uncle—­it could not be explained in a work like the Mahavansa.  Moreover, the Singhalese chronology agrees in every particular with the Burmese chronology.  Independent of the religious era dating from Buddha’s death, called “Nirvanic Era,” there existed, as now shown by Bishop Bigandet ("Life of Guadama"), two historical eras.  One lasted 1362 years, its last year corresponding with 1156 of the Christian era:  the other, broken in two small eras, the last, succeeding immediately the other, exists to the present day.  The beginning of the first, which lasted 562 years, coincides with the year 79 A.D. and the Indian Saka era.  Consequently, the learned Bishop, who surely can never be suspected of partiality to Buddhism, accepts the year 543 of Buddha’s Nirvana.  So do Mr. Tumour, Professor Lassen, and others.

The alleged discrepancies between the fourteen various dates of Nirvana collected by Csoma Corosi, do not relate to the Nyr-Nyang in the least.  They are calculations concerning the Nirvana of the precursors, the Boddhisatwas and previous incarnations of Sanggyas that the Hungarian found in various works and wrongly applied to the last Buddha.  Europeans must not forget that this enthusiast acted under protest of the Lamas during the time of his stay with them:  and that, moreover, he had learned more about the doctrines of the heretical Dugpas than of the orthodox Gelugpas.  The statement of this “great authority (!) on Tibetan Buddhism,” as he is called, to the effect that Gautama had three wives whom he names—­and then contradicts himself by showing ("Tibetan Grammar,” p. 162, see note) that the first two wives “are one and the same,” shows how little he can be regarded as an “authority.”  He had not even learned that “Gopa, Yasodhara and Utpala Varna” are the three names for three mystical powers.  So with the “discrepancies” of the dates.  Out of the sixty-four mentioned by him but two relate to Sakya Muni—­namely, the years 576 and 546—­and these two err in their transcription; for when corrected they must stand 564 and 543.  As for the rest they concern the seven ku-sum, or triple form of the Nirvanic state and their respective duration, and relate to doctrines of which Orientalists know absolutely nothing.

Consequently from the Northern Buddhists, who, as confessed by Professor Weber, “alone possess these (Buddhist) Scriptures complete,” and have “preserved more authentic information regarding the circumstances of their redaction”—­the Orientalists have up to this time learned next to nothing.  The Tibetans say that Tathagata became a full Buddha—­i.e., reached absolute Nirvana—­in 2544 of the Kali era (according to Souramana), and thus lived indeed but eighty years, as no Nirvanee of the seventh degree can be reckoned among the living (i.e., existing) men.  It is no better than loose conjecture to argue that it would have entered as little into the thoughts of the Brahmans to note the day of Buddha’s birth “as the Romans or