84 
L. A. Waddell — Upagupta. 
[No. 1, 
wliat the feast in honour of the great Indian Naga king, Mahakala, 
the 4 Dai Koko ’ of the Japanese Buddhists who also celebrated this 
festival in a somewhat similar manner, a leading feature of which is 
the treasure-boat of the Naga dragon-spirits. 1 
It is held on the last day of the Buddhist Lent or Varsa (Was), 
at the end of the rainy season, about October. All the houses are 
ablaze with lamps and nearly every Burman builds a tiny boat, 
decorates it with flowers, illuminates it and then launches it on the 
river, with music, and the prayer that it may be carried on to 4 Upagu/ 
and bring back to them the luck-giving saint—a procedure which recalls 
the incident of A 9 oka sending boats to bring Upagupta, the saintly 
interpreter of the Law, which confers religious fortune. The effect 
of this miniature flotilla is often very fine. A thousand tiny specks 
of light dancing on the dark bosom of the waters. During the night 
all eagerly expect to have the good fortune of a visit from the ‘Upagu ’ 
somewhat like the visit of Santa Claus (St. Nicholas) on Christmas 
eve; for those who are thus favoured are endowed with long life and 
good luck. On such occasions many clandestinely sprinkle water on 
their door steps for good luck in pretence that the water-god has paid 
them a visit. Such seems to be the popular hero-worship in Burma, 
now-a-days, accorded to the great High Priest of A9oka. 
1 W. Anderson’s Catalogue of Chinese and Japanese paintings in the British 
Museum, p. 38. 
