itgS ON THE RELIGION AND 



princefs, who threw him a rope which fhe made of her 

 hair. The ends of the walls, which projeft on the diffe- 

 rent terraces, as you afcend to the temples, are generally 

 ornamented with figures of Godama's cook, a fat, de- 

 formed, but droll looking fellow. Befides human 

 images, there are alfo at the Burma temples many re- 

 prefentations of elephants, monkies, and other ani- 

 rnals, but efpecially of lions couchant, which often 

 are of a molr. coloffal fize. The Bur7nas however, 

 although they confider thefe difciples, perfons, and 

 animals, as venerable, on account of the fervices they 

 performed to Godama, have no idea of worfhipping 

 their images ; nor, as far as I could learn, of imploring 

 them to ufe in their behalf their intereft with the di- 

 vinity: much iefs do they ever addrefs their prayers 

 to the gods of the Brahmens, a cuftomvv'hich feems to 

 have been adopted byfome of the C/n^^z/^^, or natives 

 of Ceylon. It is however true that the Burmas are 

 well acquainted with the gods of the Brahmens, and 

 have many legendary books containing an account of 

 their adventures, efpecially thofe of Rama, king of 

 Baranudee: but they look upon thefe perfonages 

 merely as heroes, or as remarkable men, only admi- 

 rable for the wonderful actions they performed. In 

 fome of their temples, and in the carved ornaments of 

 irz(3!M?z^5, and of houfes for the reception of ftrangcrs^ 

 there are reprefcntaiions of the aftions of thefe heroes, 

 and of the Nat. Among thefe the figure of Ganksa 

 is oneof the moft common. 



Every true v/orfhipper of Godama prays before he 

 goes to fleep, and before he rifes in the morning, 

 which is generally at dawn of day. The old men, 

 and women of all ages, are more regular in their de- 

 votions than the youths, as is the cafe, I believe, in 

 all countries, where the women are not degraded into 

 the rank of brutes. In praying they ufe rofaries, often 

 made of amber beads, and often of various feeds, efpe- 

 cially of ih&Canna indicaLis. and Cctfalprnia oleof- 

 f^rma Rox. The former plant is peculiarly facrcd 

 5 ^O 



