﻿40 ONT SINGHALA, OR CEYLON, 



The religion of Bhooddha, as far as I have had 

 any infight into it, feems to be founded in a mild and 

 fimple morality. Bhoodd^a has taken for his prin- 

 ciples, Wifdom, Juilice, and Benevolence;* from 

 which principles ernanate Ten Commandments, held 

 by his followers as the true and only rule of their con- 

 duct. He places them under three heads; thought, 

 v/ord, and deed;t and it may be faid, that the fpirit of 

 them is becoming, and well fuited to him, whofe mild 

 nature was firft fhocked at the facrifice of cattle. 

 Thefe Commandments comprife what is underftood 

 by the moral law, which has been generally preached 

 by all the Bhooddhas in different countries, but 

 chiefly by the laft, or Gautemeh Bhooddha, in 

 the empire of Raja Gaha Noowereh. They are con- 

 tained in a Code of Laws written in the Pake lari7 

 guage, called Dikjangeeych, 



The Bhooddhists have prayers adapted to circum- 

 ftances, which are ufed privately in their houfes, and 

 publicly in prefence of the congregation. They were 

 firft recorded by the King Watteh Gemmoonqo Abe- 

 yenaje'h, as regularly handed down from Bhooddha, 

 in whofe days the art of writing was not known. 

 JBhooddhists are obliged to pray three times a day; 

 about 5 o'clock in the morning, at noon, and towards 

 the fall of night. Their devotions are addrelfed to 

 Bhooddha and his Rahatoons, (Apoftles,) with a re- 

 ligious refpe6l for his Code of Laws, and the relics 

 both of him and the Rahatoons. The refpe6l af- 

 forded ^o the relics, is in memory of the characters ta 

 which they belonged, without afcribing to them any 

 fupernatural virtue. Four days in the month are de- 

 dicated to public worfhip, the four firft days of the 

 changes of the moon, when thofe who are able attend 

 at the temples. There are no other public days of 

 feftival or thankfgiving : all are, however, at liberty 



to 



* Singalefe. Bhooddha, Dermah, Sangeh. 



t Singalefe, Hittenema, Keeyenema, Kerrenevia. Fake. Mannejlu^^ 



JVaak, Kayck. 



