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78 BIRMAH.
to some pagoda of importance, by repeating their
liturgy or form of religious service, when the auditory
evince their devotion by their humble posture, by ele-
vating their hands with the pakns united, and by
regular responses. The priests affect the most entire
disinterestedness in the discharge of their sacred
functions ; but their worldly wants are always amply
supplied, and they uniformly receive the tribute of a
reverential public. Even their monasteries are not
approached or passed with the feet covered. Many of
them are learned in the Pali or Magudha, but the
great majority exhibit evident marks of mental sloth
and inanity.
"
The sacred writings of the Birmans are reported
to have been transcribed in the most miraculous man-
ner, in one day, from the original copies first put
into a legible form by yahans (rahaans), or priests, on
the island of Thee-ho (Ceylon), nearly 400 years
after the supposed annihilation of Guatama, and about
a century previous to the Christian era.* These
writings, embracing every science, natural and reli-
gious, within the scope of their author's reputed
universal and infallible knowledge, amount to some
thousands. Few of them are read by the priests, and
fewer still by the reading part of the public. The
middling and lower classes of society are content with
knowing little more of the principles of their religion
than what is ascertained from the public ritual. This
announces the three grand objects of religious homage ;
* There is a tradition among the Cingalese, that one of the
kings of Hindostan, immediately after Boodhu's death, collected
together 500 learned ascetics, and persuaded them to write down
on palmyra leaves, from the mouth of one of Boodhu's principal
disciples, all the doctrines taught by Boodhu in his life-time."
WARD'S View of the Hindoos, vol. ii. p. 211.