9£ CEYLON BRANCH — ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY 



where I am. The King being seated on a seat prepared for him 

 said to Rattapala, 



Some persons, Rattapala, experiencing four bereavements cut 

 off their hair and heard, clothe themselves in yellow robes, and 

 forsaking family life become houseless priests ; these four are 

 bereavements from decry, bereavements from disease, bereave- 

 ments of property, and bereavements of relatives. 



Bereavement from decay, Rattapala is thus: In this world 

 a person hetomes decrepid, worn cut with days, aged, far ad- 

 vanced in life, approaching the end of his existence : he thus 

 reflects, I am decrepid, worn with days, aged, old, approach- 

 ing the end of life ; the property I have not obtained I can* 

 not now procure, and that I have procured I cannot preserve; 

 it is advisable for me to cut off my hair and beard, put on 

 yellow garments, and forsaking family life become a houseless 

 priest. He having experienced the bereavements of decay cuts 

 off his hair and beard, puts, on yellow garments and departs 

 houseless from the house. This is called bereavements from 

 decay. But Rattapala is juvenile, young, in the bloom of life, 

 black-haired, in the excellency of youth, in the prime of his 

 days : Rattapala has not experienced the bereavements of 

 decay. What therefore has Rattapala known, or seen, or heard^ 

 that he has departed houseless from his home. 



The bereavements from disease are thus: In this world some 

 are afflicted with disease, in pain, exhausted with sickness ; and 

 they think 1 am diseased, full of pain, exhausted with sickness; 

 I cannot obtain property still unacquired, nor preserve what I have 

 gained ; it is advisable for me to cut off my hair and beard, 

 put on yellow garments, and depart a houseless one from my 

 heme, and he in consequence of bereavements from disease cuts 

 off his hair and beard, puts on yellow garments, and forsakes 

 the house, a houseless one. This Rattapala is called bereave- 

 ment from disease. But Rattapala is now healthy, free from 

 pain, having a good digestion and appetite, being troubled with 



