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I Feel bound to record my grateful sense of obligation to those Sinhalese Buddhists, whether belonging to the Holy Order or laymen, who have helped me in the preparation of these the following notes. Their courtesy was unfailing and their readiness to impart information inexhaustible. As for the humbler and less educated Buddhists of Ceylon, it is impossible not to be touched by their simple devotion and by the vivid manner in which their religion enters into their life.
page 41 note 1 The latest Census (1946) showed that the population of Ceylon comprised 6,650,825 souls, of whom 64·4 per cent were Buddhists and 69·6 were of Sinhalese race. Followers of the Hindu religion accounted for 19·9 per cent of the population, and were mostly Tamils. 9·1 per cent of the population were Christians, and 6·5 per cent were Muslims.
page 43 note 1 From a Burmese account we learn that the request for help in renewing the succession was addressed to King Anawrahta of Pagan.
page 45 note 1 Two centuries afterwards a like service was rendered by the Buddhist Church in Ceylon to the Church in Burma. In Buddhism in Burma (Burma Pamphlets, No. 3, published by Longmans, , Green and Co., Ltd., 1943)Google Scholar, the author, G. Appleton, writes as follows with reference to the Burmese King Damma-zedi (1472–1492): “His most important work was the mission of twenty-two monks which he sent to Ceylon in 1475. These monks received valid ordination from the monks of the ancient Mahā Vihāra monastery, and on their return they transmitted these orders to the clergy throughout Burma.” This occurred in the reign of the Sinhalese King Bhuvanaika Bāhu VI of Kōttē.
page 47 note 1 This is in theory the cultivator class, but includes the best born families.
page 47 note 2 It may be of interest to continue with this quotation from Knox, as throwing light upon the condition of the Buddhist hierarchy in the early Kandyan days. He goes on to say:—
“But they (i.e. Buddhist monks) do not presently, upon their admission, arrive unto the high degree of a tirinanx; for of these there are but three or four, and they are chosen out of all the rest of the order unto this degree. These tirinanxes only live in the vihar and enjoy great revenues; and are, as it were, the superiors of all the priests, and are made by the king.… All the rest of the order are called gonni. The habit is the same for the whole order, both tirinanxes and gonni. It is a yellow coat, gathered together about the waist, and comes over the left shoulder, girt about with a belt of fine packthread; their heads are shaved, and they go bare-headed, and carry in their hands a round fan, with a wooden handle, which is to keep the sun off their head. . . . They have the honour of carrying the tallipot with the broad end over their heads foremost, which none but the king does.”
This is a fairly accurate description of the dress worn by the monks of the Siam Sect to-day, except that an umbrella of modern Western type has been substituted for a leaf of the “talipot” palm as a protection against the sun. (The purpose of the round fan is to screen the monk's face from the public view.) By “tirinanx” I presume that Knox means “therunānsē”, an honorific term for a monk of senior standing. By “gonni” is perhaps meant “ganninānsē” (see later under the section dealing with the Buddhist sects).
page 50 note 1 There is still in existence at Bangkok, however, a college of Brahmins attached to the Royal Court, the members of which perform certain rites of Hindu origin upon special ceremonial occasions such as a Coronation, etc. These Brahmins are to all intents and purposes Siamese and have lost direct touch with India.
page 51 note 1 In his book, already quoted, Robert Knox writes rather disparagingly of the kapurālas as follows:—
“The second order of priests (after the Buddhist monks) are called Koppuhs (obviously meant to designate kapurālas), who are the priests that belong to the temples of other gods; their temples are called dewals. These are not distinguished by any habit from the rest of the people; no, nor when they are at their worship; only they wear clean clothes, and wash themselves before they go to their service. These are taken out from among the hondrems (i.e. members of the highest caste): they enjoy a piece of land that belongs to the dewal where they officiate, and that is all their benefit, unless they stel somewhat that is dedicated to the gods. They follow their husbandry and employments as other men do; but only when the times of worship are, which mostly is every morning and evening, oftener or seldomer, according as the revenue will hold out that belongs to that temple, whereof each is priest. The service is, that when the boiled rice and other victuals are brought to the temple door by others, he takes it, and presents it before the idol: whence, after it hath stood awhile, he brings it out again, and then the drummers, pipers, and other servants that belong to the temple eat it. These gods have never any flesh brought in sacrifice to them, but anything else.”
page 52 note 1 An illustration of the extent to which Buddhism and Hinduism are still intermingled is furnished by the following extract from the issue of the Times of Ceylon for 26th February, 1946:—
“Hindu Pantheon in Buddhist Temple
“Batticaloa, Tuesday.
“An interesting ceremony in connection with the laying of the foundation stones for the erection of the images of the Hindu deities—Maha Brahma, Iskanda, Vishnu, Iswara, Ganadevi, Samandevi, and Nathadevi—took place at the Deva Mandiraya Buddhist temple in Koddamunai.
“A large number of Buddhists and Hindus were present at the auspicious hour. Mangala Pirith was chanted by a number of Buddhist priests.”