SASANA VAMSA  , a

history of the Buddhist order in Burma, which was composed, in that country, by Paf is-sami in 1851 . It is written in Pali prose; and is based on earlier documents, in Pali or Burmese, still extant, but not yet edited . The earlier part of the work deals with the history of Buddhism outside of Burma . This is based on the Mahavamsa, and other well-known Ceylon works; and has no independent value . The latter part of the work, about three-fifths of the whole, deals with Buddhism in Burma, and contains information not obtainable elsewhere . Down to the 11th century the account is meagre, legendary and incredible . After that date it is sober, intelligible and in all probability mostly accurate . This portion occupies about one hundred pages 8vo in the excellent edition of the text prepared for the Pali Text Society in 1897 by Dr Mabel Bode . It shows a continuous literary effort through the eight and a half centuries, and constantly renewed ecclesiastical controversy . The latter is concerned for the most part with minor questions relating to rules of the order, there being a tendency, as relaxations of the rules crept in with the lapse of time, to hark back to the original simplicity . Of differences in matters of doctrine there is no mention in this manual . Dr Bode has prefixed to her edition a detailed summary of the contents of the book .

(T . W . R .