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S. B. DEO
(5) nigghate - when there are thunder-roars of supernatural
beings in a cloudless or cloudy sky, (6) jūyate - when moonlight and twilight appear simultan
eously, (7) jakkhālitte - when goblin-lights appear in the sky, (8) dhūmitā -- when the sky is smoky, (9) mahita - when there is mist, (10) rataügghāte — when the sky is full of dusty gale, (11) candovarāte - eclipse of the moon, (12) sūrovarāte - eclipse of the sun,
(13) padane -- if the king or any other prominent person dies, and (14) rāyavuggahe -- if there is warfare, or divine trouble.
Besides these occasions, the first days (pratipadā) of Aşādha and Kārttika, and full-moon-days of Āśvina and Caitra, were improper days. Study before sunrise or after sunset, at mid-day or at midnight was not allowed.255
Ten nakşatras were said to be conducive to the increase of knowledge. They were, migasira, addă, pussa, the three puvvā nakşatras, mūla, assesā, hattha and cittā.256
The place of study 258 Besides these, or blood (sonite).
The Place of Study:
The place of study was called nisīhiyā.257 It was to be devoid of living beings, eggs and cobwebs.258 Besides these, such places where there were pieces of bones (atthi), or of flesh (mamsa), or blood (sonite) or any such other impurities (asutisāmante), or the place which was close to the funeral ground (susāņasāmante),259—all these were unfit for study.
The Method of Study:
Generally the upādhyāya or the elderly monk (thera) 260 gave instructions to the younger monks. They sat before him at a respectable distance.261
255. Than. p. 213b. 256. Ibid., 525b. 257. Acar. II, 9 (p. 179). 258. Ibid., II, 2, 1, 1 (p. 120). 259. Thān. p. 475b-476a. 260. "Therānam antië ... ahijjai' Anttr. p. 63. 261. Acār. II, 9, 2 (p. 180).
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