The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-01-12
YIBET'S MYSTERIOUS RULER.
PILGRIMS RECEIvED DAILY BY
THE GRAND LAMA.
First Detailed Description OF the Cerc-
monlai tn Head Of The Buddhist
Faith seems Always to Die I'm His Youth
Only Buddhists Permitted TO Sec Him

Only Buddhists Permitted TO Sec Him
A great deal Of mystery has always sur
rounded the personality OF the Dalai Lama
of Tibet. Hundreds Of pilgrims from
Tibet. Mongolia and China are permitted
every day to pay homage to him. but any
unbeliever who should attempt to enter
his presence would do so at the risk OF
his life.
A Buddhist priest OF Kalmuk origin
and a subject Of Russia has at last had the
temerity to write an account OF his recep-
ton by the Grand Lama. This man, whose
name Is Baza- Bakchi, made the pilgrimage
to Lhasa about three years 9 from his
home near Astrakhan, at the north end
OF the Caspian Sea.
The SUN has already referred to the book
which he wrote en- his return hone,
which has been translated from Kalmuk
into Russian. The book contains a desc1p-
ton OF the capital Of Tibet INC gives an
account Of the priests visit to the Grand
Lama or the Dalai Lama. as he Is distinct
lively called, for there are two Grand Lamas,
both Of whom are supposed to be reincar-
nations Of two Of the disciples OF Buddha
when he was pom the earth.
The Pantshen Lama Is theoretically
the spiritual successor Of the great founder
Of the faith, but practically the Dalai Lama
has the supremacy. owing to his residence
at. the capital. He Ia called the great king.
while the other Grand Lama Is known as
the great teacher.
Some how or other, the Dalai Lama
always dies young. At least. no writer
who has ever visited Lhasa has ever spoken
OF him as anything more than a boy.
Col. Holdich has said that the Dalai
Lamas OF Tibet are invariably children.
and that they die as those die whom the
gods love. Manning, who visited Lhasa
in 1911 in the guise Of q Hindu doctor. said
the Da lai Lama was a well educated.
p~rincely child about 7 years old.
Father Hue wrote in is<o that the Dalai
Lama was then 0 years Of age. The Hindu.
Main Sing, wrote that in 1885 the Grand
Lama was a fair and handsome boy Of
IS years, entirely dominated by the Gyalpo
or temporal ruler OF Lhasa.
There seems, accordingly. to be q new
Dalai Lama every few years, and II would
be interesting 10 know why II is that they
never reach mature years. M~ontsomerie
has rather darkly limited that; Grand
Lamas are made to 60 through their trans
migrations very rapidly, the intervals
being probably in inverse proportion to
the amount Of trouble they give to the
Gyalpo.'
Chandra Das. another Indian explorer
who pretended to be a Buddhist, was the
latest authority on the Grand Lama till
the Kalmuk Dsza-Bakchi. wrote his book.
Chandra wrote Of him as "a child Of 8 with
bright and fair complexion and rosy cheeks.
His eyes are large and penetrating. the
shape Of his face remarkably Aryan though
married 10y the obliquity Of his eyes.
-The thinness OF his person was probably
due TO the fatigue OF court ceremonies and
TO the religious duties and ascetic observ-
ances Of his estate. A yellow mitre covered
his head and its pendant lappets hid his
ears; a yellow mantle draped his person
and he sat cross-legged with Joined palms. =
II Ii a curious fact that Baza- Bakchi.
the latest observer TO see the Dalai Lama.
fails 20 describe the appearance OF the boy
who Is now In that exalted position; he
compensates for this strange omission.
however, by giving the first details yet
published of the ceremony Of presentation
at the daily receptions which this Grand
a ElNfN ~ wv llAk AAAAH WV 10 NOA
stantly Hooking 20 the holy city.
when Ba2a -Bakchi was In Lhasa the
Dalai Lama was not In his famous temple
palace on the sacred hill Of Potals. for he
had gone 20 his summer palace, Norbu-
Linka, a charming abode In the midst OF
a park a few miles west Of Lhasa. Thither
the stream Of pilgrims was pouring and
the ceremony Of presentation there is said
90 he Identical with that a. Potala
The quaintness Of BazA- Bakchl's short
account can scarcely he reproduced from
the Russian version from which tbs fol-
loving has been translated for THK SUN
A. far a. known Il ls the only report ~
the Kalmuk narrative that has yet been
turned into English:
The Dalai Lama" writes bAza- Bakchi.
reserves every day, all tho pilgrims who
have arrived Ia the holy city To pay him
homage The audiences are usually
gwen a. y o'olock In the morning every
body from the noblcs 10 The common people,
being privileged 10 attend
A thc Time appointed fuT the audionne
ihr Dalai Lama enters the large hall and
takos lls -sst nn a throne that Ia about hVe
fort Do hs,Eht A. sp1n as hs Ia sratst
gJ f-luDtlnnarl"s half II them IN.
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