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RECEIPTS IN THE TREASURY AT PITTSBURG, PA., IN MARCH 1844.

RECEIPTS IN THE TREASURY AT LOUISVILLE, KY., IN MARCH, 1844.

41.00

70.00

THE

FOREIGN MISSIONARY CHRONICLE.

JUNE, 1844.

BOARD OF FOREIGN MISSIONS.

COMMUNICATIONS FROM MISSIONARIES.

SIAM MISSION.

COMMUNICATION FROM THE REV. W. P.

BUELL, DATED BANGKOK, MAY 25, 1843. The object of the second Proclamation of the King of Siam in relation to the priesthood of the kingdom, is to set forth the degraded state of the priesthood in many respects, and to secure the cooperation of his subjects in endeavouring

to effect a reformation. It is headed,

"A Proclamation to the People, Through Si p'ú si ch'a, the royal Secretary. He has received a royal order, placed on the head, that graciously shows favour to the head, saying, Kroma mûn krai sa ra wi ch'it bowed down to inform His Grace that that Suk and On, disciples who entered the priesthood at the abode of priest Ya na wi ch'ian l'én of wat ká ha bò di, beat master Sòn, their pupil, to death-that he convened the Chief priests and assistants of wat Má há t'át and wat K'á ha bò dí, having

the high priest presiding, unitedly to consider the offence of that Suk and that

On. They met to investigate their offence against the four prohibitions and the four laws of propriety. That Suk and On knew only the prohibition of adultery with that of theft. The four laws of propriety they were deficient in, saying They then readily perceived that Suk incorrectly some, and correctly others.

and On did not know the sacred laws of the priesthood, and had a mind far gone in the wickedness of the heart, to commit murder-to beat master Son, their pupil, to death.

crime-a stain in the law against manslaughter. It is not proper that that Suk and On remain in the company, to perform priestly duties with the priests in common. Therefore it was given them to be degraded from the sacred religion, to become laymen. When they were degraded, the priestly Sheriffs took their persons in charge.

It is a most heinous

* It is the custom of the Siamese when they "[When His Majesty] understood [the address their King, to do it to "The Dust of matter] then he thought that there were His Sacred Feet;" thereby intimating their pro-persons who became priests in the sacred found respect for his exalted person and station. When he, on the contrary, addresses any of his subjects, he does it to their heads. Hence he is said, when doing so, "graciously to show favour And when an inferior receives a command, he puts his hands together and extends them out slowly towards his superior,

to the head."

and then bowing his head slightly, being on his knees, places them on the top of it; as if he had

taken the command into his hands and would place it on the most honourable and responsible part of his person.

VOL. XII.-11

Buddhist religion that had faith and diligence to study the sacred words of Buddha, and to live according to the laws of the priesthood. It was proper that they should be objects of respect and of worship to invisible beings and men. They are glass priests.f

†The word glass here, is used as our word golden, i. e. choice, precious, invaluable.

"Others [he thought] entered the priesthood simply to seek gain-to seek profit-to get a living. They neither, informed themselves nor studied into the subject of the sacred laws of the priesthood. They knew nothing in relation to the observance of a thing; just like that contemptible Suk and On. The like of these we have in great numbers.

set forth in the royal proclamation on the part of the priesthood.

"On the part of the laity, I graciously direct, with favour to the head, the court to decide the guilt of that Suk and On according to the law.

"Moreover, I direct a special, royal proclamation to be made to the servants that address the Dust of the Sacred Feet, both great and sinall; to the soldiery, the citizens, and the common people—all who are believers, giving them to know universally, that through the exercise of a royal faith I would preserve the sacred Budhist religion, giving it to endure and shine forth forever. Moreover I will that you assist to put down those priests and candidates that are unprincipled and have no shame nor fear of sin. They stroll

"He then took counsel with the servants that address the Dust of the sacred Feet, who are scholars, the Bálí expositors, saying, At the present day, the sacred Buddhist religion is polluted through priests who are unprincipled. What good course would this company pursue, that the sacred Budhist religion might steadily increase, shine forth and endure? "The servants that address the Dust of the sacred Feet,—that are scholars-about, doing various things grossly imthe Báli expositors, unitedly bowed down to address His Grace, saying, The reason why things have gone to this is: because the high priests who are the instructors do not instruct their disciples in regard to the observance of the four holy commandments. As to the disciples, they do not concern themselves to study-[then] shine forth and continue beautiful; to inquire as to the things that are proper to be observed and not proper to be observed. The sacred Budhist religion then is disgraced in this

way.

proper.

