made of the religious belief of the first Chandra

See note 9 to chapter xxvii. of Mr. Laidlay's translation of the pilgrimage of Fa Hian; and the concluding chapter of this volume.

+ Fo-kwe-ki, c. xv.

Gupta, but his son Samudra would appear to have been a strict observer of the Vedas, as he is represented offering vast sacrifices to the ancient elemental Deities, Indra, Varuna, and Yama.* In his own inscription on the Allahabad Pillar he is also compared to Dhanada, Varuna, Indra, and Antaka;† that is, to the Gods of the four elements, earth, water, fire, and air. His son, the second Chandra Gupta, and his grandson Kumára Gupta, are called worshippers of the Supreme BHAGAVAT, whom Dr. Mill identifies with Krishna. But as the Vishnu Purana, which was most probably written in the tenth century,§ makes no mention of the worship of Krishna, although it gives a long account of his history, the Bhagavat who was worshipped by Chandra and Kumára, must be either Vishnu or Buddha. In his remarks on this inscription, however, Dr. Mill drops Krishna || altogether, and makes Vishnu the object of Chandra's and Kumára's worship. But as Bhagavat is one of the commonest of the many titles of Buddha, the balance of evidence. still remains very much in favour of Chandra Gupta's attachment to Buddhism. It is even possible that Chandra Gupta may have professed Buddhism in the

* Prinsep's Journal, vi. 5.

+ Prinsep's Journal, vi. 980.

Prinsep's Journal, vi. 5—parama Bhagavata.

§ Prinsep's Journal, i. 441-Professor H. H. Wilson says middle of the tenth century.

Prinsep's Journal, vi. 7.

early part of his reign, and Vaishnavism in the latter part; for the difference between the two is more nominal than real. Indeed the mention of Vishnu himself would no more invalidate the Buddhism of Chandra Gupta than the Tantric pictures of Mahadeva and Káli can disprove the present Buddhism of the Tibetans and Népalese. The exoteric or outward worship of Chaityas, and of statues of Buddha, no doubt remained unchanged; but the esoteric or philosophical speculations of the learned were continually changing; and the comparatively pure theism and practical morality of Buddha were first encumbered with the mild quietism of the Vaishnavas, and at last deformed by the wild extravagances of the Tantrists.

22. Skanda Gupta, the grandson of Chandra Gupta, ascended the throne of Magadha about A. D. 440. He inherited the vast dominions of his family, including the whole of Northern India, from Gujrát to the mouth of the Ganges; and though his reign was disturbed by the rebellion of a minister, yet he left his kingdom undivided to his successor. Of his religious faith there is no doubt; for, in the Bhitari Pillar inscription, he is stated to have possessed "a clear insight into the wisdom of the Tantras." The mysteries of the Tantrikas were secret and incommunicable. They taught formulas of incantation and

* His gift to the Sánchi Chaitya is dated Anno Guptæ 93, or A. D. 412; and we know that he was reigning so late as A. D. 428. + Prinsep's Journal, vi. 6.

mystic charms for the attainment of superhuman power. They degraded the material worship of the reproductive powers of Nature by a sensual and obscene interpretation, in which Siva and Durga, or their emblems the lingam and yoni, played a conspicuous part. One of their orders, the Kápálikas, or "men-of-skulls," has been well represented in the Prabodha Chandrodaya, a native metaphysical drama. The speakers are a Buddhist monk, a Brahman mendicant, and the Kápálika.

Buddhist : "This man professes the rule of a Kápálika. I will ask him what it is." (Going up to him.) "Ho! you with the bone and skull necklace, what are your notions of happiness and salvation?"

Kápálika: "Wretch of a Buddhist! Well, hear what is our religion:

"With flesh of men, with brain and fat well smeared,
We make our grim burnt offering; break our fast
From cups of holy Brahman's skull; and ever,
With gurgling drops of blood, that plenteous stream,
From hard throats quickly cut, by us is worshipped
With human offerings meet, our God, dread Bhairava.”

Brahman mendicant (stopping his ears): "Buddhist, Buddhist, what think you of this? Oh! horrible discipline!"

Buddhist: "Sacred Arhata! some awful sinner has surely deceived that man."

Kápálika (in a rage): "Aha! sinner that thou art

• Prinsep's Journal, vi. 14-translated by Dr. Mill.

-vilest of heretics, with thy shaven crown, drest like the lowest outcasts uncombed one! away with thee!"

23. The extravagance of this class of Tantrikas is further displayed by the Kápálika's boast :

"I call at will the best of Gods, great Hari,

And HARA's self, and Brahma: I restrain

With my sole voice the course of stars that wander
In heaven's bright vault; the earth with all its load
Of mountains, fields, and cities, I at will

Reduce once more to water; and, behold!
I drink it up!"

24. From this specimen of the Tántrika faith, it may be inferred that the cabalistic charms and mystic incantations, added to the free use of spirituous liquors, induced an excited state of mind in the votaries that was highly favourable to a full belief in the attainment of superhuman power. No wonder that the Buddhist considered such extravagance as the effect of delusion.

25. But the Tantrika doctrines continued to spread in spite of their wildness; and they at length became so popular that they were even carried into Nepal and Tibet, and permanently engrafted on the Buddhism of those countries. Their success was, however, as much due to force as to persuasion, for zealots are always persecutors. To Skanda Gupta, therefore, I would attribute the persecution of the Buddhists mentioned by Hwan Thsang.* Writing in the first half of the Fo-kwe-ki, c. xxiv. note 12.

*