WEST AND SOUTH COASTS OF CEYLON, 453 



fwered in the negative, with apparent abhorrence; and 

 the prieft who had before attended me, repeating his 

 previous information of Buddha's being the fon of 

 SuDODHANA rajah, and born in Muggiid deiJI) (Bahar) 

 added, in explanation of the hair being fliort and 

 crifped, that Buddha had on a certain qccafion cut 

 his hair with a golden fword, and its appearance in 

 confequence was meant to be reprefcnted on his ima- 

 ges. I recolledt nothing further of confequence ob- 

 ferved by me (not an hour fince) in this temple, except 

 that feveral lamps were burning, which are i'aixl to be 

 perpetually kept lighted (though of this 1 have fome 

 reafon to doubt), and that the ceiling was covered with 

 ill-executed paintings of the lotos; whilft on the walls, 

 befides a flower refem^bling the Nagifur (if not the 

 fame,) the Keyora, of the fpecies which contains the 

 greateft quantity of fragrant dufi, appeared the chief 

 votary of the vegetable tribe. 



After writing the foregoing, and converfmg through 

 an interpreter with the four priefts on the difference 

 between a Gonn'majhy and Taranajhy; the manner of 

 elefting thefe wider graduates and dolors; and the mode 

 of abdication when a defire of marriage, infirmity, or 

 other caufe n^quires it; the nature of Buddha's doc- 

 trines as to a future ftate, and the creation of the uni- 

 verfe (on the former of which important fubje8:s he has 

 fpcken with more certainty than on the latter); and 

 laftly on the daily worfhip of Buddha and his fellivals; 

 to fhew me the ufual ceremonials, although it was now 

 neithermorning, noon, or evening, the three appointed 

 times of daily devotion, they mott cheerfully offered to 

 conduB me again to the temple, and after a few prepa- 

 rations, to fatisfy my curiofity on this head; apologizing 

 at the fame time they had not the means of doin^ fo, as 

 I could be gratified at Candy, where numerous mu- 

 fical inftruments are ufed in the Poojah; and part cu- 

 larly on grand occafions, as the feltival of the biith 

 and death of Buddha en the 15J1 Vyfaak} theKATicK 



poojab 



