210 MAN: PAST AND PRESENT. [CHAP. 



investments for the other world, among which are said to be 

 numerous gold statues glittering with rubies, sapphires, and other 

 priceless gems. But in these matters the taste of the talapoins\ as 

 the priests were formerly called, is somewhat catholic, including 

 pictures of reviews and battle-scenes from the European illustrated 

 papers, and sometimes even statues of Napoleon set up by the 

 side of Buddha. 



So numerous, absurd, and exacting are the rules of the 

 monastic communities that, but for the aid of the 



Monasticism 



and Pessim- temple servants and novices, existence would be im- 

 possible. A list of such puerilities occupies several 

 pages in Mr Colquhoun's work Amongst the S/ians (219-231), and 

 from these we learn that the monks must not dig the ground, so 

 that they can neither plant nor sow ; must not boil rice, as it 

 would kill the germ ; eat corn for the same reason ; climb trees 

 lest a branch get broken ; kindle a flame, as it destroys the fuel ; 

 put out a flame, as that also would extinguish life ; forge iron, as 

 sparks would fly out and perish ; swing their arms in walking ; 

 wink in speaking ; buy or sell ; stretch the legs when sitting ; 

 breed poultry, pigs, or other animals ; mount an elephant or 

 palanquin ; wear red, black, green, or white garments ; mourn for 

 the dead, &c., c. In a word all might be summed up by a 

 general injunction neither to do anything, nor not to do anything, 

 and then despair of attaining Nirvana ; for it would be impossible 

 to conceive of any more pessimistic system in theory". Practically 

 it is otherwise, and in point of fact the utmost religious indifference 

 prevails amongst all classes. 



Within the Mongolic division it would be difficult to imagine 

 any more striking contrast than that presented by the gentle, 

 kindly, and on the whole not ill-favoured Siamese, and their 

 hard-featured, hard-hearted, and grasping Annamese neighbours. 



1 Probably a corruption of talapat, the name of the palm-tree which yields 

 the fan-leaf constantly used by the monks. 



2 " In conversation with the monks Dr MGilvary was told that it would 

 most likely be countless ages before they would attain the much wished for 

 state of Nirvana, and that one transgression at any time might relegate them to 

 the lowest hell to begin again their melancholy pilgrimage " (Hallett, A Thousand 

 Miles on an Elephant, p. 337). 



