The dates in the above table are those given in the "Thamaing" of the Shwe Hmawdaw, but it is clear that in this particular, i. e. as regards dates, the chronicle is altogether wrong. The year 1116 of the religious era, in which year Pegu is said to have been founded, corresponds with the year 493 of king Thamoondarie's Era (573 A. D.) but the chronicle gives the year 514 of the present secular era as the date of this occurrence A. D. 1152. This makes a difference of 579 years in the date of Thamala's reign.

The Shwe-Hmawdaw, like many other pagodas, is said to have been built in order to enshrine two of Gaudama's hairs. The legend relates that in the sixth year after Gaudama had obtained omniscience

*There are five different eras known in Burmese Chronology. They are as follows:

:

1st. The Kawza era which, after lasting 8650 years, was abolished by Bhodaw Eentsana, grandfather of Gaudama, in B. C. 691.

2nd.-Bhodaw Eentsana's era, which lasted 148 years only, until Gaudama's death, B. C. 543.

3rd.-King Ayatathat's or the Religious era. A. D.. 82.

This lasted 624 years, until

4th-King Thamoondarie's era. In 82 A. D. Thamoondarie, king of Prome, superseded the Religious era, as far as secular purposes were concerned, by his own era which he established from the 622nd year of the Religious era, A. D. 80. This era lasted 562 years, until 643 A. D.

5th.-Pagantsaw Rahan's or Pooppatsaw Rahan's era. In 642 A. D. this king of Pegu abolished the Prome era and established his own, making it commence from the year 560 of the former era. This era has now reached its 1228th year.

Another era,

but little used, known as Gnyoung Mangtara's era, which lasted 798 years, was synchronous with a portion of the present era.

According to Burmese computation, therefore, the following number of years have elapsed since the death of Gaudama :

Thoomoondarie's Era,

Ayatathat's Era, years.

Pooppatsaw Rahan's Era,.......

622

560

1227

Total 2,409

Which fixes the date of that occurrence, viz. the death of Gaudama, in 513

B.C.

(about 582 B. C.) whilst he was tarrying in the Makkoola Hill near the source of the Thalwon (Gwon-zaleng) river, he was visited by two pilgrims from Zoungdoo* named Mahathala and Tsoolathala, the sons of Pientaka, a wealthy merchant of that town. The brothers made many offerings. Gaudama, being desirous of requiting them, and at the same time of establishing his religion in their country, shook his head, and presented to the brothers two hairs which adhered to his hands, directing them to enshrine the same on the ThoodathanaMyeng-theeta Hill which lay to the west of the Hanthawadie Hill. The two brothers being ignorant of the locality of these hills, Gaudama described them as surrounded by the sea, from which they had but lately emerged, and promised that they should be pointed out by the Nats and Brahmas. Gaudama then prophesied that in the 1116th year of his religion, and the year 514 of the secular era, two brothers, named Thamala and Wiemala, would found the city of Hanthawadie to the east of the Thoodathana-Myeng-theeta Hill, and that his religion would flourish there.

The two brothers, Mahathala and Tsoolathala, then took ship and conveyed the sacred relics, enclosed in a casket provided for the purpose by the Thagya king of their native town, where they were received with great rejoicing. After holding high festival for seven months and seven days, they proceeded to obey the instructions they had received, by enshrining the relics on the Thoodathana Hill. Guided by the miraculous power of the Nats and Brahmas, they speedily arrived at the spot, and then they prayed that an omen might be given if that was indeed the very place. In answer to their prayers, the great earth shook. This not only supplied the desired information, but called down a host of Nats and Brahmas from the upper regions to take part in the enshrinement of the relics. By them the shrine was thus prepared. At the bottom of a pit ten cubits square was laid a slab of pearly white marble, set with diamonds. A similar slab, set with emeralds, was prepared to cover the mouth of the pit. In the centre of the bottom slab the Thagya king placed a golden cradle, round which were ranged images of the chief disciples of Gaudama, each holding a golden bouquet. These disciples were Thaicapootra, Mawgalan, Theeree Maha Maya, Theeree Thoodaw*A place which still exists upon the Pegu river, about 20 miles above Pegu.

dana, Gathawdara, Khema, Oopawon, Rahoola and Ananda. The sacred relics were then conducted with great pomp from Zoungdoo to the Hill, the distance, two Yooyanas (24 miles), being travelled in fourteen days. The casket containing the hairs was then placed on the cradle, and high festival was held around the shrine. Besides the images of the chief disciples, those of the following persons also were placed in the shine; Mahathala and Tsoolathala, the disciples Anooroodha, Mahakathapa, Ooroo welakathapa, Oopalie-pagnya, Isaweggie, the king of the Brahmas and his four wives. The several positions occupied by these images are all carefully described in the legend. Countless offerings were then made, the Thagya king giving ten billions of gold, each of his four queens forty thousand of silver, Pientaka one thousand of gold, Mahathala and Tsoolathala one thousand and eighty of silver, and so on. The Thagya king then placed certain Nats to guard the shrine, and a structure of stone and brick, 50 cubits high and 250 cubits in circumference, was erected over it. This took place in the year 119, Bhodaw Eentsana'a era, 572 B. C., on Saturday the 1st of the waxing of the month of Tagoo.

Then follows a list of the people dedicated by the Rulers of Zoungdoo, Thamandaraya and his queen Thoobhattadewee, to the service of the Shwe Hmawdaw, and the extent of the land which was declared to belong to the shrine. The land was as follows,-to a distance of 100 "Tas" (1,050 feet) to the east of the Pagoda, 100 "Tas" to the north, 100 "Tas" to the west, and 50 "Tas" to the south. This would comprise an area of about 310 acres.

Here ends the first chapter of the mythical portion of the legend, from which no real information can be gleaned, except perhaps that there was a town at Zoungdoo before Hanthawadie was founded.

We have not yet, however, got out of the mythical period. Our chronicler next attempts to connect the Pagoda with the celebrated revival of religion which took place in the reign of the great Athawka of Patalipoot in the commencement of the 3rd century of the Christian era. The legend states that in the 218th year of the religious and the 327th of the secular era* there was not a single worshipper of Pagodas or relics in the country. Cities had declined from their Another mistake in chronology. There is no secular era known, the 327th year of which corresponds with 218 of the religious era.

former greatness, and the temples had fallen into ruins, when the king of the great country of Patalipoot named Athawka Dhamma Raja invited the Rahandas Mawgaliopootta, Fictha and Oobhara to the third council, and under their guidance searched for sacred relics wherever they were to be found. The Rahandas pointed out the places where the holy hairs and other relics were reposing in the country of Hanthawadie; seven Tsedees were cleared of the trees and weeds, with which they were overgrown, and were ornamented with golden Htees by the piously disposed monarch. These Tsedees were the Dagoon, the Kyaik-dewa, the Kyaik-thamwonhan, the Shwe Hmawdaw, the Makaw, the Kyaik-Khouk and the Kyaik-tanoo. All these, with the exception of the Shwe Dagoon (Rangoon), are in the neighhourhood of the town of Pegu.

A number of persons were also devoted by king Athawka to be the attendants or servitors of these Pagodas.

A complete list of them is given-ninety men were assigned to the Shwe Hmawdaw and twenty-five to the Shwe Dagoon. Altogether five hundred men were devoted to the seven Pagodas. Of these two hundred were from the west of the Sittang river, and the remainder were Mogoung Shens. Lands also were dedicated to the use of these Pagodas.

The extent of the lands is carefully described in the legend. The land which was assigned to the Shwe Hmawdaw was the same which had been given before by king Thamandaraza of Zoungdoo. The lands assigned to the Shwe Dagoon were more extensive. Their boundaries are thus described. On the east the Thabyoo Khyoung, on the north the Zoung-Khyoung, on the west the Myoung Mya Pagoda, on the south the river.

King Athawka then returned to Patalipoot.* After the episode of king Athawka, there is a hiatus of nearly 900 years in the chronicle, and we arrive then at the historical period.

The first introduction of Buddhism into India extra Gangem dates from the time of Athawka. After the 3rd council had completed their labors and reduced Buddhism to its present form by the compilation of the Beetagat or scriptures, missionaries were deputed to all the neighbouring countries to spread the knowledge of the faith. Two of them, Potera and Thawna, arrived in the Talaing country of Thatoon, whence their religion spread over Burmah. It is doubtful whether, at the time of their arrival, the Talaings had yet occupied the country to the west of the Sittang River.

In the year 1116 of the religious and 514 of the 3rd era* the Thagya king established the brothers Thamala and Wiemala as rulers over the country of Hanthawadie. They found the Shwe Hmawdaw still in existence. In 523 king Thamala, perceiving that the "Htee” (chatta or canopy) of the Pagoda was bent and inclining towards the south-west, was filled with religious fear, and raised the Pagoda from its original height of 50 to 54 cubits, crowned it with a new golden Htee, and dedicated 25 families of Engdaret to its service.

In 526 Thamala died, and his brother Wiemala Koomma reigned alone. He added 5 cubits to the height of Shwe Hmawdaw, making it 59 cubits in all, gilded it, and gave it a new golden Htee. He also erected nine others Tsedees, the names of which are given, and dedicated five families of Tadaugyan to the perpetual service of the Shwe Hmawdaw.

Wiemala reigned alone 17 years and died in 543. He was succeeded by his nephew, Thamala's son, named Athakoomma. He also was a pious prince, and being desirous of surpassing the meritorious works performed by his uncle, added 6 cubits more to the height of the Shwe Hmawdaw, and built seven other Tsedees, the names of which are given, all of which he gilded, and crowned with golden Htees. After reigning seven years, he died in 550.

. He was succeeded by his son Ariendaraza or Arienda koomma. Seven months after this prince came to the throne, he observed that the Htee of the Shwe Hmawdaw was inclining towards the northwest. On this he ordered his chief noble Thoorathiedie at once to repair and embellish the holy structure. This was done, and seven more cubits were added to the height of the Pagoda, making it 73 cubits high. Thoorathiedhia's son erected another Pagoda, also 73 cubits high, to the north of the Shwe Hmawdaw, which Pagoda is still known by the name of the "Nobleman's Son's Pagoda." Ariendaraza, who was well versed in the laws of kings and replete with the eighteen kinds of knowledge, was desirous of emulating the

one.

By the 3rd era the writer means the 3rd era after Gaudama. i. e. the present As before remarked, there is no secular era of which the 514th year corresponds with the 1116th year of the religious era. As far as the chronicle shews, therefore, it is doubtful whether Pegu was founded by Thamala and Wiemala in 573, A. D. or in 1152, A. D. In the text, to avoid confusion, the dates only of the secular era mentioned by the chronicler, will be given.