BUDDHIST ARCHITECTURAL REMAINS are the only vestiges of 'the prevalence in British India of the doctrines taught by Sakya Sinha and his disciples, but they afford valuable illustrations of the alterations introduced into that great teacher's doctrines. It is known that the final disappearance of Buddhism from continental and peninsular India was violent,—their priests were slain and their temples burned,—and there can be no doubt that the Brahmanical priesthood were the immediate actors in the scenes, but whether these were of the Vaishnava or Saiva sect there is no information. The Buddhist remains now existing may be divided into four distinct classes : First, cave temple; containing topes, sculp tures, paintings, and numerous inscriptions. Second, vihara, or monasteries ; Third, inscrip tions on rocks and pillars; Fourth, topes, or religious edifices.
The vihara or monasteries are of two kinds: First, cave viharas, of which several magnificent specimens have been published by Mr. Fergusson ; and second, structural viharas, of which seine specimens still remain at Sanchi, but in a very ruinous condition.
(a) The cave vihara consists of (1) natural caverns slightly improved by art. These are the most ancient, and are found appropriated to religious purposes in Behar and Cuttack. The next kind have (2) a verandah opening behind into cells for the abode of priests, as in Cuttack and in the oldest vihara at Ajunta. The third (3) has an enlarged hall supported on pillars. The most splendid of these are at Ajunta ; though the Dherwara at Ellora is also fine, and there are some good specimens at Salsette and Junnar.
(b) Buddhist chaitya caves form the second class. These are the temples or churches of the series, and one or more of them is attached to every set of caves in Western India, though none exist on the eastern side. Unlike the vihara, all these caves have the same plan and arrangement. All consist of an external porch or music gallery, an internal gallery over the entrance, a central aisle, which may be called a nave, roofed by a plain waggon vault, and a semi-dome terminating the nave, under the centre of which always stands a dahgopa or chaitya. In the oldest
•temples, the dahgopa consists of a plain central drum, surmounted by a hemispherical dome crowned by a Tee, which supported the umbrella of state, of wood or stone. These two clasess comprehend all the Buddhist caves in India.
class of religious architectural remains in India consists of Brahmanical caves, properly so called. The finest specimens are at Elora and Elephanta, though some good ones exist also on the island of Salsette and at Mahabalipur. In form many of them are copies of, and a good deal resemble, the Buddhist vihara. But they have not been appropriated from the Buddhists, as the arrangement of the pillars and position of the sanctuary are different. They are never sur rounded by cells, as all viharas are, and their walls are invariably covered or meant to be covered with sculpture, while the viharas are almost as invari ably decorated by paintings, except the sanctuary. The subjects of the sculpture of course always set the question at rest.
The fourth class consists of rock-cut models of structural Brahmanical temples. To this class belong the far-famed Kailas at Ellora; the Saivite temple at Dhumnar, and the Ruths at Mahabali pur. The last are cut out of isolated blocks of granite, but the rest stand in pits.
The Indra Subba group at Ellora should perhaps form a fifth, but whether they are Brahmauical or Jaina is undecided.
The fifth or true Jaina caves occur at Khanda giri in Cuttack and in the southern parts of India, but are few and insignificant. In the rock of Gwalior fort, there are cut in the rock a number of rude colossal Jaina figures some 30 to 40 feet high, of some of their thirtankara, some sitting, some standing.
The Behar caves are in the neighbourhood of Rajagriha. The Milkmaid's cave and Brahman Girl's cave have inscriptions in the Lath character. They date about 200 B.C., and are the most ancient caves of India. The Nagarjuni cave and Haft •IChaneh or Satghar group are situated in the southern arm of the hill, at some little distance from the Brahman Girl and Milkmaid's .cave. Another group is the neighbouring Karna Chapara and Lomas Rishi caves.