Page:Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal Vol 29.djvu/377

1860.] a prejudice against living in brick edifices, whether sacred or profane. Close to the Ananda temple at Pu-gân is a monastery called Ananda monastery. It was, when I visited it in October, 1859, about eight years old. The building, of which a plan is annexed, rests on a platform of teak plank, supported by about two hundred massive teak posts, each not less than eighteen inches in diameter. The floor or platform is raised about eight feet from the ground. The monastery itself is 60 feet long from east to west and 45 feet from north to south. The outer portion of the platform on which the building rests, is left unroofed, being an open space from 14 to 16 feet broad, all round the monastery. A reference to the accompanying ground plan will show, that the arrangement of this modern building bears no resemblance to that of the ancient one. The outer walls of teak plank, are seven feet high. The roof rises with three gradations or tiers. The eaves, gables and ridge ornaments are elaborately and beautifully carved. No gilding appears in the building. The Abbot of this establishment was upwards of eighty years of age. His apartment would properly have been the state room (No. 4) but his great age rendered it irksome to him to move, so he passed his time, during the day, in the long northern apartment, (No. 2) half reclined, leaning against one of the great pillars and enjoying the air. About half of the north side of the outer wall of the building and the whole of the eastern side consisted of shutters working on hinges, which could be raised up and supported on poles, or closed at pleasure, usually only those on the northern side were kept raised during the day. At night the aged Abbot had his bed on the floor, near to where he sat during the day, though there was a handsomely carved bedstead for him close by, had he wished to use it. Near him slept one of the two pazens or deacons, of whom two were attached to the monastery. This arrangement also was with reference to the great age of the Abbot. Under ordinary circumstances, one or both of these pazens would have occupied the room south of the state room (No. 5). The long room called western apartment (No. 6) I found occupied by one of the pazens and the young probationers, of whom there were some half dozen. Usually also this would have been the school room for those boys who attended daily for instruction, but the old Abbot could not bear the noise of these youngsters, and the