V8 Forms of Salutation and Address 



ganized : tliey belong to an earlier tune, and a less political 

 system. 



Connected with the period when the priests discontinue 

 travelling, and are to remain within doors, is the festival time ; 

 and particularly the ®gr eat G>z3dz&<5 (perahara), or previous 

 procession, from the new to the full moon of July, the sight 

 seeing month, after which Wassana, or the rainy season, of 

 four months, begins.* These processions occur in history 

 so early as Fa Hian's time. 



As respects colour, the great colour was (nila) the 

 colour of the sky and ocean, and like these, indeed, susceptible 

 of many shades from green to dark blue ; but commonly de- 

 noting this last, the colour of Vishnu's garment. It is to 

 this colour allusion is so often made in the descriptive writ- 

 ings of the Singhalese poets ; as when they sing the praises 

 of feet, soft and beautiful <e as the full blown lotus"- — 



koniala supipi sara saclisa pacla &c. 



So also, when they speak of fff lotus hair ; " and the «&^G° 

 ssiocS (nilangkara), or blue ornament of dark eyes. 



In like manner, perhaps, we may read concerning Budha, 

 that he " opened his lotus mouth " and spoke — 



muwa piyuma pobaya 

 his mouth, lotus-like, he opened, his lips opening like the 

 opening lotus ! But by the phrase ee lotus mouth " gene- 

 rally, &)<B<S {muwa tamhara), as an expression of beauty, 

 may be intended the red lotus, and lips red with the betel 

 leaf, which is so commonly used and so coveted by the natives 

 of all classes, that it might well give occasion to the name, as 

 a designation of the island eS'^ (Tamhra parnni), 



red leaf, whence the classic appellation for Ceylon, Taprobane. 



* Note The Warsana or rainy season of the civil or agricultural year is different. 

 It is a portion of Wassana, and consists of but two months, the time of the early 

 rains, previous to the sowing for the Maha harvest, so called, there being at the 

 other equinox ©of ^^^"D (mcedindina), another, the &<3 (yala) ox farther 

 harvest. 



