Father Constantinus of Afkali, a missionary of the Capuchin order, in his short account of Nepal, has given a description of the customs of those Budhists who reside in Nepal and Thibet, where they are far more numerous than any where else[249]. The Grand Lama of Thibet is the real head of this sect. When the Budhists of Ceylon appear in public, on solemn occasions, they always walk two and two; and their bishop, or chief, with a sceptre in his hand, rides on an elephant. They believe not only in the transmigration of the soul, but in the immortality of the spiritual part of man; and entertain an opinion, that after it has passed in succession through a sufficient number of bodies, it is received into the _Nimban_, that is, eternity. The other priests of Ceylon, destined for the service of _Gannèsha_, are called _Gones_. The common people worship also _Ciadhàrva_, or _Shastava_, the avenger of sin, an idol of a most horrid appearance, which holds in its hand a sword. A custom prevails in Ceylon, that several brothers may have one wife in common. The children she brings forth belong to them all; nor can the elder brother claim any preference of right. Many of the inhabitants of Ceylon have only one wife; others maintain several. In this respect there is no fixed law or precise regulation; but adultery in all cases is punished. The Brahmans, like us, make a distinction between the different degrees of consanguinity, but they admit of a man marrying two sisters. Aunts and nephews are not allowed to intermarry; but a man may take to wife the daughter of his father’s sister, or the daughter of his own sister. In all other cases they consider marriage between relations as incest; and those guilty of this crime are punished either by the loss of the limb which has committed the offence, or at any rate expelled from their cast. The inhabitants of Ceylon, however, are not patterns of chastity; and it may be clearly perceived that corruption of morals is daily increasing among them. The principal festival of _Budha_ is celebrated at the commencement of the new year, in the month of March, which generally falls on the 27th, 28th, or 29th. The division of the year in Ceylon is the same as that usual in Malabar and among the Tamulians.