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KALYANI INSCRIPTIONS.
"Venerable Ones, let all of them conform themselves to such conduct as is in accordance with the precepts prescribed by the Blessed One in the Vinaya.
APRIL, 1993.1
87
"It was owing to the division of the priests of Râmaññadêsa into different sects in former times, that such impurity, heresy, and corruption arose in the Religion. But now, through all the Venerable Ones being imbued with faith, they have received the Sihala form of the upasampada ordination, that has been handed down by the spiritual successors of the Mahâvihåra sect. Whatever may be the mode of tonsure and of dress followed by the muháthéras of Sihaladipa, let such practice be conformed to, and let there be a single sect."
Having sent the above message to the priests throughout the whole of Râmaññadêsa, Ramadhipatirâja communicated the following intimation to the priests, who were possessed of gold, silver, and such other treasure, corn, elephants, horses, oxen, buffaloes, male and female slaves:
"Sirs, if you are really imbued with faith, you will endeavour to give up your gold, silver, and such other treasure, corn, elephants, horses, oxen, buffaloes, male and female slaves. Having done so, conform yourselves to such conduct as is in accordance with the precepts prescribed by the Blessed One. If you do not endeavour to follow this course, leave the Order according to your inclination."
Some of the priests, owing to their being imbued with faith, gave up all such possessions. and conformed themselves to such conduct as was in accordance with the precepts; while other theras did not endeavour to give up all their possessions, and they left the Order.
There were priests who had flagrantly committed párajika offences: these were requested to become laymen. There were others, whose commission of púrajika offences had not been proved, but whose reproachable and censurable conduct was difficult to be justified: these were asked to become laymen. There were sinful priests, who practised medicine, or the art of numbers, &c., as mentioned above; or who lived misdirected lives by following such vocations as painting, &c., as if they were laymen addicted to the acquisition of material wealth; or who traded in the gifts obtained by preaching the Dhamma; or who traded in many other ways: all these were commanded to become laymen.
It was in this manner that Râmâdhipatirâja purged the Religion of its impurities throughout the whole of Râmaññadêsa, and created a single sect of the whole body of the Priesthood.
From the year 838, Sakkaraj, to the year 841, Sakkaraj, the priests throughout Ramaññamandala, who resided in towns and villages, as well as those who lived in the forest, continuously received the extremely pure form of the Sihala upasampada ordination, that had been handed down by the spiritual successors of the Mahavihara sect.
The leading priests were 800 in number; and the young priests numbered 14,265; and the total of the numbers of both classes of priests was 15,085. At the conclusion of the upasampada ordination ceremony of these 800 leading priests, the King presented each of them with the following articles: two couples of cotton cloths of delicate texture for making tichivara robes; a betel-box, with a cover, containing betel leaves, areca-nuts, and a nut-cracker. together with a towel, &c.; an umbrella made of the leaves of the wild date-palm (phaniz sylvestris); an alms-bowl, with a stand and cover, and a palmyra fan. Moreover, suitable ecclesiastical titles were conferred on all the leading priests.
Subsequently, in accordance with his previous promise, the King furnished 601 sâmaneras, who had mastered the chatuparisuddhisila, studied the Pátimikkha and the Khuddasikkha, learnt by heart the ritual of confession and the pachchavékkhana, and completed their twentieth year, with alms-bowls, robes, and all other priestly requisites,' and commanded them to receive the upasampada ordination in the Kalyanisima. Adding these newly-ordained priests, there were, at the time, in Ramaññadesa, 15,666 priests.
