Mediaeval Sinhalese Art c7.129

c7.129

The principal duties of a Buddhist priest, beside the observance of the ten precepts, are to care for the vihāra (Buddhist temple), keep it clean, and offer flowers daily, meditate and study; receive the offerings of worshippers, administer pansil and aṭa-sil on pohoya days; explain the teachings of Buddha when required; read and expound the scriptures (bana) on special occasions (particularly during Vas season); perform pirit service when required; superintend repairs to the vihāra buildings, and generally oversee the service of tenants; often also they taught the children and practised medicine; the priest in fact should be, often was, and still sometimes is, the intellectual centre of the village. Of the relations between priest and people the Temple Lands Commissioners speak as follows: