350 An ancient Buddhist Monastery at Pu-gan. [No. 4. 



schooling went on in another and separate hu.ild.ing. In the idol 

 apartment (No. 3), most of the images of Buddha were arranged 

 facing the entrance, that is to the north. Two or three were facing 

 the east. They were placed in wooden models of sacred dwellings, 

 elaborately carved and gorgeously gilded. Worshippers coming to 

 listen to the preaching of the monks, or to make offerings of flowers 

 and food to the images, would kneel helow the raised dais, and women 

 prohahly outside the raised screens on the uncovered platform, so as 

 not to come too near the officiating monk. But they might enter 

 the monastery to deposit their offerings, on a receptacle which is 

 generally placed hefore the images. No particular room was set 

 apart as a library. Some book-cases were in the idol room, and some 

 hooks were scattered on bedsteads below the dais on the east side. 



In this monastery the discipline was evidently very las, no doubt 

 arising from the great age of the Abbot, and his inability to move 

 about, and personally exercise authority. The pazens or deacons 

 I found importunate, and the young probationers, notwithstanding 

 their shaven heads and yellow robes, as riotous and wild as school 

 hoys. However they all were civil and obliging and willingly showed 

 me over the establishment. Being much interrupted by them in 

 making measurements of the rooms, I left it to be done by a Burmese 

 assistant. He afterwards told me he also had been quite perplexed 

 by the talking, questioning, joking and laughing of these young 

 candidates for monasticism. 



On the same platform with the monastery, and at a distance of 

 only 13 feet under a separate roof was what is called a " phra kyoung' 

 or image monastery. In this were images of Buddha placed facing 

 to the north. But as this building is not an essential part of a 

 monastery though in modem times generally added thereto, it need 

 not be described. 



References to flan of modern monastery. 



1. Uncovered portion of the platform on which the building 

 rests. 



2. Outer hall extending on three sides of the building. The 

 east side and a poi'tion of the north is enclosed by wooden shutters. 



3. The principal division of the monastery called " Phra Khan," 



