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ON THE RELIGIOUS USE OF VARIOUS STONES 297
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black outline when viewed by transmitted light. The original crystal, which came from Brazil and weighed 10.5 carats,
was an octahedron and was of a jet black hue. The expectation was that
the result of its cutting would be the production of a black
brilliant, but when one of the points of the octahedron had been
removed to form the table, it became evident that the black tint was
only superficial, the body of the crystal being white. This peculiarity
was then utilized by leaving some of the natural black faces of the
crystal. This diamond was found to be of excessive hardness, rendering
the task of cutting it an exceedingly arduous one. It is now in the
possession of one of the Royal Household of Siam.28
Among the Buddhist legends current in India in the seventh century a.d. is
one referring to the vases offered by the "four kings of heaven" to the
Buddha, They first brought four gold vases, but the Buddha declared
that one who had renounced the world could not use such costly vases.
Silver vessels were then substituted, and were also refused, as were
successively vases made of rock-crystal, lapis lazuli, carnelian,
amber, ruby and other precious materials. Finally, four stone vases
were proffered. These were of violet color and transparent, but the
fact that they were not of precious material rendered them acceptable
to the Buddha.28
The
images of Buddha usually bear as adornment a small gem. This is most
frequently a moonstone, but occasionally a ruby or some other gem will
be used. The reason for this religious use of gems must not be sought
only in the idea that precious and costly objects are most fitting as
decora-
" See G. P. Kunz, " Five Brazilian Diamonds," Science, vol. iii, p. 649, Ko. 69, May 30, 1884.
"Heuen Tsang, "Mémoires sur les contrées occidentales," French trans, by Stanislas Julien, Paris, 1857, vol. i, p. 482.
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