Then he thinks that if he is very good as a _poor_ man, he shall
be born next time to be a _rich_ man; and at last, that he will be
allowed to rest like Buddha himself. What is it to be good? The Burmese
say that the greatest goodness is making an idol, and next to that,
making a pagoda. You know what an idol is, but do you know what a pagoda
is? It is a house, with an idol _hidden_ inside, and it has no door, nor
window, therefore no one can get into a pagoda. Some pagodas are very
large, and others very small. As it is thought so very good to make idols
and pagodas, the whole land is filled with them; the roads in some places
are lined with them; the mountains are crowned with them.
Next to making idols, and building pagodas, it is considered good to make
offerings. You may see the father climbing a steep hill to reach a
pagoda, his little one by his side, and plucking green twigs as he goes.
He reaches the pagoda, and strikes the great bell, then enters the
idol-house near the pagoda, and teaches his young child how to fold its
little hands, and to raise them to its forehead, while it repeats a
senseless prayer; then leaving the green twigs at the idol's feet, the
father descends with his child in his arms. How many little ones, such
as Jesus once took in his arms, are taught every day to serve Satan.
The people who are thought the best in Burmah, are the priests. Any one
that pleases may be a priest.
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