hall to keep the texts of the holy Tiipitaka as settled
by the Council. These councils remind us of the
glorious days of Buddhism, when great kings like
Asoka and Kanishka had convened these meetings.
While the former meetings had been held in India,
these later Councils were held in Ceylon and Siam,
where the Buddhists felt the necessity of holding sucri
meetings to reform their church.
I I—BUDDHA LOT LA.
The king Chao Phaya Chakkri was succeeded by
Phra: Buddha Lot La. It is very interesting to note
that though busy with his administrative work, he
found time to satisfy the goddess Muse. He is said
to be the best poet of Siam and is still respected as
such. We have two instances of king Haia and king
Harsha in India, who also distinguished themselves by
their poetical compositions.
Ill—PHRA: NANG: KLAO.
The king Phra : Buddha Lot had two sons: ( I)
Phra: Nang: Klao, and (2) Mongkut. When the
king died, his elder son Phra: Nang: Kalao ascended
the throne of Siam, while the second son Mongkut
became a monk and passed through the strict dis-
cipline of a monk during the reign of his brother.
The king Phra: Nang: Kiao reigned until the year
1851.
IV— MONGKUT
(1851-1868)
One of the most glorious kings of Siam, who
woiked for the moral, intellectual and social uplift of