The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-03-25


authorities First, sbe children are te~ted
IL var1ons wars - by finding out Il they
manifest recognition a. certain arsicaescf
personsI property formerly belonging %
The late sam<ufed Tale Lama
s.If o boy recognizes tie deceased TAKE
Isma's night-goxn. il Is the best Of EN-
dence that be Is really The Tale Lama him
sesf come 10 life against all events. that
be has inherited the conscious entity di-
vine which animated the former Tale
Lama Hall d0zen boys may exhibit
such symptoms, and il only remains 70
write their names On - many slips Of
paper and drop them inso . gold vase,
whence they are drawn after the fashion
81 lots, the lucky boy being nominated
for Tale Lama Before be Is finally
given the place, however. his name must
be sent to the Chinese emperor for ap-
provai- II the emperor doesn't indorse the
selection the process must be performed ell
over again. But, If the emperor approves,
he sends back seal OF ONCE for the boy.
Who thereupon takes IN oath Of feaIEy and
becomes pore OF the Buddhist faith The
position Is nor wholly desirable one. inas-
much as the last three Tale Lamas have
died young, IL Is supposed for political
scribesi which consists in the drawing Of
lots was originated by China. TO which
Thibet belongs, In the last century. for the
purpose of preventing the spiritual power
from remaining in one family. For the
same reason each one OF the three la-nas-
cries in Lhasa is given its turn in nomi-
mating the candidates.
EEusTos AND MONEY.
I'm like manner are chosen sixty-five
other iamas who are respectively supposed
70 be incarnasions Of as many flrst-class
ceities. Only about twenty of these. how
ever. are found in Thibet; there are lots
more OF them Ia Mongolia. where the in-
carnstion idea is q favorite one Also there
are perhaps 100 iamas who are incarnasions
of second class gods, as wen asquite anum-
Der more who offord ambniatory tene-
menfs for third-class divinities- II was by
special revelations that the original incar-
nation of these deities was discovered, and
they have been handed down ever since in
the way described AL the rest of the 2Oo.-
90 iamas are no gods az ALL but those OF
them who are not hermits have plenty Of
consultations in this life. They live on the
fat of the land, 80 TO speak, and quietly
absorb pretty much all the riches OF the
country. Thibet is poor agriculturaliy,
but rich in minerals. Gold is plentiful,
but nearly all of it finds its way to the
iamaseries sooner or later. The ma
tives only wash for it: mining they might
do most probably but for their hesitation
TO destry the seeds from which the metal
grows. Likewise all the finest textile
fabrics and other products are absorbed by
the lamaseries, largely in the shape OF
presents. When Thibetan has anything
to ask from the priests be takes with him
present of as much value as he can
afford and offers it. making at the same
time his request. The priests do q very
large business in fortune-teiling; but the
driving away OF devils is their great hold.
When anything annoys person in Thibet
some devil Is responsible. and IL follows
that the priests must be constantly APP
pealed to. Thus it Is not surprising that
they should be able 10 indulge in the
luxury OF gold roofs for their temples and
in the pleasures of an elegant leisure.
THE SYSTEM or GOVERNMENT.
Not only do the lamas have nearly all
sthe riches in Thibet. but they possess all the
power, both spiritual and temporal. At
the head of the government Of the country
is the king, who is . priest chosen from
one OF the three great lamaseries OF Lhasa.
This parsonage has four ministers Of state,
who are iaymen. Beside the Tale Lama
there is another important incarnation in
the shape Of gentleman who Is survival
Of the God Of Wisdom. residing in South
west Thibet. not far from the FROM
tier of British India. Whatever
the king and his councillors do
in consultation with the Tale Lama and
the incarnation of the God Of Wisdom,
must be approved by the Chinese minister
before IL is executed. This minister is the
'Amban' so frequently alluded 10 in news
paper accounts of the difficulties between
British India and Thibet over the question
of the frontier. There are nominaily 5000
Chinese troops stationed in Tnibet; but, rs
q matter of fact. there are probably not
more than 1000. This is an interesting
Chinese custom, the general employing
skeleton regiments and making out pay
vouchers for full complement Thus it
will be seen that, save for the four minis
tiers of the cabinet, the government OF
Thibet IL altogether ecclesiastical. though
always subject 10 the Chinese emperor.
So far as am aware the lamas have no
other object in gathering wealth than to
aggrand.xe their order and TO keep the
power. temporal and spiritual. in their
own hands. When one OF them dies his
possessions go to the lamasery he has be-
longed To-. A priest upon entering
a lamasery takes various vows, among
them that OF chastity. In the
intervals OF their employment religious.
the lamas read. loaf about the village
which always grows up around iamasery.
and drink more or less freely OF sort of
wine made from barley, which is the ma
uonal beverage.
PECULIAR MORAL COPE
As rule thev are rot especially moral
or otherwise. In each iamasery is a board
OF official governors who regulate the estab-
Iishment and have it in their power 10 i'm.
prison, put 10 death or otherwise punish
according TO their pleasure any inmate who
misbehsycs himself. In the lansseriss. hv
the way, are made all the images OF gods
and al the sacred paintings executed in
the country. The priests usually live in
houses grouped about the temple or tenn
pies. and the hard domestic work OF the
iamaseries is done by a caste oil monks who
tskc no VOWS. and who are permitted 10
have families outside II they desire, The
iamas are bound by regulations very simi
lar 10 those which govern similar Roman
Catholic institutions. They are Obliged Ia
be at home by certain honr every night
and smoking and gambling are rigiaiy pro-
hi5I;ea within walls. Womenhs converts
a3so exist
= folygAmy and its reverse. poly ansiry.
ss.H -