io8
1893 by the king Chulalongkorn at his own expense.
It was followed by the establishment of the Vajirafina
National Library (at Bangkok), which also publishes
Pali texts. In recent years, the king of Siam has pub-
lished some of the commentaries in Siamese character.
BRAHMANISM
It is to be noted that Brahmanism could not
make such headway in Siam as in Champa or in Cam-
bodia, We connot, however, deny that Brahmanism
was the first Indian religion to penetrate into Siam,
when Siam was a province of Cambodia. With the
establishment of the first dynasty in Siam, Brahmanism
began to die out and Buddhism took its place. There
are still traces of Brahmanism left in Siara in the
images of Siva, Visjju, LaksmI, Gajjesa. Many festi-
rals of Siam still betray the Brahmanic influence on
them. It is interesting to note that even now there
are a few Brahmans even in Siaoi, who try to keep up
their old religion. They profess Hinduism and are not
disturbed because of their religious faith. On the
other hand they occupy a very prominent place in the
Siamese royal court.
From an inscription on a statue of Siva, we know
that in A. D. 1510, Dharmasoka, the king of Kamph-
engphet, introduced the worship of Siva. He exalted
both the cult of Brahmanism and the cult of Buddha.
From the inscription of Takopa, we learn that as
early as the eighth or ninth century A. D., there had