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



seven nights have elapsed, the was is broken, and cannot 

 be resumed. 



After three months have passed, the was season comes 

 to an end. This is on the full moon day of Assayujo 

 [September — October], on which the priest attends the 

 fortnightly chapter as usual, and after the Prdtimoksha 

 has been read as far as the end of the section Aniyatddhammu> 

 a midnight service is usually held. 



He kneels down and says : — 



Namo tassa, &c. Sangham bhaute pavaremi. Dittana va 

 Suttena va parisankaya va vadanta mam ayasmanto anukampam 

 upadaya. 



[Lords, I have finished the was. Venerable Sirs, if you have 

 any doubt from what you have heard or seen, in mercy to me 

 speak (and say in what I have offended).] 



This is repeated three times. 



If no one speaks he is free from blame and returns to 

 the place where he was in was to take part in the mid- 

 night service, which is usually held on this day. These 

 midnight services are called by the Sinhalese ratri bana 

 [night-preaching], and are the services generally known by 

 Europeans under the name of Bana. 



On these occasions, the people from the neighbouring 

 villages, dressed in their holiday attire, attend in great 

 numbers. The priest invites another priest to join him, 

 as two are required for this service. After their evening 

 meal, each is presented with a robe which he puts on* 

 and they are then conducted under a canopy, with music 

 and flags, from their lodgings to the preaching hall, in the 

 middle of which two pulpits are prepared for them. The 

 pulpit is made of four upright posts supporting a platform 

 about four feet square, and a canopy above. The platform 

 is hip-high from the ground. Cushions are placed on the 

 platform. The pulpits and the hall are tastefully decorated 

 with flags, palms, ferns, and flowers. The priests take their 

 places in front of the pulpits, holding their hand-screens 

 before their faces, while the people make obeisance and 

 say, " Sddhuf sddku ! sddhu f " The priests then say :— 



