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JOURNAL, R.A.S. ( CEYLON). [Vol. VIII. 



robes, sat engaged in the bliss of meditation and of the fruits (of 

 religion). The squire came in the evening with people carrying 

 perfumes and flowers, and lamps and oil, and after doing obei- 

 sance to the resident elder asked, " There is a strange elder, sir, 

 did he come ? " " Yes, he came." " Where is he now ? " " On 

 such and such a seat." He went to the place where he was, and after 

 making obeisance sat down by him and heard religious discourse, and 

 went home in the cool, after having made offerings to the shrine 

 and the sacred tree, and lighted the lamps, and invited the two (to 

 eat at his house). The resident elder thought, " This squire's 

 heart is lost to me ; if that mendicant lives in this residence he 

 will make no account whatever of me." So the elder got into a 

 discontented state of mind, and feeling "I must contrive to prevent 

 his living in this residence," when they met spoke not a word to 

 him. The elder of mortified desires perceived his intention, and 

 saying to himself, ei That elder does not perceive how free I am 

 from the bonds of rank or following," went to his abode, and 

 passed the time in the bliss of meditation and of the fruits (of 

 religion). Next day, the resident tapped the door-post with the 

 back of his nail, * and knocked at the door with his nail, and went to 

 the squire's house. The squire took his bowl, seated him on the 

 seat prepared, and asked " Where is the visitor, sir ?" I know 

 nothing about your favourite : I tapped at his doorpost, I knocked 

 at his door, but I could not wake him. Yesterday he ate some sweet 

 food at your house, and I suppose he could not digest it, and has 

 only just fallen asleep ; this is the sort of object you choose for 

 your admiration. "f The elder of mortified desires, reflecting that it 

 was his time for going to beg, arranged his person, took his bowl 

 and robes, and, rising into the air, went to some other place. The 

 squire gave the resident elder to drink some porridge made with 

 ghee, honey, and sugar, and then after cleaning the bowl with per- 

 fumed powder, he filled it again, and gave it to him, saying i( Sir, 

 that elder must be wearied with his journey, take this to him." 

 The other did not refuse, but took it, and as he went he thought : 

 '* If that mendicant drinks this porridge, he will never go even if 

 he is dragged out by the throat. On the other hand, if I give this 

 porridge to anybody, my deed will be made known ; if I throw it 

 into water, the ghee will show on the top of the water ; if I throw 

 it on the ground, it will be seen by the crows collecting ; so where 



* Punadivasena Kappitth, &c. : read Punadivase nakhapiith, &c. 



f Iddni, fyc. The inverted commas are misplaced. If the second ti is correct, 

 the construction may be " The sort of person you like is one who would eat to 

 indigestion and oversleep himself." 



