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BIRMAH. Ill
tests in despair, in his narrative, " that there is not a
dress, office, or ceremony in the church of Rome, to
which the devil has not here provided some counter-
part. Even when he began inveighing against the
idols, he was answered, that these were the images of
departed great men, whom they worshipped exactly on
the same principle and in the same manner as the
Catholics did the images of the apostles and martyrs."*
The following additional particulars respecting the
ecclesiastical system of the Birmans, are taken chiefly
from Dr. Buchanan's valuable papers in the Asiatic
Researches.
The priests of Guadma, or rahaans, are all regulars,
member of some kioum (monastery), and under the
direction of a superior, in a manner strikingly resem-
bling the monastic orders of the Romish Church.
They are under vows of celibacy, and live together in
their convents or colleges, which are by much the best
habitations in the country. Every kioum has a head
called zara, which may be interpreted "reader," but
it may also be translated abbot. In a particular man-
ner is respected the zarado (or seredaw), or royal
abbot, who may be likened to the king's confessor.
His apartments are very superb, and his attendants
very numerous. Next to the emperor, he is the person
to whom the greatest external homage is paid, and
he is permitted to sleep under a piasath, a dignity not
enjoyed even by the king's eldest son, who already
possesses one half of the imperial power. But although
these zaras possess grades of rank conformable
to the opulence of their kioums, and the power of
their patrons, every zara manages his own establish-
Murray's Hist, of Discoveries in Asia, vol. iii. p. 249.