of both creeds but often combined their doctrines and, though disavowed by the Brahmans, exercised a considerable influence among the lower castes.  Some of the peculiar deities of Nepal, such as Matsyendranath, have attributes traceable to these wanderers.  In 1769 Nepal was conquered by the Gurkhas.  This tribe seems related to the Tibetan stock, as are the Nevars, but it had long been Hinduized and claimed a Rajput ancestry.  Thus Gurkha rule has favoured and accelerated the hinduizing of Nepalese Buddhism.

Since the time of Hodgson the worship of the Adi-Buddha, or an original divine Buddha practically equivalent to God, has been often described as characteristic of Nepalese religion and such a worship undoubtedly exists.  But recent accounts indicate that it is not prominent and also that it can hardly be considered a distinct type of monotheistic Buddhism.  The idea that the five Dhyani-Buddhas are emanations or manifestations of a single primordial Buddha-spirit is a natural development of Mahayanist ideas, but no definite statement of it earlier than the Kalacakra literature is forthcoming, though many earlier works point towards it.[292] In modern Nepal the chief temple of the Adi-Buddha is on the hill of Svayambhu (the self-existent) near Katmandu.  According to a legend preserved in the Svayambhu Purana, a special divine manifestation occurred in ancient times on an adjoining lake; a miraculous lotus arose on its surface, bearing an image, over which a Caitya was subsequently erected.  The shrine is greatly venerated but this Adi-Buddha, or Svayambhu, does not differ essentially from other miraculous images in India which are said not to consist of ordinary matter but to embody in some special way the nature of a deity.  The religion of Nepal is less remarkable for new developments of Buddhism than for the singular fusion of Buddhism with Hinduism which it presents and which helps us to understand what must have been the last phase in Bengal.

The Nepalese Brahmans tolerate Buddhism.  The Nepala-mahatmya says that to worship Buddha is to worship Siva, and the Svayambhu Purana returns the compliment by recommending the worship of Pasupati.[293] The official itinerary of the Hindu pilgrim includes Svayambhu, where he adores Buddha under that name.  More often the two religions adore the same image under different names:  what is Avalokita to the one is Mahakala to the other.  Durga is explained as being the incarnation of the Prajna-paramita and she is even identified with the Adi-Buddha.  The Nepalese pantheon like the Tibetan contains three elements, often united in modern legends:  firstly aboriginal deities, such as Nagas and other nature spirits:  secondly definitely Buddhist deities or Bodhisattvas of whom Manjusri receives the most honour:  thirdly Hindu deities such as Ganesa and Krishna.  The popular deity Matsyendranath appears to combine all three elements in his own person.