The University of Nalanda c12.10

c12.10

But this was not all. Late in the afternoon or in the evening twilight another rite was gone through. This was the *Caityavandana*. I-Tsing has given a very vivid description of this ceremony. "All the assembled priests come out of the gate of their monastery, and walk three times round a Stūpa, offering incense and flowers. They all kneel down, and one of them who sings well begins to chant hymns describing the various virtues of the Great Teacher with a melodious, pure and sonorous voice, and continues to sing ten or twenty *ślokas*. They in succession return to the place in the monastery where they usually assemble. When all of them have sat down, a Sūtra-reciter, mounting the Lion-seat (*Simhāsana*), reads a short Sūtra. The Lion-seat of well proportioned dimensions is placed near the head priest. Among the scriptures which are to be read on such an occasion the ‘Service in three parts’ is often used. This is a selection by the venerable Aśvaghosha. The first part containing ten ślokas consists of a hymn in praise of the three ‘Honourable Ones’ (Triratna). The second part is a selection from some scriptures consisting of the Buddha’s words. After the hymn, and after reading the words of the Buddha, there is an additional hymn, as the third part of the service, of more than ten ślokas, being prayers that express the wish to bring one’s good merit to maturity.