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



Next morning the priest is supplied with his morning 

 meal. His mid-day meal is made ready with great ceremony, 

 and when it is over the following offerings are made : a brass 

 water-pot, a lamp, a spitting pot, a bill-hook, a mammoty, 

 an adze, an axe, a chisel, a mat and a pillow, a basin and a 

 plate, some fruit and some cooked food, and the usual small 

 boxes in which the articles used by betel-chewers are carried 

 — in short, all the ordinary articles of daily use. They are 

 put down in front of the priest, and a piece of calico 16 or 

 20 cubits long is brought out ; one end of it is given ;to the 

 priest, and the sick man's relations hold on to the other end. 

 The relations then say : — 



To the venerable priest who is here present as the representa- 

 tive of the holy succession of priests who have received ordination 

 uninterruptedly from the times of Sariputto Maha Moggalano, 

 we make this offering in behalf of our father Punchirala in order 

 that he may be born in the world of gods, and finally attain the 

 eternal rest of Nirvana. 



The cloth is put down with the offerings, and the priest 

 says "Ichchitam patthitaih" &c. 



May your desire and your happiness 



Soon be accomplished, 



May your hopes be fulfilled 



Like as the moon becomes round. 



Panamena saram sarirassa dhira, 

 Padanena danam dhananam sapanno 

 Susilena saram sada jivitassa 

 Gahetuna vififiu na socanti paced. 

 [ By reverence do the wise secure health for their bodies, 

 By almsgiving do they lay up treasures for themselves, 

 By piety do they secure for ever prosperity of life ; 

 The wise have not sorrow at their death.] 

 After giving the benediction the priest rises to depart, and 

 is conducted back to his residence with the offerings he has 

 received, which are borne in procession, accompanied by 

 music and dancers. 



When a man is at the point of death he generally sends 

 for the priest, who, after repeating the Three Refuges and 

 the Five Commandments, reads to him that portion of the 



