us era dating from Buddha's death, called
"Nirvanic Era," there existed, as now shown by Bishop Bigandet ("Life of
Guadama"), two historical eras. One lasted 1362 years, its last year
corresponding with 1156 of the Christian era: the other, broken in two
small eras, the last, succeeding immediately the other, exists to the
present day. The beginning of the first, which lasted 562 years,
coincides with the year 79 A.D. and the Indian Saka era. Consequently,
the learned Bishop, who surely can never be suspected of partiality to
Buddhism, accepts the year 543 of Buddha's Nirvana. So do Mr. Tumour,
Professor Lassen, and others.

The alleged discrepancies between the fourteen various dates of Nirvana
collected by Csoma Corosi, do not relate to the Nyr-Nyang in the least.
They are calculations concerning the Nirvana of the precursors, the
Boddhisatwas and previous incarnations of Sanggyas that the Hungarian
found in various works and wrongly applied to the last Buddha.
Europeans must not forget that this enthusiast acted under protest of
the Lamas during the time of his stay with them: and that, moreover, he
had learned more about the doctrines of the heretical Dugpas than of the
orthodox Gelugpas. The statement of this "great authority (!) on
Tibetan Buddhism," as he is called, to the effect that Gautama had three
wives whom he names--and then contradicts himself by showing ("Tibetan
Grammar," p. 162, see note) that the first two wives "are one and the
same," shows how little he can be regarded as an "authority." He had
not even learned that "Gopa, Yasodhara and Utpala Varna" are the three
names for three mystical powers. So with the "discrepancies" of the
dates. Out of the sixty-four mentioned by him but two relate to Sakya
Muni--namely, the years 576 and 546--and these two err in their
transcription; for when corrected they must stand 564 and 543. As for
the rest they concern the seven ku-sum, or triple form of the Nirvanic
state and their respective duration, and relate to doctrines of which
Orientalists know absolutely nothing.

Consequently from the Northern Buddhists, who, as confessed by Professor
Weber, "alone possess these (Buddhist) Scriptures complete," and have
"preserved more authentic information regarding the circumstances of
their redaction"--the Orientalists have up to this time learned next to
nothing. The Tibetans say that Tathagata became a full Buddha--i.e.,
reached absolute Nirvana--in 254