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BIRMAH. 113
convents, and spread themselves all over the neigh-
bouring streets and villages : as they pass along, they
stop at the different doors, but without saying a word.
If the people of the house are disposed to be charitable,
or have not already given away all that has been
prepared for the purpose, a person, generally the
mistress of the house, comes out, puts the readydressed
provisions into the sabeit, and the rhahaan
goes on in silence, without returning thanks. Nor
does he ever solicit for any thing, should it not be
convenient or agreeable for the family to bestow alms,
but, after standing for a few minutes, proceeds on his
rounds. So nice are they in this particular, that it
is deemed sinful for a rhahaan on such occasions to
cough, or make any signal, by which he might be
supposed to put the laity in mind of their duty. As
they literally take no care for the morrow, the super-
fluity they daily give away to animals, to the poor,
and to needy strangers and travellers. In order that
they may be able to supply these demands, as well as
to comply with the letter of this law, even when they
are in no want of provisions, the rhahaans make their
daily rounds. From this regulation It results, that
where there are not a sufficiency of inhabitants to
support a convent, there are no rhahaans; and thus
the finest kioums in old Ava are deserted, and their
gilded halls have become the habitations of outlaws
and unclean animals."
Among the instructions delivered to the rhahaan on
" Whoever is ad-
his ordination are the following :
mitted into the priesthood, can by no means be permitted
to extol himself as a saint, or as a person endowed
with any preternatural gifts ; such as the gifts
called meipo or zian; nor is it lawful for him to
declare himself a hermit, or a person that loves soli-