248 ON THE RII.ICION AND 



" after digeflion to be evacuated. In confequcnce, 

 *' the different canals, and organs, ncceflary in the 

 " human body for evacuation, were of their own ac- 

 " cord generated. After liaving eaten rice, men began 

 " to have luxurious defires, and the different organs 

 " of fex appeared; for before that time mankind were 

 " neither male nor female. Thofe who in a former 

 " life had been males, now obtained the male organs 

 '' of fex ; and thofe who had been women, obtained 

 '• female organs. When the difference of fex firft 

 " appeared, men contented themfelves with mutual 

 " lalcivious glances : but afterwards they married. 

 " Neverthelefs there remained many virgins of great 

 " virtue, and many holy men, who were called 

 *■'• Manujfa Biamma. Thefe neither prafti fed agricul- 

 " ture, nor any mechanical art; but only underwent 

 " the great labour of making offerings and bellowing 

 ^' alms. Thefe men long obferved inviolate chaftity : 

 " but when in the progrefs of time they perceived 

 *' their numbers daily lefl'ening, many of them, in 

 '* order to raife up an offspring, contrafcled marriages^ 

 " and thofe who are now called Brah^nens, are de- 

 " fcended from thefe lad alliances. The Manujfa, 

 " Biamma^ who had retained their chaftity, were very 

 " indignant on hearing of this conduct in their com- 

 *' panions ; and loathing much their depravity, ever 

 " after held them in the utmofl; contempt, fpit in their 

 *' faces, and abhorred to have any community with 

 *' them in eating, cloathing, or dwelling. From this, 

 *' fay the Burma doctors, has arifen among the Brah- 

 " mens the cuftom of not eating or wafhing with the 

 '■'• reft of mankind. But although the law of Godama 



o 



" permits marriages; yet as, without the ftrift obfer- 

 *' vance of celibacy, no perfon can arrive at Nieban, 

 " fo therefore all wife men have ponlidered marriage 

 " as a deed not of a perfect nature." 



" XLI. The Biamma^ who had married, by de- 

 *' grees built houfes, villages, and towns : but when 

 " ^hey began to multiply, there arofe among them 



" contentions 



