e Buddhists. His account of their temples, of the dress and life of
their monks[314] leaves no doubt that he is describing Hinayanist
Buddhism such as still nourishes in Camboja. It probably found its way
from Siam, with which Camboja had already close, but not always
peaceful, relations. Probably the name by which the bonzes are
designated is Siamese.[315] With Chou Ta-kuan's statements may be
compared the inscription of the Siamese King Rama Khomheng[316] which
dwells on the nourishing condition of Pali Buddhism in Siam about 1300
A.D. The contrast indicated by Chou Ta-kuan is significant. The
Brahmans held high office but had no schools. Those of the laity
who desired education spent some portion of their youth in a Buddhist
monastery (as they still do) and then returned to the world. Such a
state of things naturally resulted in the diffusion of Buddhism among
the people, while the Brahmans dwindled to a Court hierarchy. When
Chou Ta-kuan says that all the Cambojans adored Buddha, he probably
makes a mistake, as he does in saying that the sculptures above the
gates of Angkor are heads of Buddha. But the general impression which
he evidently received that everyone frequented Buddhist temples and
monasteries speaks for itself. His statement about sacrifices to
Buddha is remarkable and, since the inscriptions of Jayavarman VII
speak of sacrificers, it cannot be rejected as a mere mistake. But if
Hinayanist Buddhism countenanced such practices in an age of
transition, it did not adopt them permanently for, so far as I have
seen, no offerings are made to-day in Cambojan temples, except flowers
and sticks of incense.

The Pa-ssu-wei have given rise to many conjectures and have been
identified with the Basaih or sacerdotal class of the Chams. But there
seems to be little doubt that the word really represents Pasupata
and Chou Ta-kuan's account clearly points to a sect of linga
worshippers, although no information is forthcoming about the "stone
on the altar of the Sun God in China" to which he compares their
emblem. His idea that they represented the Taoists in Camboja may have
led him to exaggerate their importance but his statement that they
were a separate body is confirmed, for an inscription of Angkor[317]
defines the order of hierarchical precedence as "the Brahman, the
Saiva Acarya, the Pasupata Acarya."[318]

From the time of Chou Ta-kuan to the present day I have found few
notices about the religion of Camboja. H