Mediaeval Sinhalese Art c14.25.3

c14.25.3

(30) “A tree thin at the top is female, say the ṛishis; one thin in the middle is of neither sex; (31) a tree of one thickness throughout from root to end, should you see such one, know without doubt it is a male; (32—35) if it be thin at the top, a fierce yakiṇi is dwelling in that tree, fell it not; (33) but if you see a tree with a trunk like a drum, cut that tree for the house, and take it for the magul kapa, no harm will follow. (34) If you fell a tree with a hollow trunk to build your house, fear and sorrow will result, bringing every kind of evil on the house. . . . (38) For dwellings of priests (saṅgharāma), and for devales, for lion thrones (simhāsana) and for royal palaces (rājamandira) it is well to choose a mī tree (Bassia longifolia) for the magul kapa.” 39—41. Omens drawn from the manner in which the tree falls. (39) “When cutting down the magul kapa, cut a furrow round the tree, and thus felling the magul kapa, mark which way it falls, consider what advantage or disadvantage will result, learn from the direction of its fall whether the builder should build or not. (49) If it falls to the East from the place where it is felled, the utmost wisdom will be attained by the owner of the house; if to the South, that gives long life; if to the West, a shifty mind . . . . .” 42—45. Of measurements.