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



the priest, carried in a palanquin with the sides open. The 

 three gems — Buddha, the Law, and the Church-are here 

 represented, and devotees go by the side shouting " Sddhu / 

 sddhu /" The women, with their children, await the arrival 

 of the procession at the place prepared for the priest, who, 

 on his arrival, arranges the relic-casket, and the image of 

 Buddha, and the sacred books, in the temporary chamber 

 which is to serve the purpose of a chapel : an altar is 

 placed in front of the image, and on it all the assembled 

 people make their offerings of flowers and perfumes. 



A small portion of the evening meal about to be offered 

 to the priest is now placed on the altar, as an offering to 

 Buddha. Sometimes the people ask the priest to place it 

 on the altar ; otherwise it is placed there by a deacon, or a 

 devotee, or an ordinary layman. The food thus offered is 

 taken by the deacons, attendants, or others, but not by the 

 priest. 



The offering of the priest's evening meal is then made in 

 the refectory. In this offering all the assembled multitude 

 take part ; every one contributes something, such as tea, 

 sugar, honeycomb, orange-juice, and the like. 



According to the Palimuttakavinicchayo, the offerings 

 may be of eight kinds, known as the atthapdnam, viz., 

 ambapdnam, jambupdnam, cocapdnam, mccapdnam, phdru- 

 sakapdnam, madhupdnam, muddikapdnam, sdlukapdnam — 

 the juice of the mango, of the rose-apple, of the wild 

 plantain, of the banana, of the ugruressa, the pure juice of 

 the grape, a drink made of grape juice with sugar and 

 water, and a drink made of the fruit of a kind of water-lily 

 mixed with water and sugar. 



The offerings are collected together and are placed on 

 trays or baskets covered with snow-white napkins. The 

 principal villagers, on behalf of the multitude, then carry the 

 trays on their heads to the top of the hall where the priest is 

 seated, and placing the trays on the ground, give the offer- 

 ings one by one in saucers, or on mats or leaves, into the 

 hands of the priest, who receives them and places them on 

 his mat or carpet. 



