186 SPOLIA ZEYLANICA. 



Pancanga Lita (Cha^rt of Heavens). — This gives the position of 

 the planets and certain of the stars on each day of the year. It is 

 consulted by people before undertaking any serious work, such as 

 sowing, planting, and agricultural operations, starting on journeys, 

 building houses, commencing studies, &c. The charts were 

 calculated and written on ola leaves. Since the introduction of 

 printing these are printed. 



Avurudu Sittuwa (Memoranda on New Year Ceremonies). — The 

 New Year is observed with much ceremony ; a special chart is 

 calculated, giving the time of the commencement of the New Year 

 and various hours for bathing, cooking, receiving visitors, travell- 

 ing, transacting business, for religious ceremonies, viewing the 

 moon, &c. Among other things the chart details the prospects of 

 the ensuing twelve months in the affairs of the Island and the 

 world in general. These memoranda, too, were inscribed in ola 

 leaves. The ola is now displaced by the printed sheet. 



Veldpatkade (the piece of leaf with the chronicle of time). — This 

 is a record of the time of the birth of a person, with a few particulars 

 as to the prospects of the sun, moon, and planets at the time of birth. 



Handahan'pata (the recorded leaf). — -This practically is the 

 horoscope, which records the time of birth and the position of planets 

 at the time of birth and the details as to their various aspects. The 

 horoscope is usually inscribed carefully on a prepared leaf of the 

 talipot palm. It is neatly written, with ornamental diagrams giving 

 the disposition of the planets. 



Y antra are usually diagrams, figures, and letters drawn on sheets 

 of metal, leaf, or paper, used for various purposes of magic. A 

 yantra after it is drawn is charmed with an appropriate invocation 

 repeated many times. This process is known as jivama, or the giving 

 of animation, power, or life to the object to serve the purpose for 

 which it is intended. Each yantra has its own diagram and symbols 

 and its own appropriate mantara. (See Plate XXXVIII.) 



The yantra may be inscribed on metal, palm leaf, or paper, and 

 these may be enclosed in a yantra case, which is attached to the waist 

 or wrist. When a yantra is intended to produce evil influences it is 

 necessarily charmed in private, but when it is for a good influence 

 or curative purpose the repetition of the charm or jivama is done 

 openly, and is frequently attended Avith some ceremony. 



Sivali Yantra is an adaptation of an incident in Buddhist lore for 

 the purpose of magic ceremonies, and this yantra is supposed to bring 

 prosperity and luck to the person possessing it. 



Ratana Yantra. — The Ra'ana Sntta of the Sutta Pitaka is in great 

 repute among the Sinhalese Buddhists as one the repetition of which 

 brings them protection from evil. A yantra is made by inscribing 

 this on metal leaf or paper with suitable ornamentation. 



A second series of yantra are those containing the figures of 

 Brahma, Vishnu, Siva Kali, Indra, Visvakarma, Laksmi, Mahikanta, 

 &c., with appropriate letters and charms. Yantra with the figures 

 of Kali and with those of a large number of yaJcsa are also met 

 with in the ola-leaf yantra books. A very numerous series of 

 yantra are those dealing with the figures and symbols of the 

 planetary gods. There are other yantras which contain only 

 geometrical figures. 



Amulets are made from a variety of materials , and are worn as a 

 protection from evil influences, and for warding off disease, and also 

 as a protection from wild animals, evil spirits, &c. 



