With regard to religion, the Ilirmans are worship.
pens of Buddhu ; but the image which represents him is usually called Godama. The followers of this ' deity contend v ;th the disciples of Brahma for the honour of antiquity ; and they are certainly much more numerous, as his worship is prevalent not only in Ceylon, but over all the countries between Bengal and China. The Birmans acknowledge, that they originally received their religion from Ceylon, where it exists in the greatest purity. Some time ago, a Catholic bishop, residing at Ava, asked the chief Rahaan, called Zaradobeira, to give him some short treatise, which would explain the doctrines of Coda ma. The priest, willing to satisfy the bishop, wrote for his use a small treatise, the most important parti culars of which are contained in the following ab stract : " The gods who have appeared in the pre sent world, and who have obtained the perfect state, Nieban, (deliverance from all the evils of life,) are four ; Chauchasam, Gonagom, Gaspa, and Goda ma. Of these the law of Godama ought at present to be followed.
" Q. Where is the god Godama ? A. Godama, -at the age of thirty-five years, having attained divi nity, preached his law for forty-five years, and brought salvation to all living beings. At eighty years of age, he attained Nieban ; and this happened :!362 years ago. Then Godama said, After I shall have from this earth, I will preserve my law and disciples for 5000 years ; and he command ed, that his images and relics should be worshipped, which has accordingly been ever since done.' " Q. What is the doctrine and law which Coda. ma delivered to be observed by all men ? A. It con sists chiefly in observing the five commandments, and in abstaining from the ten sins.
" Q. W hat are the five commandments ? A. 1. From the meanest insect, up to man, thou shalt kill no animal whatsoever. 2. Thou shalt not steal. ?,. Thou shalt not violate the wife or concubine of another. 1. Thou shalt tell nothing false. 5. Thou shalt drink neither wine, nor any thing that will in toxicate : Thou shalt not cat opium, norother inebriat ing drug. Whoever keeps these Live commandments, during all successive transmigrations, shall either be born a nobleman or nost, and shall not be liable to poverty, nor to other misfortunes and calamities.
" Q. What are the ten sins. A. 1. The killing of animals. 2. Theft. 3. Adultery. 4. Falsehood. 5. Discord. 6. Harsh And indignant language. 7. Idle and superfluous talk. 8. The coveting of your neighbour's goods. 9. Envy, and the desire of your neighbour's death or misfortune. 10. The following of the doctrine of false gods. He who abstains from these sins, is said to obtain Sila.; and every one who observes Sila, in all successive transmigrations, will continually increase in virtue, till, at length, he will become worthy of beholding a God, and of hearing his great voice ; and thus he will obtain Niebau, and be exempted from the four known miseries, namely, weight, old age, disease, and death. We must also believe, that Godama taught, if we observe his laws, we shall see the other gods, who are to arise after him.
" Q. Besides these already mentioned, are there any other good works which ought to be practised ? There are. One good work is called Dana, which con sists in giving alms, particularly to the Rahaans. A se cond is called Bavana, which consists in thoughtfully pronouncing these three words, Aneizza, Docha, and Anatta. By the word Aneiza, is understood, that he who pronounces it recollects, that, by his parti. cular situation, he is liable to vicissitudes ; by the word Docha is understood, that by the same situa tion he is liable to misfortune ; and by the word Anatta, that it is not in his power to exempt him self from being liable to changes and to misfortune. Whoever dies without having observed the Sila, Da na, and Bavana, will certainly pass into one of the infernal states, and will become a Nirca, a Prietta, or some animal.
" Revolving these things in your mind, 0 ye Eng glish, Dutcb, Arininians, and others, adore Goda ma the true god ; adore also his law and his priests : Be solicitous in giving alms, in the observance of Sila, and in performing Bavana. But a true and
legitimate priest of Godama is not to be found, ex cept in this empire, or in the Island of Ceylon ; and you, 0 Bishop, have obtained a great lot, who have been thought worthy, although born in one of the small islands depending on Zabudiba, to come hither and to hear the •truth of the divine law. This book, which I now give you, is more estimable than gold or silver, than diamonds and precious stones ; and I exhort all English, Dutch,.Arininians, and others, faithfully to transcribe its contents, and dili gently to act according to the precepts therein con tained." All the priests of Godama are properly what in a Roman Catholic country would be called regulars. There are no secular priests in this country who of ficiate in the worship of the people. These Ra haans, as they are styled, live together in convents. which are by far the best habitations in the empire. They are dressed in a long cloak of a yellow colour ; like the Carmelites, they go barefooted, and have their .heads close shaven, on which they never wear any covering : they all profess celibacy, and to abstain from every sensual indulgence. If a Rahaan is de tected in an act of incontinence, he is expelled from the society, and subjected to public disgrace. The delinquent is seated on an ass, and his face daubed with black paint, interspersed with spots of white. Be is thus led through the streets, with a drum beating before him, and is afterwards turned out of .the city. Dr Buchanan informs us, that, as far as lie could judge, .the priests are very decent in their lives, remarkably hospitable to strangers, the most intelligent men in the country, and very highly re spected by the inhabitants. The road, on all occa sions, is yielded up to them ; they are almost always addressed by some honourable title, and in their con vents they are allowed the use of painting and gild ing, which are prohibited to all other subjects. In some cases, they are even permitted to plaster the outside roofs of their habitations white, which is the royal colour, the most distinguishing of all royal in signia, and common only to Godama and the king. However, though they are so highly honoured, they retain the.greatest simplicity in their manners. The Rahaans never dress their own victuals, considering it as an abuse of time to perform any of the common functions of life, which, so long as they occupy at tention, must divert their minds from the abstract contemplation of the divine essence. They receive contributions of food from the laity, and prefer what is cold to hot. Each convent sends forth a certain number of its members, who walk at a quick pace through the streets, carrying a box in which the do nations are deposited. During their walks they ne ver cast their eyes around them, but keep them •fixed on the ground ; they du not stop to solicit, and sel dom even lookat the donors, who appear more desirous to bestow than they are to receive. The Rahaans eat only once a-day, namely, at the hour of noon ; and as a much larger quantity of provisions is commonly procured than is sufficient for the members of the convents, the surplus is disposed of to needy stran gers, or the poor scholars, who daily attend them for instruction in letters, and in the duties of religion and morality. From the number of convents in the neighbourhood of Raugoon, the number of priests must be very considerable. Colonel Symes was in formed they exceeded 1500 ; but this must include those in their noviciate. Formerly, it is said, there were also nunneries of virgin priestesses, who, like the Rahaans, wore yellow garments, cut off their hair, and devoted themselves to chastity and reli gion ; but these societies were long ago abolished, as ipjurious to the population of the state.