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Tenets of the Budhists.
Ост.
after high noon, but not rice; and they may eat animal food, but must not take animal life. They may make their own garments, row their own boats, &c., but are not allowed to engage in remunerative employ- ments, nor hold offices of government. They live a life of celibacy, and some of them perhaps a life of chastity. They preach, or tell stories, at funerals or festivals, when invited at private houses, for which they receive pay. They also preach at the houses of the nobles when invited, as well as at the temples, and recite prayers at the temples morning and evening.
These prayers are recited from books written in the Bali, or sacred character. The Bali is a dialect of the Sanscrit, and has been em- ployed by the Budhists since the time of Godama, in like manner as the Sanscrit has been used by the Brahmins. The Budhists' sacred books are said to number 3,683 volumes, and contain 84,000 sections. They are written on the palm leaf by means of the stile, each leaf be- ing 4 inches wide and 24 inches long, written on each side. Twenty. four of these leaves make a volume, or more properly a bundle, since they are bound or tied together by means of a string passing through the centre of each leaf. One of these volumes may be read in about an hour. The word Bali has by some been supposed to mean the text, but among the 3,633 volumes, all written in this sacred character, some are doubtless commentaries on original works, and both text and commentaries are included in the list of Budhistical sacred books. The Bali language is written in a different character in different coun- tries. In Camboja, Laos and Siam, it is written in the Cainbojan cha- racter; in Burmah, in a different character, and in Ceylon with still another; but in all of them, the language and its pronunciation is essentially the same. Few of the priesthood understand more than the sound of the words, not troubling themselves about the significa- tion. During the life time of Godama, Budhism found its way into many of the central countries of India, and numbered among its sup- porters men of wealth and power. About two hundred years after his death, it was driven by Brahminical persecution to seek an asylum in the island of Ceylon, which has long been regarded as its stronghold and headquarters. It is now the prevailing religion of China, Annam ̧ Camboja, Laos, Siam, Burmah, &c.
In Siam, no other faith is allowed among the people by government, and the laws respecting the usage of the images of Budh, and the penalties for injuring them are severe. The following extracts from the code of laws (Section on Theft and Robbery,) show the reverence attached to them:-
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