Indian Antiquary Vol 22

SR No.: 032514
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Richard Carnac Temple
Publisher: Swati Publications
Publication Year: 1984
Total Pages: 442
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 19 MB

Page 103

APRIL, 1893.]
KALYANI INSCRPITIONS.
86
A PRELIMINARY STUDY OF THE KALYANI INSCRIPTIONS OF DEAMMACHETI,
1476 A. D. BY TAW SEIN-KO.
(Continued from page 53.) THE number of leading priests, who received the upagampada ordination during the
1 five days, namely, from the 9th to the 13th, was 245. On Saturday, the 14th day, the King sent the following invitation to the 245 leading théras, who had received their upasampadá ordination : "To-morrow, which is a Sunday, and the full-moon upôsatha day of the month Migasîra, may the Venerable Ones be pleased to perform uposatha in the Kalyaņisimâ in the company of the fifteen théras, who conducted the upasampadd ordination ceremony ? It is our desire to serve the Venerable Ones with food, and to present them with other requisites' at the conclusion of the uposatha, and to derive feelings of piety from such an act." On the morning of the uposatha day, the King, surrounded by a large concourse of people, went to the Kalyanisima, and, having ordered the provision of seats and of water for washing the feet, awaited the arrival of the newly-ordained theras and the fifteen conductors of the upasampadá ordination ceremony. All the théras assembled together, and performed uposatha in the Kalyanisima. At the conclusion of the upôsatha ceremony, the King served all of them with a bounteous supply of various kinds of hard and soft food, and with different kinds of betelleaf, &c., and bh@sajja. The following articles were then presented to each of the théras : two couples of cotton cloths of delicate texture for making tichivara robes; a betel-box with cover, areca-nuts, nut-crackers, &c.; a palmyra fan; an umbrella made of the leaf of the wild datepalm (phoenix sylvestris); and an alms-bowl with cover and stand.
In compliance with the wish of all the priests, the King conferred the title of Kalyani. tissamahathora on Suvannasőbhanathéra.
Thenceforward, the King permanently stationed, in the neighbourhood of the Kalyanifimâ, nobles and learned men for the purpose of serving food and furnishing the requisites to the ten théras, headed by Kalyanitissa mahathêra, who, together with the five young priests, conducted the upasampadá ordination ceremony, as well as to the leading priests, who had received their upasampadd ordination in the Kalyanisimâ, and to the numerous priests who presented themselves for ordination. There were likewise stationed namerons scribes charged with the daty of recording the number of priests ordained; and musicians to sound the drum, conch-shell, and other instruments for the purpose of eliciting the acclamation of sddhu at the conclusion of each reading of the kammavdchá relating to the upasampada ordination.
The ton thoras who conducted the ordination ceremony, the 245 leading priests who had received such ordination, and the numerous priests who were their disciples, conferred, day after day, without interruption, the Sihala form of the upasampada ordination on other leading priests, who came and expressed a desire to receive it.
Bamadhipatiraja of his own accord, and with the approbation of the whole Order, despatched the following message to all the priests residing in Ramanadega:
“Venerable Ones, there may be men, who, though wishing to receive the pabbajjá ordination, are branded criminals, or notorious robber-chiefs, or escaped prisoners, or offenders against the Government, or old and decrepit, or stricken with severe illness, or deficient in the members of the body in that they have cat or rudimentary hands, &c., or are hamp-backed, or dwarfish, or lame, or have crooked limbs, or are, in short, persons, whose presence vitiates the parisá. If people of such description are admitted into the Order, all those, who may see them, will imitate, or laugh at, their deformity, or revile them; and the sight of such men will not be capable of inspiring one with feelings of piety or reverence. Vouchsafe, Venerable Onos, not to admit, with effect from to-day, such men into the Order.