The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-08-31
COUNTESS TURNS BUDDHIST
lDNITrED TO tn sBoT WITH
sOEEMN CEREMoHY.

The Countess dc CanAvarro or California Gives
UP All Earthly Ties and Fakes tho Five
vows-she Will 90 to India Very Soon 70
Work AmonE Buddhist Women ana Chiidren
with solemn ceremonials, including a circle
of pink string, the Countess NJ. de Canavarro
OF California was received into the Bud
dhist sect at New Century Hall, 500
Fifth avenue. last night. II. Dharmapals.
a fully credited Buddhist priest, initiated
her, In language which none present
but those two even pretended to understand.
The pink string was passed around among the
audience in a complete circuit, with q Wow to
establishing an ~csoteric circuit, which 1t doubt
less did. Many persons chung despairingly TO 1t
during the ceremony, and afterward preserved
pieces OF IL which they broke Off as talismans.
Tho Countess will sail for India on Wednesday
with II. D~harmapala.
About 100 persons gathered In the hall. II.
Dharmapala was introduced as the gentleman
who represented Buddhism In the Parliament Of
Religions. which lent a temporary odor OF sane
tity to Chicago at the time OF the Worlds Fair.
The Buddhist revealed himself as a rather
handsome man with Jet black hair and
beard and large eyes Of singular brilliancy.
He wore ar orsnge.colored robe, typifying tho
sunlight, and held in his left hand a bunch Of
white roses. When he began to speak 1t was
oLAtC tuhb III NoAIo wax CAtiCihCiy eN
seductive, and his command Of tho English Ian
guage quito mastery. His address began with
q recital Of the requirements for entrance into
the Buddhist sect. At the conclusion of this no
signed to Countess do Canavarro, who rose from
her seat and faced him. She is q sweet-faced
woman Of middle age. Her dress was Of white.
and her face was !, pale Al en9IEh to match It. Tho
,uas ask ai n saSh of Y Eses to q put yo y0% w + !P r. an S sst 10
which viii establish the circuit of sympathy and
good will"
Nov viii ask ali Of YOU to say to yourselves
three times. Peace be to me- "a paused Now
say Let peace reign hero,' tAnother paused
community and nation and all the world. win
that peace should DO IN America, Europe. Asia,
Africa. and Australia. Peace to them. Hap
plness to them. We know that there is a
spiritual life above us. Peace to all spirits. wo
know also that there are evil spirits; Peace to
visible. peace. Let US for two minutes abide in
quiet concentration.
tense as to be oppressive as well as impressive.
AT tho conclusion of the two minutes Dharm.
spsla &c sh 4, in the ancient IA Arya1 language nY a
Ing. with syllables which constantly required.
This being concluded. the priest said:
II will now administer the five vows, a core
mony which has been performed for $500 years.
The Countess, who (, nov about to assume
best wishes and blessings in this stop"
He turned toward her, and then began q cere-
mony strikingly reminiscent of the marriage
ritual. The priest spoke. or rather chnnted. q
few syllablcs which the Countess repeated i'm
mediately after him. Again and again there
required tho words of affirmation and promise.
"Katah ahmi." Beside the Countess stood an
American friend who acted as sponsor for her.
The invocation and responses lasted perhaps
three minutes. Then said the priest:
She has taken the five vows: To abstain from
consciously destroying life, to abstain from TAX
Ing anything that does not belong TO her. to alb
stain from sensual indulgence, to abstain from
untruth and Islander, to abstain from alcoholic
or Supplying drugs. She has also pledged her
self to the guidance of the Lord OF the universe.
] now receive the Countess de Car-avarro into
the religion of the great Lord OF CO passion.
become a magnetic wire OF peace. Break and
take 1t II you will for mementoes."
The string was broken into many pieces and
distributed. Then the priest, said that the neo-
phyte would have n few words to say.
There Is little for me to Say TO you" said tho
Countess. Il shall soon be on my way TO Asia
10 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
shall strive to recall them. Later / shall return
to this country and try TO teach what I have
learned over there"
The meeting is closed. said Dharmapala as
the Countess took her seat. II invoke all
blessings on all of you
Many persons came up to shake hands with
the Countess after the All that she
would say OF herself was that she is a Call
fornian by birth, q person of title, by marriage.
married. but her husband will not accompany
her 70 India aa aha viyea nm all earthly fiea