298 THE MAGIC OF JEWELS AND CHARMS
tions of the sacred images, but it also implies a certain belief in the magic or quasi-sacred character of the gem itself.
The
Saddharma Pundarîka, one of the nine most sacred books of the
Buddhists, composed perhaps as early as the beginning of our era, gives
the following description of a celestial stupra, a sort of shrine
containing a celestial being :27
It [the stupra] consisted of seven precious substances, viz., gold, silver, lapis lazuli, musaragalva, emerald, red coral, and Karketana stone.
This stupra of precious substances once formed, the gods of paradise strewed and covered it with mandârava and
great mandâra flowers. And from that stupra of precious substances
there issued the voice: " Excellent, excellent, Lord Sâkyamuni! thou
hast well expounded the Dharmapayârya of the Lotus of the True Law. So
is it, Lord; so is it, sugata."
Some
of the most valuable temple treasures in the Island of Ceylon were
preserved in a pagoda near the frontiers of the realm of Saula. The
report of the gold and jewels accumulated here excited the avidity of
the Portuguese, then in control of a considerable part of the island,
and finally an energetic attempt was made to gain possession of them.
Although the existence of the pagoda was well attested, the Portuguese
were ignorant of its exact location in the tract of forest land wherein
it stood. The expeditionary force consisted of 150 Portuguese and 2000
Lascars. On nearing the forest they placed themselves under the
guidance of a native captured in the neighborhood. He led them through
the woodland, traversing it hither and thither, but no pagoda appeared.
Suddenly the native exhibited signs of madness, which were at first
believed to be simulated, but were later regarded as genuine, on which
he was made away with and another native substituted, however, with the
same result. One after another five natives showed the same symptoms
* " The Saddharma-Pundartka, or the Lotus of the True Law," trans, by H. Kern, Oxford, 1884, p. 228.
