The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1874-09-03


as frequently replenishea by pious men
and women, who hope to gain heaven
by emptying baskets Of live cells into
this sacred pond, to be devoured by
the crocodiles. The dark-skinned wa
ter snakes are shy, and only come to
the surface when the coast is clear; but |
the crocodiles arc perfectly tame and
familiar with the priests. who
keep the temple, and seem
to have the power of even
distinguishing their voices; for only |
when called in their we'll known tones
will they come to the urface to receive
the rice, bananas, and custard apples
that are brought to them daily. All
round the temple are planted groves of
sacred trees, cighty-one OF which sur
rounded the pond affording a most de-
lightful and agreeable shade. Such was
the temple and surroundings where |
witnessed one Of the most curious and
mystica! ceremonies knownto the Budd-
hists of to-day. When / planted n.y.
self under one of the sacred trees, in
what, l. considered asmost favora blepo-
sition to command fine view Of the
mystic rites, while watching, at the
same time, the operations Of the holy
crocodiles, was told the position was
| too sacred a one for an outsider. and,
after some reluctance on the part Of
certain law officers, whose business it
was to attend to the crowd, was per.
mitted to seat myself on fallen branch
of one of the most ancient of the sa-
cred trees, so sedueously prcserv-
ed that the removal Of a
single twig is prohibited, and
even the fallen leaves, as they are scat
tered by the wind are collected with
reverence as relics Of the holy place.
An immense concourse of worshippers
and interested spectators were seated
in circular form outside Of the inner
circle made by the trees. An open sala
on the east was occupied by band of
male and female musicians, both vocal
and instrumental. Troops of bright
young girls, gaily dressed in crimson
and gold, carried baskets of flowers and
fruit as offerings to the sacred beasts in
the pond. There were boys with torch
, es flaring in broad daylight; there were
women with silver and golden dishes Of
preserves ard confectionery for the
, priests; there were slaves, gorgeously
t dressed, bearing costly gifts to the great
sleeping idol; there were great ladies
| brilliantly attired in sparkling jewels
that reflected tens Of thousands of suns
on their necks and arms, fingers and
toes, reclining on silken cushions.
There was nothing wanting to complete
the oriental and barbaric pomp of the
E strange scene before me.
/ Presently the conch.shells were
, blown loud and shrill, and we saw a
! long line of priests in yellow garments,
5 bare-headed and closel y-shorn, with
eyes cast down and, yelling their
faces with jeweled fans, enter through
the open gateway. A general stir was
' manifested in the crowd; merry boys
: and girls pressed forward; devout and
brilliantly -attired ladies bent the knee
and folded their hands reverentially
, while the slaves and attendants crouched
f down and hid their faces in the dust
$ As soon as the long line Of priests ap
: preached the pond, they joined hands
d and performed sort of march arounc
J. it: then they turned their backs to the
!. pond, and stood still forming . circle
d and each facing one Of the sacred trees
G they were eighty-one in NUMBER
d priest for every tree. A loud and sud
!. den peal Of music now gave the sigma
n that the ceremony was about to com
} mence, and Immediately seven laymcn
e keepers of the temple, stepped forward
v with large balls of unspul
d cotton thread in their hands, whicl
;e they proceeded first to wind roun'
of the trunks Of the sacred trees, thel
% round the body Of each priest-thi
s. was done as many as seven or min
d times; l am not quite sure which
,e having bound them in long lines to tn
N trees. SO as to form double circle, on
a round the sacred trees and one roun
h. the priests, with straight lines passin
Is from the body of each priest towar
4. the trees the ends Of the thread wei
IL all collected and carried in long line
le thu ough the open doors and windows I
ct the temple, and placed in an united an
ne closely-twisted knot III the left palm I
e. the sleeping figure Of the Buddha.
This was followed by low, solem
IS chant from the priests in concert, du1
h ing which each one laid his outstretche
p arms lightly on the mystic web OF VI
e. spun cotton that united the llvin!
Id breathing, thinking man to the duml
IN mysterious life hidden away in the hare
Of insensible heart of the tree, and theme
a to the hand Of the great sleeping god
mt the temple, with whose birth, life an
re death the Bhode tree was so intlmatel
t. associated. The entire crowd pro
,st trated themselves, and solemn sllen'
of prevailed during the chant Of praye
es which extolled the praises Of the Bud
|e- ha, enumerated the 25.6OO,OOO JASON
r. kies'' or metempsychoses throue
va which he struggled to attain divine Or
lal niscience, and Of which he is supposed
on remember every form he ever entere
IN beholding with the clear eyes Of g
the endless diversities of transmigr
er, ton through the vegetable, animal, h
Id man, and angelic worlds throughout Il
lat spaceless, timeless, numberless univer
ar Of visible and invisible life. At leng
of this weird metaphysical rhapsody en-
to ed with an invocation to the Omniscle