﻿AND THE DOCTRINES OF BIIOODDlIA. 43 



pertains not to their religion. A certain King of 

 Ceylon, at a remote period, is faid to have iffued a 

 mandate to that effeft, in confequence of the unufual 

 expenditure of butter he had occafion for, to cele- 

 brate a feftival of thankfgiving to Biiooddha: the al- 

 lowing of a cow to be killed, was, by that order 

 death to the o\vner, though he had no fliare in the aft. 

 Suth, the Singhalais fay, was the earliell caufe of the 

 above cuftom; which, however, is afcribed by many 

 to their gratitude towards the animal. Be this as it 

 may, they certainly refrain from the ufe of fucli food 

 as ftriftly as the Hindoos, with this difference in their 

 prejudices, that they have no objetlion to feeing, or 

 touching, the flefli of a cow; nor do they objetl to 

 the ufe we make of it. The King is, in general 

 obliged to confult with the high prieft on all matters 

 of moment. His advice is frequently taken, and fe- 

 crets communicated to him, when the minifters are 

 neither confulted nor trufted. 



A fpecies of confirmation is enjoyed by the law of 

 Bhooddha, termed Sarana Sieleh. The ceremony is 

 fhort, and fimple. It includes nothing more than a 

 confeffion of, and a formal introduftion into, the 

 faith; which is concluded by a bleffing from the 

 prieft, expreffing his wiflies that Biiooddha, his Ra- 

 hatoons, and doQrine, may be the means of ever- 

 lafting happinefs to the perfon initiated. 



Matrimony (called in Singhalais, Magooleh, and 

 in Pake, Kalianeh Mangalleh) takes place in the fol- 

 lowing manner : 



The parents, on both fides, go alike, to demand 

 a hufband or wife for their child. If the parties 

 agree, a day is fixed upon, when the relations af- 

 femble in the houfe of the bridegroom, to repair to- 

 gether to that of the bride. Previous to fetting out, 

 the man fends the woman ^ complete alfortment 



of 



