In doing so he solemnly declared his hope that the merit thus acquired might make him in future lives not an Emperor, an Indra or a Brahma but a Buddha able to save mankind.  He pursued his religious career with a gratifying accompaniment of miracles and many of the nobility and learned professions followed his example.  But after a while a deputation waited on his Majesty begging him to return to the business of his kingdom.[203] An edifying contest ensued.  The monks besought him to stay as their preceptor and guide:  the laity pointed out that government was at an end and claimed his attention.  The matter was referred to the Sangharaja who decided that the king ought to return to his secular duties.  He appears to have found little difficulty in resuming lay habits for he proceeded to chastise the people of Luang-Prabang.

Two other inscriptions,[204] apparently dating from this epoch, relate that a cutting of the Bo-tree was brought from Ceylon and that certain relics (perhaps from Patna) were also installed with great solemnity.  To the same time are referred a series of engravings on stone (not reliefs) found in the Vat-si-jum at Sukhothai.  They illustrate about 100 Jatakas, arranged for the most part according to the order followed in the Pali Canon.

The facts that King Sri Suryavamsa sent to Ceylon for his Metropolitan and that some of the inscriptions which extol his merits are in Pali[205] make it probable that the religion which he professed differed little from the Pali Buddhism which flourishes in Siam to-day and this supposition is confirmed by the general tone of his inscriptions.  But still several phrases in them have a Mahayanist flavour.  He takes as his model the conduct of the Bodhisattvas, described as ten headed by Metteyya, and his vow to become a Buddha and save all creatures is at least twice mentioned.  The Buddhas are said to be innumerable and the feet of Bhikkhus are called Buddha feet.[206] There is no difficulty in accounting for the presence of such ideas:  the only question is from what quarter this Mahayanist influence came.  The king is said to have been a student of Indian literature:  his country, like Burma, was in touch with China and his use of the Khmer language indicates contact with Camboja.

Another inscription engraved by order of Dharmasokaraja[207] and apparently dating from the fourteenth century is remarkable for its clear statement of the doctrine (generally considered as Mahayanist) that merit acquired by devotion to the Buddha can be transferred.  The king states that a woman called Bunrak has transferred all her merit to the Queen and that he himself makes over all his merit to his teacher, to his relations and to all beings in unhappy states of existence.