The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-03-05

still apply the ethical standards OF Gautama
! to their daily life, but northern Buddhism
has long abandoned, except in name the
Indian faith Amid the vain repetitions
/ OF the Tibetans, their mechanical aids TO
self-salvation their gaudy and frequently
obscene rituals their bells full OF demons,
spirits and frightful semi-gods, the simple
| creed Of Buddha has long been lost TO view
| The doctrine OF reincarnaton, rather inn
| piled than taught by him, is still, however,
| politically useful and remains almost the
! sole link which yet connects the northern
| and southern Churches, We repeat that
| il the films OF ritual and the mendacious
| suggestions OF tradition be brushed aside one
/ finds in Iamaism little but sheer animistic
| devil worship. To the Tibetans every
place is peopled with the agents Of a super
natural malice. Evil spirits must be exor-
cised at every turn. There IL. however,
but one trustworthy method OF exercising
the powers OF i'll. Prayers OF themselves
do not avail as defences of the poor in
Tibet: they can be efrectual only when
sanctioned by priest. Not prayer pole
is set up. not a string Of prayer flags ia
pulled taut. not a prayer water wheel or
PRAYER wind wheel is set in motion without
/ the payment of customary fee, The tax
levied upon laymen by the priests is not
paid in money alone The labor also
Of the peoples hands ia at the disposal OF
the ruling caste. The oorree ia known in
/ Tibet. as it was known in ancient Egypt,
and no feudal seigneurie of the Dark Ages
in Europe ever exacted its full rights as
mercilessly as does the narrow sect OF self
/ indulgent Iamas. In word. no priestiy
caste In the history OF religion has ever fos-
tered and preyed upon the terror and
| ignorance OF its flock with the systematic
/ brigandage that ia practiced in Tibet.
1t is indeed. conceded by Mr.. landon
! that. hidden away in some quiet lamasery
far from the main routes n pious and vir-
tuous monk may still be found. Once or
twice. in the recluse, unworldly abbots
Of such monasteries as those Of Dongtse
and Ta-ka-re. he saw an attractive and al
most impressive type Of worsnipper; but
the heads OF the hierarchy are beings of a
very different order. and by them the coun-
try ia ruled with rod Of iron. The vast
aggregation of symbols and ceremonies
which have strangled the life out Of the
simple and beautiful faith of Buddha are
but barriers which the mora vigorously
separate the presty caste from lis lay
way would be to strike at the root Of LANAI
supremacy, and therefore the whole land
ia sunk in an ignorance to which It would
be difficult to find parallel To the I'M
lettered binds the awful figures which
scowl from the walls. blood bespattered.
with dripping tusks and blosted and beast
like bodies, are az veritable as were ever tho
pictures Of medieval hell to the frightened
To
the futtering Of the strange charm, On
mani pddme hum ia the easiest and for
them the only pathway TO vague we'll
being after death.
1t may be we'll 10 supplement what Mr..
Landon has to tell us about the Lamaic
hierarchy with eome observations Of Col,
Younghusband himself which he recounted
the other day-long after the book before
US went to press-R al a meeting Of the Royal
Geographical Society in London. OF the
Lama who acted as Regent OF Tibet after
the northward fight Of the Dalai Lama
himself he said that. pleasant, benevolent
genial old gentleman as he was. he evinced
very little intellectual power and but a
modicum Of spirituality. From both points
OF view he was decidedly inferior to the
ordinary Brahmin in India. He was firmly
convinced I1dI lnF FdIin - iIldllJblhls
His intellectual attainments did not amount
TO much more than a knowledge by rote
Of prodigious quantities If verses from
the sacred books. According TO Col. Young
husband the general run Of ahbots Of mon
asteries and leading lamas had even less
to recommend them. One monastery which
he visited at Lhasa contained no fewer
than 10000 monks, and another had 1000.
They were n repusive sensual looking lot.
Col. Younghusband concurred with the
author OF this book in pronouncing it alto
gether a mistake 10 suppose that in Tibet
could he found pure and lofty form Of
Buddhism lie acknowledged indeed
that Buddhism and Chinese civilization
between them had raised the rough tribes
who six or seven centuries ago inhabited
Tibet into something higher than they
were before. Intellectual and spiritual
, life. however had been stined by the rigor-
GUS monastic rules The result was people
OF infexible rgdity wholly unable to adapt
! themselves TO altering conditions and
destitute Of any intellectual force or spiritual
impulse While he would not deny that
Buddhism had done much TO tame and
/ civilize n barb arous race Of demon wor
/ shippers. Col. YounRhusband warned those
who would look TO Lhasa for any kind Of
/ higher intellectual or spiritual guidance
| to seek 1t nearer home. With much of the
/ impassive contentment still inoulcated by
/ dim echoes OF the Buddhistic faith. the
/ Tbetans, he said. 10 all intents and pur-
poses, are devil worshippors. Their re-
! ligion s grotesquN nd the most degraded
! form Of Buddhism in existence.
Mr.. Landon testifes that the Tihetan
laymen are a pleasant race. You will
always meet, he says. in the poorest hut
with unfailing courtesy. Not only is it a
recognized duty, but the visitor is made
| to believe it pleasure for them instantly
to bring forth an Offering OF their best
It may be little enough-a tiny bowl Of bar
! ley, three or four eggs in the hand-but
+, something will always be forthcoming
The ordinary villager leads toilsome and
| hard life uncomplainlngly. He sleeps and
eats on the floor of his hut. OF furniture
/ he has next to none: two or three brass or
copper bowls big unglazed red porcelain
teapot and few lengths of thick red or
gray cloth make up, II we except the imple-
ments of his trade, all you will ever find in
his house The habitual courtesy OF the
| Tibetan common people Is eNempfied in