As already mentioned Brahmanism still survives in the court ceremonial though this by no means prevents the king from being a devout Buddhist.  The priests are known as Bakus.  They wear a top-knot and the sacred thread after the Indian fashion, and enjoy certain privileges.  Within the precincts of the palace at Phnom Penh is a modest building where they still guard the sword of Indra.  About two inches of the blade are shown to visitors, but except at certain festivals it is never taken out of its sheath.

The official programme of the coronation of King Sisowath (April 23-28, 1906), published in French and Cambojan, gives a curious account of the ceremonies performed, which were mainly Brahmanic, although prayers were recited by the Bonzes and offerings made to Buddha.  Four special Brahmanic shrines were erected and the essential part of the rite consisted in a lustral bath, in which the Bakus poured water over the king.  Invocations were addressed to beings described as “Anges qui etes au paradis des six sejours celestes, qui habitez aupres d’Indra, de Brahma et de l’archange Sahabodey,” to the spirits of mountains, valleys and rivers and to the spirits who guard the palace.  When the king has been duly bathed the programme prescribes that “le Directeur des Bakous remettra la couronne a M. le Gouverneur General qui la portera sur la tete de Sa Majeste au nom du Gouvernement de la Republique Francaise.”  Equally curious is the “Programme des fetes royales a l’occasion de la cremation de S.M.  Norodom” (January 2-16, 1906).  The lengthy ceremonial consisted of a strange mixture of prayers, sermons, pageants and amusements.  The definitely religious exercises were Buddhist and the amusements which accompanied them, though according to our notions curiously out of place, clearly correspond to the funeral games of antiquity.  Thus we read not only of “offrande d’un repas aux urnes royales” but of “illuminations generales ... lancement de ballons ... luttes et assauts de boxe et de l’escrime ... danses et soiree de gala....  Apres la cremation, Sa Majeste distribuera des billets de tombola.”

The ordinary Buddhism of Camboja at the present day resembles that of Siam and is not mixed with Brahmanic observances.  Monasteries are numerous:  the monks enjoy general respect and their conduct is said to be beyond reproach.  They act as schoolmasters and, as in Siam and Burma, all young men spend some time in a monastery.  A monastery generally contains from thirty to fifty monks and consists of a number of wooden houses raised on piles and arranged round a square.  Each monk has a room and often a house to himself.  Besides the dwelling houses there are also stores and two halls called Sala and Vihear (vihara).  In both the Buddha is represented by a single gigantic sitting image, before which are set flowers and incense.  As a rule there are no other images but the walls are often ornamented with frescoes of Jataka stories or the early life