No. 29. — 1884.] BUDDHISTICAL CEKEMONIES. 



211 



priests their food. The portion set apart for the senior 

 priest is handed to him, and of the remainder sufficient 

 is given to the other priests, who leave in their bowls 

 enough for their servants. What is over after the priests 

 bowls are filled is given to the dancers and musicians, and 

 to the poor. The priests take their food in silence, repeating 

 to themselves the usual grace.* 



After the evening meal the priests chew their betel, which 

 serves the purpose of the after-dinner cigar in the West. 



The priest who is to remain in was then adjourns to the 

 preaching-hall [dhammasala], to preach to the assembled 

 multitude the thanksgiving sermon [anumodanadkamma]' 

 In the middle of the hall is placed a chair with a 

 cushion, on which the priest takes his seat, holding before 

 his face a sort of fan, like a hand fire-screen, to prevent his 

 attention being distracted. The people are seated on the 

 floor, the men on one side, the women and children on the 

 other. There is a tendency to break this rule : influential 

 families will be seen, the men and women together, sitting 

 in a place apart from the crowd. When the priest has 

 taken his seat, the people say : — 



Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa. 



[Praise be to the Blessed One, the Holy One, the Author 

 of all Truth.] 



The priest then gives the Three Refuges and the Five 

 Commandments [panca silani] 9 the people repeating them 

 after him, sentence by sentence, as follows 



The Three Refuges. 

 I put my trust in Buddha, 

 I put my trust in the Law, 

 I put my trust in the Church, 



The Five Commandments. 

 Refrain from taking life, 

 Refrain from stealing, 

 Refrain from fornication, 

 Refrain from lying, 

 Refrain from using strong drinks. 



* See Note supra Sakkaccam. 



