Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-03-19

ON the other side Of us are three Bud
dui-t nuns They are dressed iu Il1u
yellow cotton and have little more than
a sheet 90 This stun wrapped around
them. Their heads are shaved close
They hold out cloths upon which the
people throw offerings ass they pass by.
Each nun has rosary about her me- g.
and shoe tolls her beads as she prays
WOMEN AND THEIR SINS.
The Buddhist religion takes but small
account of women. and the rules ar,
such that monk cannot reside under
the same roof with nun Hc cannot
travel iu cart or boat with woman
and ono of the books OF the law says
that he must not touch her. and that NJ
any woman. even his mother. shpul
fam into ditch. he must not offer ui4
hand to help her out He may hold
forth stick. but IL she grae 10 De
must imagine ur is pulling at O. log of
wood. According To- Buddhist saving
the sins of the worst man are "a thou
sand times less than those OF the best
woman that over lived Nevertheless
there are numerous converts am over
this country. and nuns are everywhere
found
We 500 many priests worshluine
about the paRoda. Here comes one
now. lie must be 50 wears old. and his
brown face is withered his neck shruak
ON ana his thin legs seem 10 totter He
Is clad only in two strips Of bright vel
low cotton, his right shoulder and arm
being bare. In his left hand is pair
of old sandals the sweaty outlines ~
his foot marked on the yellow leather
and I'm his right he carries q small
bunch Of roses. lie knccls on the bricks
with the tropical sun beating down
upon his shaved head. and holds up tho
flowers as ne prays After time hC
goes 90 a chapel and lays them on the
knees OF "a great golden Buddha
There are many family parties pray
Ing. men. women and children knrciiug
together They am act as though thei-
religion was ono of rejoicing They
laugh and smoke on their way 90 and
from PRAYERS They hold their heads
high. and arc evidently proud OF both
Buddha and Burma.
SUPERSTITIOTs WORSHIPERs
But what IS this coming around the
corner from the other side Of the gre3s
golden spirc2 10 ls middle-aEed man.
alternately rising aud falling Tie wears
% turbau and waist cloth ana his skin
is as dark as that Of a negro. He is a
Buddhist from India. and he must have
something of the Hindu in his religion.
for he is prostrating himself on tho
brick platform and measuring he dis
lance around the p1goda with hls half
naked form. saying "a prayer every tim"
ho spreads himself out with HIS face o.
the bricks He lies flat on the g0or
and puts his bare arms as far ont a.
Doe can reach. stretching every muscle
from the ends Of his toes 90 the tips
OF his fingers He presses his finger
hard uuou the bricks ana marks hiF
limit OF reach with q candle Ilo thru
rises and walks to this candle lie picks
IL mp and then prostr3tcs himself once
more ON his face and prays. using the
candle 90 mark the spot where his I'm
gsrtius rest He goes fast, the whole
circuit OF the paEodl being covered .n
less than an hour We watch him at
the end of his journey. As he completes
the circuit he lies praying for three or
four minutes and then rises with q
beatido look upon his face evIde7-ly
believing that ne has acquired merit
ABOUT THE sHRINEs
Later on We make tour " the
shriucs There are 100 or more. AN end
ing boo spires Of gold far below the -p.r'
of this great golden mountain. AT are
beautifully carved, and some are walled
with Colorcd glass, so set I'm golden
wires that when the sun shines hey
show tine many splendors OF the pea
cocks tain The Buddhas within have
offerings OF flowers, fruit and rice lying
before them Al some candles ere
burning. and on their laps ofer.ugs ut
brolades and silks have been placed