Page images
PDF
EPUB

may

door than the time that an ox may take to drink when he is thirsty; not to affect friendship or kindness with a view to obtain any thing; to be sincere in all their dealings, and when it be necessary to affirm or deny any thing, to say simply, it is, or it is not: never to be in a passion with any person, or from any cause strike any one; but to be gentle in their manners, and compassionate in their conduct: not to keep any weapons of war; not to judge any one by saying he is good, or he is bad; not to look at any one with contempt; not to make any one the subject of ridicule; not to say that any one is well made or ill made, or handsome or ugly; not to frighten or alarm any one; not to excite people to quarrel, but endeavour to accommodate their disputes; to love all mankind equally; not to boast either of birth or learning; not to meddle in any matters of government, that do not immediately respect religion; not to be dejected at the death of any one; not to drink spirituous liquors of any kind; not to disturb the

earth themselves by labouring in it; not to cut down any plant or tree; not to cover the head, nor to have more than one dress; not to sleep out of their monastery; not to eat out of any vessel of silver or gold; not to play at any game; not to accept of money but by the hand of the person in the monastery, who may be appointed for that purpose, and then to apply it to charitable and pious purposes; not to envy any one what he may enjoy; not to be in anger with any one, and, retaining that anger, come with him to any religious ceremony, or act of devotion; not to sleep on the same bed with any one. Beside these, they have many other rules morals and behaviour.

respecting their

They are called every morning from their sleep by the sound of the gong; but they are enjoined not to rise, till they can discern the veins in their hands, lest they should kill any thing, by treading upon it.

Each monastery has its Sancra, or superior, who is elected by its members, to

66

preside over them. After having performed their ablutions, and before they eat any thing, they go with the Sancra to the temple, where they prostrate themselves before the images, and afterwards sit down with their legs under them, and chant and perform their devotions in the Bali language. Father Fontenay, in his relation of a voyage from Siam to Macao, speaking of some Talapoins whom he saw at their devotions, says: They were sitting on the ground, with their hands joined together, and chanted for the space of an hour with their eyes fixed on the idol. Few persons in Europe perform their devotions with so much modesty and respect, especially when they last so long. I confess that their example made me feel more sensibly than any sermon could have done, with what humility and reverence we should behave before the majesty of God, when we address him in prayer, or appear before him at the altar.'

They dine at noon, and except this meal,

never eat any thing but fruit, or at any time drink any thing but water. In the evening they return to the temples, and perform their devotions as in the morning; the intermediate time, except what is spent at dinner, is employed in the education of youth, in reading books containing their doctrines, and in walking abroad at certain fixed hours.

The Talapoins never offer any bloody sacrifice; and it is a favourite charity with them, to buy animals, and give them their liberty.

There are devotees among them, who lead the most austere and solitary lives; and almost entirely refrain from speech, in order, they say, that their thoughts may not be disturbed from contemplating the Almighty. These wander about the country; they have neither monasteries, nor any other habitation; the people imagine that they are protected from the beasts of prey, with which the woods abound, by a sacred influence that surrounds their per

sons; and wonderful stories are told of the fiercest of these animals, coming with the gentleness of lambs, and licking their hands and their footsteps.

Like the Hindus, the Siamese reject the idea of eternal punishment, believing that the professors of any religion may be saved, by observing its precepts, and practising the duties of morality; and, like them, they also pretend, that some holy men have the peculiar power in their transmigrations, to look back upon their former state of existence. Many of the superstitious prejudices that are to be found among the Hindus, prevail equally with the people of Siam. They observe the feasts of the new and full moon, and think the days that from the change precede the full, more fortunate than those which follow it. Their almanacks are marked with lucky and unlucky days; nor will any one who has the means of applying to astrologers, undertake any thing without first consulting them. They look upon the cries of certain birds, the howlings of animals, a serpent

« PreviousContinue »