LITERATURE OF THE BURMAS. 283 



Prieft. '' Have your parents given you leave ? 



Cand. " They have my lord. 



Prieft. " Have you compleated your twentieth year? 



Cand. " My lord 1 have compleated it.* 



Prieft. " Have you not in readinefs your faheit and 



" garments ? 

 Cand. " They are ready my lord. 

 Prieft. " How are you called ? 



Cand. " I am called Naka ; that is to fay, candidate, 

 Prieft. " What is the name of your mafter Upize ? 

 Cand. " My mafter Upize is called Ajfeienteitatrit^ 



" or excellency. 



" After thefe queftions the reader of Kammua 

 " fliall again fay, Moft virtuous lord and priefts here 

 " affembled, I bcfeech you to hear my w^ords. This 

 " candidate humbly begs from his Upize to be admit- 

 " ted into the facred order, and I have already given 

 *' him admonition. Now certainly a very conveni- 

 " ent time for my lords has arrived : the candidate 

 " ought therefore to approach the affembly, and beg 

 *' this order from them. The priefts fhall then fay, 

 " Approach. The candidate ftiall approach, and fay, 

 " I aflc the order of priefthood from the Rahans. 

 *' My lords, if you have compaffion on me, fnatch 

 " me from the lay ftate, a ftate of lin and error; and 

 *' appoint me to the facerdotal ftate, a ftate of virtue 

 " and perfection ; and three times fhall the candidate 

 " pronounce thefe words. Then ftiall the Kammua- 



" zara 



* This regulation is very commonly negleflcd. Rich men, who 

 wifh to give their fons a good education, generally make them Rahans 

 about the age of twelve or touriccn years : and the youths continue in the 

 college till they be twenty-four, or twenty-five. Being then fit for bufi- 

 nefs, they leave the convent, and marry : for it is in the power of a prieft 

 to relinquifh his order whenever he pleafes_. and to return to the world : 

 and this he does without incurring any confiderable fcandal. The poorer 

 fort of people fend then boys to the convents, where as menial fervants 

 ihcy attend on the Rdhan who afls as their mafter, inftrucling them to 

 read and write : and there are very few men in the country who are not 

 able to do both with facility. Fewer women learn thefe accomplifliments; 

 but ftill there are many who do, and who are very well informed in fuch 

 learning as the Burinas polfcfs. 



