English
The disk of the moon is 40 jojanas in diameter, and 147 in circumference ; within it is composed of crystal, and its surface is of silver; so that both its surface and inner material are extremely cold.* The path in which it moves is about a yojana lower than that of the sun.f Extending from the summit of the Yugandhara rocks to the sakwala-gala is the 16ka called Chaturmahardjika, in which there are three paths adorned with all kinds of beautiful mansions and gardens, and with kalpa-trees ; they are severally called the Aja, or Q-oat-path ; the Naga, or Serpent-path ; and the Go, or Bull- path. In these paths, accompained by the stars that are in the that no man can now visit. But the confusion in the native aooounts is scarcely to be wondered at, when we remember that so recently as 1545, there was published at Antwerp the Cosmography of Peter Aspianus, expurgated from all faults by G^mma Frisius, a physician and mathematician of Lou- vain, in which correct and expurgated work Scotland is an island, of which York is one of the chief cities. — ^Fosbroke's Monachism. * The Singhalese universally regard the moon-beam as diffusing cold. This was also the opinion of Anaxagoras ; and modem science has proved that there is a real connection between the clearness of the atmosphere and the cold produced at night by the radiation of heat from the earth's surface, which is impeded by the presence of clouds. As the moon-beam is of course brighter when the atmosphere is clear, it has been supposed that this is the cause of the greater degree of cold, instead of its being a oorr^tive effect. " It is certain," says the Bev. Dr. Macvioar, ^Hhe sky is very cold. This fact, taken in connexion with the tendency of heat t:niver8ally to diffuse itself, brings it about that the heat accumulated on the earth's surface is constantly streaming away into space ; and if the sky be open and clear, and the air be still, the cold produced in this way during the night is often very great. On the 2nd of January, 1841, a register thermometer left by me on a tuft of grass in the Marandahn cinnamon garden, near Colombo, showed in the moi*ning that it had been down to 52 , and that although the surface of the ground when exposed to the sun had been heated twelve hours before to ^ about 140®. . . . Here is a variation in the temperature of the soil of 80® in the course of twenty-four hours ; and when the nights are dear and still, similar results may always be expected." — Meteorology in Ceylon, Ceylon Miscellany, July, 1843. t It was in the age of Q-<5tama that Anaximander taught that the sun is 28 times as large as the eartli, having a hole in one part of it, like the hole of a flute, whence fire proceeds ; and that the moon is 19 times as large as the earth, having a similar aperture, which at certain times being shut causes what is called an eclipse. But not long afterward Anaxagoras taught that the moon is an opaque body receiving its light from the sun. Respecting the stars, there ware various opinions among the Greeks, as, that they were like metal plates or spheres, or the visible summits of something that itself is hidden, or nails fixed in the sky. Xenophanes supposed that there are as many suns and moons as there are different climat'CS and zones in the world. I. THE SYSTEM OF THE UNIVERSE. 21 same division of the sky, the sun and moon continually move. In one day the sun travels 2,700,000 yojanas ; in one hour 45,000 yojanas ; and in one breath 125 yojanas. Its rays extend 900,000 yojanas. Thns the sun gives light to the whole of the four continents. From the month Asala (July) in each year, it gradually passes further fron\ Mem and nearer to the sakwala-gala ; then from the Pusa nekata in the month Durutu (January) in the same way, for the space of six months it passes gradually further from the sakwala-gala, and nearer to M^ru. When the sun and moon are in the Goat-path, there is no rain in Jambudwlpa;* when they are ii\ the Serpent-path there is much rain ; and when in the Bull-path, there is a moderate quantity of both rain and heat. The rays of the sun are always powerful, though they appear at some seasons to be more fierce, and at others more mild, This dilEerence arises from what may be called the four diseases to which the regent of the sun is subject : that is to say, from clouds that act like a screen ; from mists, that arise out of the ground ; from the asur B&hu ; and from all these causes united. From the day of the full moon in the Keti nekata, in the II masa, though it be the h6manta, or winter season, the rays of the sun are powerful, whilst from the day of the full moon in the TJtrapalguna nekata, in the month Medindina, though it be the gimhdna, or summer season, its rays are mild. But this anomaly may be thus accounted for. In the hot season the dust is raised up, and floats in the air, when it is agitated by the wind ; the clouds arc numerous ; and there are gales and hurricanes. In this ^^^7 J ^7 the dust, clouds, and wind, the sun is obscured, and its rays are less powerful. In the cold season, the face of the earth is calm ; rain begins to fall ; the dust is allayed ; only a fine kind of dust, and certain watery particles, not perceptible to the senses, float in the air ; the clouds are low ; and there is little * *' When the sun is in the path of the Goat, the gnats who preside over showers do not choose to leave their houses, on account of the great heat, whence there is no rain. For thb reason the inhabitants of the Barman empire in times of drought are ^ont to assemble in great numbers, with drams and a long cable. Dividing themselves into two paries, with a vast shouting and noise, they drag the cable contrary ways, the one party endea- yooring to get the better of the other ; and they think, by this means, to invite the gnats to come out from tbeir houses, and to sport in the air." — Buchanan, J^s. fipB. yi. 22 A MANUAL OF BUDHISM. wind. By this dust, the watery particles, clouds, and gentle wind, the rays of the snn are purified ; and then, released from all obstructions, they shine with great power. In one day the moon travels 2,610,000 yojanas ; in one hour 43,500 yojanas ; in one minute 750 yojanas ; and in one breath 120 yojanas, 26 isubus, 13 yashtis, 1 span, 4 inches. It has 27 nekatas, or mansions, 108 p4das (each being the fourth part of a nekata), and 10 grahanas, seizures (or eclipses). It moves in a path called M%ha, which is 2,250,000 yojanas in circumference. It is accompanied by the d6was of rain, called Abra ; the d6was of dew, called Mahika ; the d^was of mist, called Dhuma ; the dewas of dust, or motes, called Baja ; and the asur Il4hu. The regent of the moon descended to take refuge in G6tama Budha, when attacked by Bahu. When the course of the moon is straight, it moves more slowly ; when it is cross- wise, it passes along more swiftly. When the dark p<5ya, or day of the new moon, has come, the sun moves in one day the distance of 100,000 yojanas from the moon ; on the second day, the moon appears like a line, at which time the sun is distant from it 200,000 yojanas ; from this time it daily be- comes larger, until on the atawaka, or first quarter, it appears like the segment of a circle, the upper part not being seen, because it is hidden or overpowered by the sun's rays. On the paholawaka, or day of the full moon, the sun being at a distance of 1,500,000 yojanas from the moon, the solar rays are not able to overpower the lunar brightness, and therefore the entire circle of the moon is seen. On the day after the full moon it approaches 100,000 yojanas nearer to the sun, on which account a line or small portion of its circle is overpowered by the sun's rays, and does not appear ; on the second day it approaches 200,000 yojanas nearer to the sun ; thus going on from day to day, until on the 15th day it is in conjunction with the sun ; on which account, as it is directly under the sun, its light is entirely obscured, and it does not appear at all.* (Milinda Prasna.) * Nearlj all the astronomical works possessed by the Singhalese are trans- lations from the Sanskrit ; but many of the statements that are incidentally made upon this subject in their own books diifer materially from the systems now considered to be the most popular upon the continent of India. 1.