El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-05-20

~ from her bullock cart and walked
to the door of "The Frs under
the stately palms and the blooming
rain trees which spread their great
branches over the path like giant UNI
brellas Of lowered ping and green
silk.
Sister Suddhammdara was clothed in
a saffron yellow robe; thrown over
her shoulder, leaving the right arm
free; and she carried a large palmleaf
fan; she wore straw sandals on her
feet, and her head was closely shaver.
Despite this most disfiguring custom
she was a comedy woman. Had she
been aureoled with woman's browning
physical glory, suit OF fine hair, one
could easily imagine her beautiful.
The Singalese women. of Ceylon,
possess much beauty, and having been
allowed freedom and education. and as
ISOLATION with their men folk, for
many generations they are quicker of
thought and more at their ease among
the people of other races. than the ar-
erage woman Of the Orient.
Sister Suddhammdara had come to
pay her respects to US, at our hotel in
Handy Ceylon, a mutual friend having
sent a letter Of introduction, and to
me she gave her hand in greeting, but
TO the man she only bowed. clasping
both hands together. and raising them
to her brow. This is the usual Orien-
tai manner of saluta ton; quite as ex-
pressive and less taxingA than our eter-
nal Handwriting. It was after 10 and
we have planned to visit the Temple
Of the Tooth" with the nun as our
guide and interpreter. but she explain
eI that she must first go and partake
of her one meal in the day which she
took at IL o'clock.
The Morning Meal
This meal is preceded by a light
breakfast of fruit or cereal at IN
the morning. We persuaded the gentle
sister to let us serve her a repast In
our apartment and shortly she was
provided with rice and curry, and de-
licious papia and vegetables, and a
cup of coffee. She was. OF course,
vegetarian. not even using eggs. In
her diet, unless" as she said naively.
they are accidentally broken. Then
we feel we are not DESTROYING life for
the qualification Of appetite" After
this o'clock repast the nuns eat moth
ing more until the next morning, but
may take lemonade or other cooling
beverages. Despite this frugal diet Cor
perhaps because Of IT'D the sister had
the appearance of perfect health and
abundant vitality.
We led her to talk of herself ana 10
tell the story Of her life. She was born
of a Christian mother and grandmoth-
er and converted by missionaries Of the |
Church of England. But her mother
died when she was quite young, and
the father, who had always chung to |
his faith in Lord Buddha, became
blind His little daughter read to him ,
for five years a part Of every day from |
the Buddhistic books and when the |
blind father passed on. the daughter |
decided to become num- Now she is /
quite happy in her school for poor |
girls. the children of poor parents and !
orphan children. Beside which she has /
a home for aged nuns in connection |
with her school an endowment from |
lady Black. the wife of Ceylon's most I
beloved ex-governor.
Travels In Cart.
my bullock and my cart are gifts .
from the same friend" she said. land |
this has enabled me to do much good |
in getting about among my people"
We asked her what she taught the |
children. We were curious to know |
how a Buddhistic school differed from /
European and American institutions. |
First of all she told US the children /
were taught the great precepts OF /
Buddha: Right thought, right speech; I
right conduct; to abstain from taxing 1
life, from stealing. lying. SANDER, !
abuse, or Improbable conversation
Right mindfulness and contemplation /
in order to attain tranquility were in
Guided in the curriculum. They were
given verses for chanting intoxicating
these ideas. They were taught to /
pray to Buddha and the four great arch
angels. who were ever ready, so the
sister believes, to help aspiring NOR
tails seeking for perfection. She told
US their names-Datarasse Verupa,
Verupakse and Wise Seravana.
Flowers are offered daily on the
shrine OF Buddha, because flowers typi-
fy sweet, pure thoughts. Before offer
ing flowers or prayers, the Buddhist |
must battle his hands and face and
rinse his mouth and leave his shoes
at the door of the temple.
Twice each day must the entire body
be bathed.
The children are taught to reverence
their parents; to appreciate the hard
ships which parents endure and to
offer prayers for them The noble vir-
tues which produce lovable characters
are dwelt upon. and the children are
urged to develop these qualities in
order to be worth of loyal friendship
and to be able to give much friend
ship All the necessary chara cteris-
tics which go into the making of good
wives and mothers are taught the chill
dren; patience, amiability. cheerful