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BIRMAH. 107
name of Bodhi-dharma, is expressly stated to have been
of the Khetri or Cshatriya caste, and son of the king of
Mawar or Bahar. He took up his residence near the
celebrated mountain of Soung, in the vicinity of the
city of Ho-nan, and at his death bequeathed his office to
a Chinese, who assumed the name of Tsoui-kho (skilful
penetration). The first four successors of Bodhidharma
were honoured with the title of muni or moonee
(philosopher). But in the year 713, having acquired
a greater degree of political influence, the Buddhic
patriarch was dignified with the titles of great master
and spiritual prince of the law. The Mongol
princes, following up the system, attached to their
throne this representative of Buddha, under the high
titles of director of the conscience, chief of spiritual
affairs, master of the kingdom (&oue-sse) , master of
the emperor (ti-sse), and, at length, as the sovereign,
immaculate, immortal, divine non-entity, the Grand
Lama.*
The removal of the visible head of the Buddhic faith
from the banks of the Ganges to China, and the esta-
blishment of the ecclesiastical supremacy of the Chinese
monarch, are certainly circumstances of sufficient importance
to present a probable explanation of a new
era. Bodhi-dharma died, however, we have seen,
about 140 years before the Birman or Siamese era.
* " It is a general belief in Tibet, that the arts and sciences had
their origin in the holy city of Benares, which the inhabitants have
been taught to esteem as the source both of learning and religion.
Their alphabet and character they acknowledge to be derived from
the Sanscrit. According to tradition, the ancient teachers of the
faith professed by the inhabitants of Tibet, proceeded from Benares.
There are two sects of priests, distinguished by their dress ; the
red or the yellow cap.
The latter is reckoned the most orthodox,
andhas, nmong his votaries, theemperor of China." HAMILTON'S
Gaz., art. Tibet.