Evening star., 1897-03-04
QUEER MONKS AND MARRIAGES.

Singular Religious and Social Cus-
toms Reported by n Recent Traveller.
The Indian Daily News gives extracts
from an interesting paper read before the
Buddhist Text Society of India by the
honorary secretary at recent meeting:
Thibet abounds in monasteries and tenn
pies. No other Buddhist country in Asia,
whether in the past or in the present time.
could be compared with modern Thibet in
the number of her Buddhist priests and
monasteries. The number of monks in the
monasteries of Thibet at the present day
might be estimated at a million. According
to my estimate, which Is based partly on
records left by eminent Thibetan writer's.
Thibet has population of 100000;
though the country is nearly equal in ex-
tent and climate to Russia. its population
IL not larger than that of London The
proportion Of its monks to the entire popu-
lation was therefore one to six. If one-haH
the population be females then the pro-
portion of the monks to the male popula-
ton is one to three. This appeared to me
too large proportion for the monks.
therefore thought it safe to state that the
monk population was 5000 to make the
proportion one to six as 1t Is held by some
of the well-informed men Of Thibet
Though the number of moEasteries Is 80
large, the number of nunneries Is dispro-
portionately small. 1t is doubtful il there
are even 100 converts in the whole of
Thibet. We find that the first-class mon
asteries, which have state endowments for
their support. contain an average of 1000
monks in each monastery, but in the larger
convents the average number Of nuns does
not exceed twenty. 1t may be asked what
may be the reason of this surprising dis
| proportion In the two classes of institu-
| tions. The custom of polyandry, which
| prevails in Thibet. would rather suggest an
| increase Of the nunneries. with a CORE
| spending increase in their population. But
| In fact, the very, reverse Is the case. II
| has been a puzzle to European scholars
| who have taken interest in the matter
| OF the institutions Of Thtbet to account for
| the number and occupation Of the women
| who do not get husbands. If all the broth
ers In a family club together in matrimony
with one wife, what becomes of the ma.
| 1ority of the female population who remain
! unmarried ?Durtng my residence, as well as
travels In Thibet paid some attention tc
| the subject AS the way to wealth. fame
and official power is open to those who en-
| ter monasteries to study religion and lit
erature, and to lead life Of celibacy
people find 1t humiliating to remain In theil
homes TO lead worldly life. They run tc
mcnasteries in large numbers, but onl,
such are permitted to remain in them as
| can commit to memory the largest number
OF pages Of the sacred works. So, many
| come back unsuccessful and discounted by
failures. These generally, not liking to re
turn to their homes. betake themselves tt
trade and to service in distant places
| marriage lS considered as very Difficult
and troublesome institution in Thibet. 1
only takes place in families which posses.
wealth. The eldest brother In a famil,
marries. and his younger brothers arr
locked upon by the wife as so many junior
husbands. Although the Thibetans are no
subject to jealousy in the proportion a.
other nations are where polygamy pre-
walls. yet the Junior husbands general,
hnd 1t inconvenient to share matrimonial
bliss with their eldest brother So the,
leave their home and property in disgust
In some cases they take separate wives
re.inquishing thereby their claims to ances
tral property. According to the laws o
Thibet. the eldest brother who had tn
right to marry. inherits the ancestral prop
erty The other brothers can only enjo,
the same as long as they live with him an
his wife. was present at a Thibeta,
marriage; the father of the bride in Civ
ing her away to the bridegroom, address
, ing his father, said: "Henceforth M
daughter becomes the wife of your sons
beth born and unborn. She win be their
conformity" In consequence of tediou
ceremonies and long terms of waiting he
fore getting the bride. and also trouble
some conditions imposed upon the candi
date for her husband, marriage seIdor
takes place in Thibet, and the majority q
men and women remain unmarried.