Mediaeval Sinhalese Art c10.s2.5

c10.s2.5

Almost in the same way, the mediæval guilds in Europe, wishing to make offerings to the parish church, would sometimes undertake a work beyond their means, and raise money for it by a popular entertainment or ‘Ale,’ which nowadays has degenerated into a bazaar. But the Sinhalese made use of no such inducements; they had only to ask, and the money was gladly given, by those who were eager to share in the merit of the work! The ceremony would seem to be rather Hindu than Buddhist in origin; the underlying idea seems to be an endeavour to secure good ‘conditions’ at the time of definitely consecrating the image as a medium which shall put the worshipper in touch with the unseen god whose symbol is thus set forth, and this is rather a Hindu than a Buddhist idea; for Southern Buddhism does not regard Buddha as a still existent personal God, and would not have been likely to originate such a ceremonial, in connection with a mere memorial. But the ceremony no doubt dates back to the time when Buddhism and Hinduism were more distinctly recognized as two aspects of one faith, which historically and fundamentally they are. Some idea of danger (as of ‘playing with fire,’ or ‘calling down lightning from heaven’) appears to attach to this consecration of the image, whereby it is made a medium between the worshipper and his god (which would be a Hindu not a Buddhist idea); and the object of the ceremonial is, in this connection, to avert misfortunes, akin to those resulting from a glance of the ‘evil eye,’ which might otherwise afflict the presumptuous builder and artist. Something of the same feeling is shown in other cases, where images are held to be the vehicle of power. A golden image at Morapaya vihāra, is said to have possessed such power, that when a priest attempted to repair its head, his own head became leprous and withered away.* The image appears to be regarded as charged with power, like a Leyden jar, and similarly, when dealing with it, means should be taken to avoid a shock; but all this is rather foreign to the spirit of Southern Buddhism, and belongs to the Hindu stratum in it.