Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-09-02
COUNTESS TURNS BUDDHIST.
Admitted to the Sect With Solemn
Ceremony.
Now York SUN. 31st ultlmol

New York Sun, 3ist ultimo)
With solemn ceremonials, including a
circle OF pink string the Countess NJ. de
Canavarro. OF California. was received
into the Buddhist sect at New Century
Hall. 500 Fifth avenue last night n.
Dharmapala, a fully credited Buddhist
priest, Initiated her, in language which
none present but those two even pretend
ed TO understand. The pink string was
passed around among the audience In q
complete circuit. with view to estab-
fishing an esoteric circuit, which it doubt
less did. Many persons chung despairingly
10 II during the ceremony, and afterward
preserved pieces Of it. which they broke
off as talismans. The Countess will sail
for India on Wednesday with III. Dhar-
mapala.
About 100 persons gathered in the hall.
III. Dharmapala was introduced as the
gentleman who represented Buddhism in
the Parliament of Religions, which lent
q temporary odOr OF sanctlty to Chicago
at the time of the Worlds Fair. The
Buddhist revealed himself as a rather
handsome man with jet-back hair and
beard and large eyes or singular Drill
iancy.
He wore an orange-colored robe. typify-
ing the sunlight, and held in his left hand
~
to speak IL was noticed that his voice
was extremely soft and seductive, ana MS
command OF the English language quite
mastery. His address began with re-
citai of the requirements for entrance INTO
the Buddhist sect. At the conclusion OF
this he signed to Countess de CandVarro'
who rose from her seat and faced nm nun.
She is a sweet-faced woman OF mlddle
age. Her dress was OF white. ana mel
face was pale enough to match IT.. Inc
priest turning to the audience, sald;
Il ask each of you TO put yourself IN
an attitude Of peace. Each OF you WI,
Peace be TO me- / will now have passed
around this string, which VIII estaulisn
the circuit Of sympathy and good Will
Here the pink string was passed ABOUT.
Now l will ask all Of you 10 say 10
yourselves three times, Peace be TO me:
"a pause) Now say Let peac9, .ha9
here (Another paIse) Now VIII tndt
peace go abroad thror gh this COM
munity and nation and all tne
world. VIII that peace souiu pS
in America, Europe, Asia, AFRICA anu
Australia. Peace 10 them. happiness ~
them. We know that there is spiritual
life above us. Peace TO all spirits. we
know also that there are evil spirits.
Peace to them. also To every living en-
tity visible or invisible, peace. Let US Ior
two minutes abide in quiet concentrd-
ton" 49,,
A long pause followed, the quiet being
so intense as to be oppressive as well as
impressive. At the conclusion OF the TWO
minutes Dharmapala chanted In the an
cient Aryan language a sort OF rit .litt
monotonous but soft and pleasing, Mith
syllables which constantly required. Ihis
being concluded the priest said
~ will now administer the five vows, a
ceremony which has been performed for
$500 years The Countess. VINO IS now
about to assume formally the buddhist
religion, desires your best wishes ana
blessings IN this step
He turned toward her. and then began
n ceremony strkingy reminiscent or the
marriage ritual. The priest spoke. or
rather chanted d few syllableS which the
Countess repeated Immediately after nm
Again and again there required the WORDS
of affirmation and promise, hatah
American friend. who acted as sponsor
for her. The invocation and responses
lasted perhaps three minutes. Then saiu
the priest:
she has taken the five vows-to ,; az
stain from consciously destroying lie,
TO abstain from taking anything that
does not belong to her, to abstain from
sensual indulgence, TO ABSTAIN from uI-
truth and Islander, TO abstain from alco-
holic or stupefying drugs. She has also
pledged herself to the guidance or the
Lord OF the Universe. | now receive the
Countess de Carnavarro into the rellgl0n
of the great Lord of Compassion Inc
thread which forms a circle among you
has become a magnetic wire of peace.
Break and take it, il you will, for memen-
toes"
The string was broken into many pieces
and distributed. Then the priest said that
the neoohyte would have few words 10
say. .,
"There is little for me to say to you
said the Countess. II shall soon be on
my way to Asia to do the work among
the women and children TO which l am
called. and TO give them the light OF the
new life Their own religion they do not
understand. They have fallen away IRON
it, | shall strive to recall them. Later L
shall return to this country, and Try 10
teach what have learned over there.
THE meeting is closed" said pharma-
nala as the Countess took her seat. II in
woke all blessings on all of you"
Many persons came up TO shake hands
with the Countess after the ceremony
All that she would say of herself was
that she was Californian by birth,
person of title by marriage, and Roman
Catholic by training. She is married, but
her husband will not accompany her 10
India, as she gives up all earthly ties