Furthermore, I will that priests who have faith, have diligence to inform themselves as to the subject of an obedience according to the sacred laws of the priesthood, throughout every wat.

"The sacred Budhist religion will

because of the company of priests that keep the four holy commandments. They are worthy personages. If a donor, who has faith, would make an offering of what are the four necessaries of life, he has a great reward; because these priests are reckoned amongst the three glass things

in the year, or during the rainy season. It is made the special business of the priests to study the revelations of Buddha in the Bálí language, which in this system stands where the Hebrew At the close

"When he knew the word of consultation, then appeared a royal command like the sound of the intrepid lion, given above the head, commanding that in regard to the priesthood, there should a royal mandate go forth, requiring that the chief priests, their assistants, the heads of inferior wats and head priests unitedly and Greek Scriptures do in ours. apply themselves to teach the priests that of the session an examination is had, and presare their disciples and pupils, to study-ents are made to the priesthood. After this, in to know the subject of obedience accord- former years, large numbers went off into the wilderness to endure voluntary privations; ing to the sacred laws of the priesthood; thereby to mortify their natures and to deaden every man of them. the life of their animal desires and propensities. At present, it is thought that about one-fourth go to the wilderness and three-fourths remain and leisurely pursue their studies at the wats. Some remain in the wilderness the whole nine months of vacation; others less time, as they think they have succeeded in the accomplishment of their work of self-mortification. † Food, clothing, house, medicine.

At the appointed time, the commencement of the wat session, let there be an examination in the laws of the priesthood, of those priests who have [spent in study] from two to three sessions and upwards. Let it be year by year. This subject is * A wat Session. This lasts only three months

that are best in the world; and to find "drink whiskey and toddy*—to eat rice at which is exceedingly difficult. Counting dark, and things that are not proper. by many an asongk'ai of the earth's existence; you may meet-may see in each, one.†

"Again: the sacred Budhist religion that is past, has not yet reached its meridian; like the rising sun of the morning that has not yet reached the hour of noon. Wherefore have the priests, the sons of Buddha, become corrupted and polluted to such an extent as this? It is exceedingly improper.

"Should I keep silent and only respect the old adage every body uses, 'Let the wicked do as they please, and the good do as they please,' how long would it be ere, under priests' houses, we should only have swings and cradles, and young children swinging in abundance?

"As to persons of the present day, that enter the priesthood in true faith, doubtless they are few! Those that enter with an eye to gain from offerings-whose hearts are wicked-who have no dread nor shame for sin-that never obey the instruction of that sacred Budhist religion, are,doubtless, very numerous. Then they rove about committing disgraceful acts and wickedness of various kinds. They do not reverence or fear the sacred authority within the sphere of Buddha or the royal sphere. Some lead each other about to smoke opium and kan ch’᧗to

* Buddha, truth, priests.

They would eat meals in the afternoon.† Others wear hats, wear jackets, wear pantaloons after the fashion of laymen. They gird on pockets-bind on the breast cloth turtle fashion-tie up their headsdress out in white, coloured, and bathing clothes-wear ornaments of silver and gold-stick flowers behind their earswear garlands about the neck and wriststhey sheath and carry weapons, knives, buoie knives, swords, hatchets, and long and short cudgels, slightly to beat, cut, stab. They rove about to see Chinese and puppet players. Some, at night, change their appearance and put on coloured and dark silks, and rove about to play p'á pá ◊ and to see the floating offerings. Others get into little boats, a priest to a boat, tie up their heads with a

stupifies, the other excites and renders one fool

ish and timid.

Toddy. The fermented juice of the palm tree, which will inebriate.

According to the rules of the priesthood it is positively forbidden to eat a meal after 12 M.

Five or ten minutes after would be an offence. Tea, sweetened water, betel, sevi, cigars, or some such thing, is allowable; but nothing more. Austerity is one of the prominent features in the system; but the priests live better than a majority of the common people.

Instead of putting it on smooth, they bind it on so that it sticks out before like the back of a tortoise.

§ P'á pá and Ká t'in are days when the Siamese make offerings to the priesthood at the

↑ An asongk'ai is a unit followed by 168 cy-different wats. The occasions are embraced as phers.

Buddhism is to last only for 5000 years from its commencement, according to its author. The King says here, it has not yet reached half || of this allotted time. Lord Buddha, says Mr. T'at, my teacher, has foretold that when the Budhist religion shall have completed a little more than 4000 years, its priests will act wickedly and not study the system. There will be none who know its doctrines. He who takes a strip of yellow cloth to hang behind his ear or bind upon his wrist, shall be understood to be its priest. When the religion has completed its 5000 years, there will not be a person that understands its doctrines from four words, upwards."

