Chap. IX. 



OF BUDDHIST PRIESTS. 



187 



more intelligent than these persons generally are. 

 However much deluded I considered him, I was 

 inclined to believe him sincere. 



These recluses are supposed to spend their 

 whole time in prayer, in reading Buddhist books, 

 and in repeating the name of Buddha over and 

 over again continually. A small lamp burns day 

 and night in their cells, and the listener hears the 

 low and monotonous sound of Ameda Buddha, or 

 Nae-mo-o-me-to-fa ; and if he looks in upon them 

 through the little aperture in the wall which is 

 used for passing in their food, he will see them 

 either counting their beads as an accompaniment 

 to their devotions, or prostrating themselves before 

 a little altar in the cell. 



When a number of these priests are shut up in 

 one cell, it is said that prayer to Buddha, or the 

 repetition of his name, never ceases day nor night. 

 When some become weary and feel the want of 

 sleep, others take their places, and so the work 

 goes continually on and on, until the three years 

 have expired, when the holy men come out again 

 to mix with the world. 



Before leaving the temple our party ^went in a 

 body to the window of the high-priest's cell to 

 thank him for the shelter we had received during 

 the night, and to leave him a small present for the 

 kindness. He seemed much gratified with our 

 attention, and we parted the best of friends, and 

 with a kind invitatioii to renew our visit in the 

 following year. 



