﻿4lG ox THE RELIGION AND MANNERS 



shall remain but a short time, as the diabolical sys- 

 tem of the S'lngalese is so complicated that a long 

 narrative would only disgust the reader. 



The Hells are places of transmigration for the 

 souls of those who have deserved punishment, and 

 they transmigrate into diiferent persons according to 

 the weight of their offences. Wherever one may be 

 in transmigrating, he is liable to be a devil, which is 

 certainly a punishment ; for though there is power, 

 there is also misery attached to the state of a devil. 

 The Preteio devils for instance, which are the most 

 numerous, are Avretched beings, who, though con- 

 stantly hungry, have not any thing to eat ; and being 

 always about us, are but too happy if we afford them 

 food by spitting or blowing our noses. They are the 

 only devils who do us no harm. All the others lind 

 a pleasure in rendering us unhappy, by causing ouv 

 illnesses. This has led to the use of Bales, which 

 are, however, prohibited by Boudhou ; we shall 

 speak of them hereafter. Isvaka and Vaissevene, 

 two powerful gods, keep all the devils subordinate 

 to them in as much order as possible, but they are 

 not alv\^ays in time to prevent the effects of their 

 malice. 



CHRONOLOGY, 



We have already given the opinions of the Boiid- 

 hists about the antiquity of the world, together with 

 their truly wonderful chronological calculations. 

 We shall hereafter give an extract from the book of 

 Ragia Paskemoodtlliar, chief of the cast of 

 Saleas, in Avhich there are curious details on this 

 subject. At present we shall touch on a chronology 

 that approaches somewliat nearer to our understand- 

 ing. We shall not speak of the history of Boud- 

 hou, a part of which is contained in 550 volumes, 

 each relating to the history of one transmigration 

 only. W^e intend to give a copy of some of the 

 paintings on the walls of the pagodas, with their ex- 

 planation. 