§ Kan ch'á. A plant whose effects are somewhat similar to those of opium, and smoked by the poor as a substitute for it; but while one

a fine opportunity for seeing and talking with the sexes, as both attend in crowds. To attend these with the giddy crowd, the king says is inconsistent with a priest's dignity.

Floating Offerings. At the middle of the eleventh month (Oct. 9) and middle of the twelfth month (Nov. 7) it is a custom with the Siamese to make little rafts of the plantain tree and ornament them with flowers and place incense sticks and wax candles about over them. These they light up at dark and send them afloat in the river; so that its face is quite illuminated. The common people make these offerings, now, to the water, to appease it and obtain pardon for polluting it with their excrement. Such is the more vulgar opinion of the origin of the custom, but the more learned say that such offerings are made to the Feet of Buddha, who, in

bathing cloth of different colours, and || of sin. This affords a reason to heretics* paddle off one after the other for some and the common people to abuse, revile, 9 or 10 or some 14 or 15 boats. Some and despise the sacred Budhist religion. get into long, slender boats to go play in "From henceforth, let the public offithe fields-to play ká l'in*—to run races cers, the soldiery, the citizens, the serwith women. Others get into boats in- vants of princes of official rank and of no discriminately with women. There are official rank, and the common people-all some that go to see Brahmanical swing- who are believers, if any one of them ing and public amusements in every shall find or see a priest or candidate that place, shoving, and pushing, and crowding is unprincipled-that has no regard to his the laity. conduct and behaves improperly,as already mentioned, let them have a regard to the sacred Budhist religion and the royal power and favour, and assist to catch and make sure his person. Let them go and make him over to the chief priests, their assistants, or the principal of the nearest wat. Then let them go to inform the priestly sheriffs that they may understand. If the case be proper to carry up to His Grace, Kroma mün krai sa ra wi ch'it will bring it up and bow down before His Grace to make it known beneath the Dust of the Soles of the Sacred Feet. Then shall they bring the person of that unprincipled priest or candidate who has offended, and deliver him over to his in

"Others, becoming avaricious, bet on bird and cock fights, on the needle and biting fish. They cut dúríansf-play at pó and ipúng-play at t'ua and draw hút-they name a húi and give it to another person to draw. They bet on the rolling of dirt balls and boat racing. They race buffaloes and cattle. They play sa bá.

him teach him penance. Let him not misbehave ever hereafter.

They ensnare wild fowls, pigeons and the jambú bird, and they with ecstasy sail kites, play foot-ball, box, wrestle and fence. They hold mock worship, quoting Peguan and Laos, Má hai and Mahá ch'ai [two abstruse authors] preaching from Ma há ch'at for jest, contrary to the sacred Báli. Some go about begging and push and shove one another,structor, the head of the company, and let [each greedy to get first]. Others go about begging unthreshed rice of the donor. They strive for food, transgressing the rules of propriety. They do not properly demean themselves. They go about to buy an assortment of cloths, silks, and every sort of thing in the midst of the bazar. They go on board of ships, and junks [Chinese vessels] and into float-him inform the priestly sheriffs that they ing houses. may investigate, search out, catch, and make sure those persons.

"It is altogether wrong-a wicked practice. They have no shame or dread

"If the priests or candidates that are unprincipled have much strength, and the layman cannot catch and make sure their persons, let him ascertain their abode, their place, and remember their appearance and name, for evidence. Then let

"But it is forbidden: let not a layman wickedly bring charges, accuse, seize or confine priests or candidates that have no transgression, and come to enter complaints. years;

one of his rambles, walked down into the sand on the shore of the Nim ma t'á ya na t'í river, and there left their impression. This has power to remain distinct and visible for 5000 because of the strength of Buddha's prayer that it might, when standing there.

* See note on previous page.

Dúrians. A large thick rind fruit. And the game is to bet on the number of lobes it contains before it is cut. He that guesses right, wins.

Pó, ipóng, &c. These are all games of chance, a minute description of which would not be edifying.

“Again, it is forbidden: let not a layman befriend priests and candidates that are unprincipled, allowing them to do mock worship for diversified amusement, and to exhibit truth in buffoonery, contrary

*Heretics. All who do not believe in Buddhism; Christians, Mohamedans, or what not.