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JOURNAL R. A. S. (CEYLON). [Vol. III. 



the changes of the moon attend their temples, make 

 offerings, hear the discourses of Buddha read, or his 

 precepts explained, and devote a portion of the day to 

 meditation, and other religious observances. But the days 

 of the New and of the Full Moon are regarded by the 

 priests as days of peculiar solemnity, each priest being 

 required to be present at a general assembly of the order, 

 at an appointed place within the district, in which he 

 resides, that his moral conduct may be investigated : and 

 if he have been guilty of any irregularity, he must confess 

 it, and submit to ecclesiastical discipline. 



The institution of the Uposatha resulted from the 

 recommendation of Seniya Bimbisara, the king of Magadha. 

 He observed that the teachers of the Paribbdjaka sect were 

 accustomed, on the days of the changes of the moon, to 

 assemble their followers and preach to them, in conse- 

 quence of which they became very popular. 



He waited on Buddha, stated the fact, and requested 

 him to direct his priests to adopt a similar course of pro- 

 ceeding. To this Buddha assented, and calling an assembly 

 of his priests directed them to meet on the days of the 

 New and Full Moon, and on each intervening eighth day. 

 They accordingly met on the days now known as the day 

 of New Moon, the eighth day, the fifteenth day, and the 

 eighth day after the fifteenth day. 



At first they remained quite silent when assembled, 

 as they had received no directions how they were to conduct 

 themselves. When it was reported to Buddha, that the 

 people were much dissatisfied with these silent meetings, 

 he directed that on each day of assembling, they should 

 preach to the people, and explain the doctrines of their 

 religion. It also occurred to him, that it would be ad- 

 vantageous if, on the New Moon, and on the fifteenth 

 day of the month, the priests, in addition to their public 

 preaching, should hold a private meeting in which the 

 Moral precepts, called the Patimokkha, should be recited, 



