Page:Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal Vol 29.djvu/378

350 schooling went on in another and separate building. In the idol apartment (No. 3), most of the images of Buddha were arranged facing the entrance, that is to the north. Two or three were facing the east. They were placed in wooden models of sacred dwellings, elaborately carved and gorgeously gilded. Worshippers coming to listen to the preaching of the monks, or to make offerings of flowers and food to the images, would kneel below the raised dais, and women probably outside the raised screens on the uncovered platform, so as not to come too near the officiating monk. But they might enter the monastery to deposit their offerings, on a receptacle which is generally placed before the images. No particular room was set apart as a library. Some book-cases were in the idol room, and some books were scattered on bedsteads below the dais on the east side.

In this monastery the discipline was evidently very lax, no doubt arising from the great age of the Abbot, and his inability to move about, and personally exercise authority. The pazens or deacons I found importunate, and the young probationers, notwithstanding their shaven heads and yellow robes, as riotous and wild as school boys. However they all were civil and obliging and willingly showed me over the establishment. Being much interrupted by them in making measurements of the rooms, I left it to be done by a Burmese assistant. He afterwards told me he also had been quite perplexed by the talking, questioning, joking and laughing of these young candidates for monasticism.

On the same platform with the monastery, and at a distance of only 13 feet under a separate roof was what is called a “phra kyoung” or image monastery. In this were images of Buddha placed facing to the north. But as this building is not an essential part of a monastery though in modern times generally added thereto, it need not be described.


 * 1) Uncovered portion of the platform on which the building rests.
 * 2) Outer hall extending on three sides of the building. The east side and a portion of the north is enclosed by wooden shutters.
 * 3) The principal division of the monastery called “Phra Khan,”