amongst the Singhalese. 261 



paid him the respect by bowing with an edili*— by which is 

 meant the obeisance made by the clasping of the hands to- 

 gether. Of course he never raised his hands to the face when 

 a Padua or a Tom -Tom heater was the saluter ; but even in the 

 case of such persons, he, as is the practice in nearly all the 

 parts of Ceylon where ancient customs are strictly adhered 

 to, made an inclination of his hand or hands, as the case 

 may be, by raising them up in the form of a semi- Salaam 

 of the Hindus. With regard to others of inferior classes, 

 no distinction is ever shown by those who correctly under- 

 stand the etiquette on the subject. A Budhist priest, or 

 Budha is to be worshipped pasanga pihitawa, (c3S3<&)8c8©83) 

 as we read in innumerable pass?, ges in the Budhist scrip- 

 tures, that is, by touching the ground with five parts of the 

 body of the saluter. This is difficult to be explained with- 

 out a representation; but if the reader will only fancy a 

 person falling down on his face,f and then lifting up the 

 body supported by the forehead, the two elbows, and the 

 knees— and then putting his clasped-hands to the forehead, 

 he may perhaps get some conception of a person prostrating 

 in the manner indicated by pasanga pi I lit a. % 



It is pleasing indeed to see well trained natives make the 

 usual salutation between man and man ; for they do it in as 

 graceful a manner as a Frenchman makes a bow. On the 

 contrary, nothing can be more offensive to the sight than 



* In the Anjali (Sanscrit) or respectful obeisance, (says Professor Wilson,) 

 the head is slightly bowed, the palms of the hands are brought together, and 

 raised literally to the middle of the forehead, so that the tips of the thumbs only 

 are in contact with it. Hindu Theatre, Vol. 11, p. 108. 



f "I fell at his feet to worship him." Eev. xix. 10. 



X This is the same form of "worship," which the Rev. S. Hardy in his Eastern 

 Monachism, p. 25, describes as being -performed, "with his forehead to the ground, 

 and touching the ground with his knees and toes." But Mr. Hardy is wrono- in 

 saying that the " toes " should touch the ground. For " toes" read "elbows." 



1858 2 m 



