The Saint Paul globe., 1903-12-06

out on the ground in front of him, he
drew his knees up toward his hands, and
then, falling forward again with his
hands stretched out in the same way,
again drew his knees up to them, and in
this way traVerSed the whole distance,
Which took him six Years 10 accomplish.
His knees became as hard and horny as
the calloSltleS on the foot of the camel,
and still the Dalai Lama would not al
low him to enter. About One-fourth of
the population of Thibet are lama priests
who hold the key to all learning and
knowledge and practically own all the
land and property of the country. Some
1000 lamaseries and monasteries exist,
containing many thousands of inmates.
The great monastery of Depung, five
miles from Lhasa, has 10000 priests.
The head lama or abbot of these insti-
tutionS acts as magistrate of the law,
and reads out justice in their interests.
There is no fixed legal tribunal for pun
iShing crimes and misdemeanOrs. A code
handed down from tradition is the only
rule enforced. Payment for penalties is
made in bricks of tea, which is the ac
cepted currency of the country. The
amount is regulated according to the So
cial standing Of the victim.- The muir
derer of a well-to-do person is fined 125
bricks; one of the middle class 75 wan
dering foreigner and beggar are rated as
the Same-three or four bricks viii Suf-
fee. If a lama is killed, big sum, Of
course, is levied-from 500 to 400 bricks,
or lifetime of slavery in work, If the
= The most characteristic feature OF
Thibetan life, which is everywhere met
with, is the deVout Thibetans with their
prayer wheels and peculiar thighbone
trumpets. The latter are made almost
entirely from the bones of criminals or
those who have died from violence. In
preparing these an elaborate incarnation
is gone through with, a part of which
consists Of the lama eating a portion Of
the skin on the bone otherwise its blasts
will not be effective. The most frequent
sound heard during the day and night is
the rattle of the prayer wheels, grinding
out the magic prayer formula. "Om mani
padme hum" ("Om-The Jewel In the
Lotus, Hum.") The continued repetition
of this prayer is thought to be the only
means of acquiring immediate earthly
blessings, as well as entrance into the
paradise of Buddha in the future. Thts
prayer is directed to the presiding deities
Of the lower regions. imploring them for
freedom and release from their cruel
prosecutions This belief, forced
on by the despotic priests. so preys upon
the credulous people like a weighted
nightmare that they never attain peace of
mind The prayer wheel is the means of
repeating this formula mechanically, and
consists of a cylinder, on which is ar
ranged, one on top of the other, sheets of
paper on which the prayer words are in
scribed in fine letters.
The most imposing and awe-inspiring
edifice in Lhasa is the great palace and
abode of the Dalai Lama. This is a
veritable acropolis, rising 400 feet above
the roof tops. This palatial monument to
Buddhism is composed of a series of
square structures and temples, grouped
one above the other A central build
ing Of red sandstone, thirteen stories in
height, is the official residence of the in
carnate boy ruler of Thlbet, said 10 pc
about twenty years old. This is styled
the st. Peters of Asia, surprising even
the Vatican in spaciousness, containing
more than 3.Ge0 rooms innumerable tenn
pies with dornes of gold. The other edi-
fees contain the quarters of the high
dignitaries, officials, priests and religious
personages. During the great celebra-
tions and fetes $4,000 can be accommo-
dated within the inclosure.
The most noted ceremonial in Lhasa Is