Chap. XVIII. 



BUDDHIST WORSHIP. 



307 



by itself, and then the whole assembly joined, and 

 went on as before. 



The young priest who had come out from amongst 

 the others now took his station directly in front of the 

 altar, but near the door of the temple, and bowed 

 lowly several times upon a cushion placed there for 

 that purpose. He then walked up to the altar with 

 slow and solemn steps, took up a vessel which stood 

 on it, and filled it with water. After making some 

 crosses and gyrations with his hand, he sprinkled a 

 little of the water upon the table. When this was 

 done, he poured a little from the vessel into a cup, 

 and retired slowly from the altar towards the door of 

 the temple. Passing outside, he dipped his fingers in 

 the water and sprinkled it on the top of a stone pillar 

 which stood near the door. 



While this was going on the other priests were still 

 chanting the service. The time of the music fre- 

 quently changed : — now it was fast and lively,— now 

 slow and solemn, — but always in a plaintive key. 

 This part of the service being ended, all knelt lowly 

 before the altar, and when they rose from their knees 

 a procession was formed. The priests on the right of 

 the altar filed off to the right, and those on the left to 

 the left, each walking behind the other up the two 

 sides of the spacious hall, and chanting as they went 

 a low and solemn air, time being kept by the tinkling 

 of a small bell. When the two processions met at 

 the farther end of the building, each wheeled round 

 and returned in the same order as it came. The 

 procession lasted for about five minutes, and then the 



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