286 ON THE RELIGION AND 



" The reader then proceeds. In the fecond place 

 '• the order of priefthood requires the ufe of garments 

 *' covered with duft, of garments which have been 

 '• thrown into public fcpulchres : wherefore, O young 

 " prieft, vou muft, during your whole life, ufe fuch 

 *' garments as are ftaincd with the duft of the field. 

 •' However, if induced by your learning and tcach- 

 *' ing, many benefactors refort to you, then are you 

 " permitted to ufe the following cloaths in your drefs; 

 " namely the cloths called Choma; cloths made of 

 " cotton, filk or wool; cloths made of the bark of 

 " certain trees; cloths mad? of the feathers of certain 

 " birds. It is lawful for you to ufe all the above- 

 " mentioned cloths. The new prieft anfwers as before.* 



" The reader then proceeds. In the third place, 

 " the facerdotal rank requires its members to live in 

 *' houfes conftruBed under the trees of the woods. 

 *' Therefore, O newly ordained prieft, you ought du- 

 *' ring the whole of your life to inhabit fuch houfes. 

 ** Neverthelefs, if your genius and do6lrine attraft 

 " many benefaftors, you may inhabit houfes of the 



" following 



law, even when they are in no want of provifions, the Rahans make their 

 daily rounds. In confquence we find in the Burma dominions none of 

 ihofe well endowed convents in retired places, fuch as are in many parts of 

 Europe: but the convents are always in the neighbourhood of towns, and 

 always in proportion to the wealth and number of inhabitants. TTie fineft 

 Kiaungs in old Avazrt now defcried, and their gilded halls have become 

 the habitations of outlaws and unclean animals. Hence alfo it is, that near 

 many of the mofl; celebrated temples there does not live a fingle Rafiun. 

 Kail ngomitdo and Shue Logo, tharahu are both temples of great dimcn-^ 

 Cons, and high celebrity ; and at certain feafoiis vaft multitudes of the laity 

 refort thither on account of their fuppofed fanftity ; but at prefent there is 

 not in their vicinity a fufficient number of inhabitants to fupport a convent, 

 and therefore no Rdhcins live near them. 



* Several of thefe cloths I have never feen : but the Rahans are 

 well cloathed with a large yellow or yellowifli mantle, which they throvy 

 round them in a decent and becoming manner. Under this they have fevc- 

 ral fmaller pieces of drefs, which however I never obferved with fuflicieni 

 accuracy to enable me todefcnbe. They (liave the head and beard, arc very 

 clean in their perfons, and always go bare-f(xitcd. None of them wear 

 jewels, or ornaments of gold or filver. In hot weather, I never fa w them 

 indulge themfclves by expofing their naked bodies ; much lefs do they, like 

 the jollies of Hnidiiflan. ever cxpofc their nudities; but are hngiiUrly mo- 

 dell and decent in their drefs and behaviour. 



