We shall now see what Barabudur has to shew us about the religious observances in Hindu-Javanese life, such as belong to homage, publicworship and that kind of thing. Passing over the homage-paying to stupa's, we need not be surprised at there being so few data to be gathered. The following of the Five or the Ten Commandments was all that was required from the believer, he might give further proof of his devotion by respectful homage, preferably offerings of flowers, at stupa's or other sanctuaries; but church-services or officiating priests did not exist. Tantristic practices such as will be described in the last chapter, must have been in use in the Java of those days, but they are essentially the opposite of public worship. Civaism too exacted chiefly from the believer only the paying of homage to the temple-gods, that is if we may consider the conditions in Middle Java to be the same as those in the Majapahit-kingdom. In the Nagarakrtagama when king Hayam Wuruk visits Buddhist or Civaistic temples he does nothing more than pay homage to the god of the sanctuary; even in the elaborate description of a religious solemnity like the Craddha of 1362 we are struck by the casual manner in which the priestly ceremonies are treated in comparison with the other festivities that appear to be of a very worldly character.

What we see on Barabudur is quite in keeping with this. On relief Ia 35 we find what would be Siddhartha's homage to the gods but, as the story tells, it is they who spring frown their pedestals and do honourto the future Buddha. Other instances of sacred buildings being visited by worshippers shew only how they approach with every sign of respect, their hands often folded in sembah, bringing gifts of incense, flowers and wreaths. One that is identified by its inscription, is O 124, the caityavandana and others are the same; flower-offerings are brought on O 29 and 152, incense is being burnt as well on IBb 106 and IV B 14. There is a woman performing her devotions inside a building on Ib 27; she lays flowers on an altar next to which stands an incense-burner. Honour and homage to sacred buildings it may be remembered take up a large part of the chief wall on the third gallery, reliefs 4—7 and in particular the whole series that begins with 20, where all sorts of curious temples are being visited. Although these temples are not supposed to be found on this earth, their worship should be mentioned, but they seem not very much like the ordinary human structure.

Homage-paying to a stupa is of course a typical Buddhist ceremony; it takes up such an important place in the sacred literature that it is only natural it should so often appear on the Barabudur reliefs. As regards the form of the stupa, the reader must consult the architectural part of this work, I shall describe only the way in which homage was paid. In most cases it is just the same as for other sacred buildings, sembah's with incense, flowers and wreaths, occasionally with fruit as well. See Ib 85, 120, IIB 43, II 45, 96, 98 IV:B 7, 33. On Ib 83 we find there is music added, not without reason, for the text speaks of a special feast that was connected with the erection of the stupa; IBa 115 as we know shows a brahman sprinkling holy water with his aspergillum.

When describing the series of reliefs on the bottom row of the first balustrade, I called attention to the number of those strewing stupahomage and the many different ways in which it was performed. For the details I refer the reader to that description; we must now notice that besides the variations—again with music on IBb 66 and 90, filled-up dishes ( ?) on 60, round objects (perhaps cakes ?) on62—, the greater number still keep to the usual manner of doing it with incense and flowers (26, 54, 69, 102, 109, 1 18, while 73 and 1 12 are damaged).

A small kind of stupa on IBa 366 is being sprinkled with water from a flowervase with a spout, a still smaller one on IBa 274 honoured with incense and sembah. These small stupa's we expect may contain the ashes of the dead; and it would appear from IBa 244 and 325 that urns were also used for this purpose, but on comparing these with IBa 272, it seems that the vessel so much like an urn with a lid, is really an open dish with something ballshaped on it. The miniature stupa's on IBb 13 do not apparently receive any homage; perhaps these are the small stupa's that, as we know from the texts, were made because their manufacture conferred benefits on the maker; such little stupa's have actually been dug up in Java. Also worthy of notice is the curious, very much damaged altar with an urn or whatever it may be, on IBa233b. There is an altar with fire on IIB 85 apparently being worshipped; this is the only instance, but the same kind of altar can be seen at an adjurationonIb3;ready for tile selfsacrificing Bodhisattva to immolate himself, at the court on Ib 59, where it is erected for this special reason according to the text, and finally with the hermits on IBa 25 and IIB 60. It is always a square pedestal with blocks of wood on it and a big flame.

Connected with stupa-homage in so far that its object was the same, being one of the means of acquiring special merit, is the distribution of valuables, money, garments and food to the needy. The scenes are not specially striking; the chief person himself distributes from the trays and dishes held by his servants, or the distribution is done by them under his supervision. Instances of this will be found on O 11, 26, 70—73, 100, 102, 103, Ia 19, 22, 23, 29, Ib 20, 31, 32, 64, IBa 202, 210, 218, IIB 27, 45, II 93, III 44, 70, IIIB 76 and following, IVB 8—12, 19, IV 19, 44, 52.