Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1893-10-24
MONKS OF BURMAH.
A BROTHERHOOD TO WHICH EVERY
MALE BURMESE BELONGS.

Are Regarded by the PeOpie.
The Burmese have highly flourishing
monastic inst tuition, the members Of which
are styled "Phoongyees, a word signifying
great glory" The Phoongyee order Is an
absolute necessity under the present Budd
hist dispensation, because no one can
emerge from the whirlpool Of ever recur
ring existence unless he abandon the world
and become recluse, monk. For this
reason every man with the least claim to
responsibility or good social standing in
Burinah must go through the formality Of
assuming the yellow robe Of Phoongyee
once in his lifetime, and join the religious
brotherhood for few days at least This
Is generally done in boyhood
| These monks live in monasteries or
| 'kyoungs," built away from the hum and
buzz Of towns and villages. Successful
traders will oftentimes spend the better
part Of their gains in building monastery.
either as a means Of acquiring merit or for
the sake Of prefxing to their name the
honorable appellation of 'kyoung -taga,'
|. e., builder Of a monastery. This they be
stow on some favorite monk Of theirs who
ipso facto is installed as superior of it. The
order has duly organized hierarchy, with
great teacher" at the head of it, styled
"Thathanapine Tsa-yah -dawgyee." After
him come the "Gine-oks" or provincials,
under whose direct jurisdiction are the ab
bots of the different inconsistencies These
last rule. in their turn, over the novces
and oil her "Oopatzins," or simple monks,
The respect shown by the people In gen
era to these monks amounts to generation,
to worsSp In fact, the Assembly of the
Rahans s one Of the three precious things
every Burmese is bound to yenerate They
are addressed IA Phra, l. e., lords The
person who addresses them, be he prince OF
plebeian, must approach them in knee
ing posture, with his hands joined and
raised to his forehead-a form of salutation
known In Burmah us 'sheek oing"-and
after making three different prostrations
proffers his request. As rule, no one
goes to see Il Phoongyee empty handed
The monk on receiving present never nc
knowledges il. Sometimes he might deign
to say "Thaloo, thadool'' (well. wellD, but
never THANK your The reason of this is
that the monk confers favor on the giver
BY aifording him IN opportunity of acquir
ing merit for his next existence
The Phoongyees live exclusively on the
liberality of their countrymen, who are
very generous to them. As compensation
they teach children the first rudiments of
reading, writing and arithmetic. BY an
imperative rule of their order the Phoon
gyees are obliged to beg their daily food
FOR this reason every morning, between I
and s o'clock, they go forth in procession
from their respective inconsistencies carrying
large lacquered wooden bowl, which they
clasp with both hands in front of their per
sons and with slow steps. eyes down, mouth
ahnf cnIap,nIx he Il;
from time to time before door They
neither knock nor make their presence
known by any sign whatsoever, but stand
there MS mute and motionless as statues.
Should no one come out and attend to |
them they move on to the next house,
where, perhaps. they will receive cupful |
OF boiled rice or curry, which they accept |
without betraying the least sign Of graft
tnde or recognition-no, not even so much |
as looking mt the donor When they think |
they have enough for the day they return
home in the same slow, silent and solemn
manner rs they went out. The senior mem
bers OF the fraternity very often stay at
home But their wants are regularly and
pientifully supplied by pious women who
carry food and little dainties to them. A
monk may have his fill from sunrise to
noon after that hour no more solid food
must enter his mouth till next morning.
On entering the monastery the monks
promise to observe poverty, chastity and
secluslon In common with every Bud
dhist, they are bound to the observance of
the iive great precepts. over and above
these there are five others which concern
them alone. These are, first not to eat
after midday, second, not to dance sing
Or play any musical instrument; third,
not to Use cosmetics, fourth not to stand
in unduly elevated places; fifth. not to
touch gold or silver OF late years abuses
have crept into the order making the last
named precept almost nugatory. But they
observe with scrupulous fidelity the other
points of the law. Above all they are very
particular with regard to their vow, if we
may so call it, of chastity Seldom or
never one hears of a monk having broken
T. In fact, he has no occasion for so do
ng because if he cannot bear the re
'traints of monastic life he is ALWAYS At
liberty to return to secular pursuits. This
however IL attended in Burmah, rs every
where else, with dishonor and disgrace. {
10 secure his monks from possible |
breaches OF their vow of chastity, Gau ;
lama their founder prescribes that when .
my one OF them is obliged to converse with ,
women he must screen his face with the
an he carries for that purpose; the CONVEX
alton must not be prolonged beyond five s
" SIX words and this, too, must be done '
'hefe every one can see and hear them
on no occasion or pretext whatsoever I
nay monk touch, never so slightly, even ,
WITH the tip of his finger, woman, be she ,
mother or sister All oriental scholars are ,
amllar with the famous ''casus conscen ,,
ltp' nrnpOSal tn GaIInr,n
ahans, What if saw my own mother c
wing in II dtch~ Pull her out by giving S
er the end of stickp was Gaudama,s s
tern reply =
The life of Phoongyee is, on the whole
neyentful aud uninteresting Most of the :
orenoon he spends in mnistering to his
oddly wants After that he may, perhaps.
ak walk to some shrine, accompanied
y u rev OF his disciples, or sit idly at home n
mating with visitors or listening to tn. :
,wn gossip. y
must not forget to mention that he is .
ound to the daily recital of his Kama [
ian, or book of devotions; also to say his a
uudhlstic formulas on his string of b
e'tds' with which he closes his spiritual a
ut'es Tor the day. On feast DAYS he n
counts platform, upon which he sits ~
'oss Roget and putting his large palm !,
al IAN before his eyes he reads out Dor :.
ons OF Gaudama's law of teaching to the u
Semoled congregation. This is the sum p
tai OF his duties to them Sometimes he p
asked to funerals, when he reads Gauda. o
as teachings on the Ills of life, and moth. c
Y more II must be clearly understood I,
lat a buddhist monk is not a priest in a.
~ sense OF the word. He has not chosen :,
state OF modification and penance for u
e good OF others-i. e., to minister to
eir spiritual wants-but for his own ben