Saiyasat (magical practitioners) specialize in healing and/or in telling horoscopes. Although most saiyasat are bhikkhus as these activities are traditionally associated with the monkly role, comparatively few monks are saiyasat. It was observable however, that more credence was given to saiyasat who were also monks, even though the techniques they used were generally regarded as 'Hindu' or 'Brahministic' rather than Buddhist. The Buddha did not forbid these activities to his followers but declared them to be irrelevant to their central concern, namely, the quest for Salvation. Monks can justify their taking part in such activities by saying that they are merely providing a service for the laity who, unlike members of the Sangha, have not reached that stage of spiritual maturity where they can manage without the emotional and psychological comfort which magic affords. 15) 'Thit' or 'did' is an 'abbreviated form of the Pali word familiar in AngloIndian as 'pandit', which means scholar or a wise man' (Apmnan 1961 : 69}.