Amarillo daily news. [volume] (Amarillo, Tex.) 19??-current, 1913-02-04

of mystery. Is slowly giving up
It's secrets, though the time is
far distant when familiarity
will breed contempt. The sharp
est contrasts TO the civilization of the
old and new worlds are there seen
against the picturesque background OF
an lmmemorial past. extending so far
back as G3e a T.. ~hen Buddhism was
fret introduced from India
There nre wizards and necroman.
GERS enough IN the country 10 run the
Industries of a thriving modern town.
and II Ii diffcu.i for a westerner TO un.
derstand how the natives can unques-
tionlngly accept their hanky panky as
indubitable proofs OF supernatural
powers. No Occidental a thorough
ly understand the beliefs and prac.
tees OF a people like the Tibetans. un
less HIS mind Is entirely denuded OF It's
material prcpossessions. Buddhism
embraces practically the whole social
structure Of the people, for the half
million Ponbos. who conserve the
earlier religion Of the land. are the vic.
Tins OF similar superstitions and prac-
tees.
In no other country In the world II
the priestly Influence o paramount
Wizards abound Exorclsts and rell
giogs impostors live on the fat ~ the
land For all the people OF Tibet and
far Eastern Asia. OF whom the world
knows little. the universe ls full OF
immaterial powers and intelligences.
dcmoniac and dangerous. Every Incl.
dent Ia believed 10 have supernatural
significance All the epochs OF life are
ordered by the wizards or the down-at.
heel mendicant priests. who thrive es-
pecially among the poorer classes
The people build many temples. ex.
haust their In erecting sta.
tues. they PROSTATE themselves. sing
weird hymns and mutter endless
prayers. make offerings and give ban
quets TO all the gods and all the
devils.
soreerers' Thriving Trade.
The wizard in Tibet Is a sort OF uni
versal provlder OF every kind ~ assist.
ance II Ia the wizard who comes 10
the sick mans bedside II he dies a
commemorative ceremony ls held a
year after his decease Every year
libations are offered to the shades OF
dead ancestors A cord Is stretched
before each tent horizontally. and
streamers covered with Buddhist In.
scriptlons are fastened to Il II Is more
than probable that the departure OF
many sick TO the other world is has.
tened by the dancing sorcerer. or mag
pa. M ne II called. and his horrible
yells. supposed to he calls for aid.
The sorcerer also does n thriving
trade IA n fortune teller. while divina,
ton In a remunerative side line. when
pebbles are arranged In a certain way
they are supposed to convey an oracu.
lar message and the inspection OF the
shoulder blade OF a sheep. when held
close TO the FIRE, Is also part OF the
fake ceremonial There Ia no end TO
Il. 4 house has to be built. a village
needs quelling the crops are back
ward and scanty the region needs
rain there Is a marriage. n funeral or
n hirth-for all these affairs a wizard
Is called IN for advice, and for the ex.
erclse OF his mysterious powers over
all forces that work against the we'll
being OF mankind
Most ~ the wizard. priests are mea
of degenerate habits and OF repulslye
demeanor Some engage themselves
FOR the meres' %pittance. a few bowls
% rice a few cobs OF maize and a gen.
eral debauch when the fcasts cele
bratirg any ~ their professional du
ties are carried out
Lamaism Is the particular form Of
Buddhism OF which these superstition
practices form an integral part. and
the strange ritual OF the Ponbo sect .s
much the same But the Ponbo priests
are compelled 20 celibacy. Some OF
them live IN converts and others are
distributed among the population. from
whom they o." scarcely distinguish
able As for the monks. the more sol
itary they are the greater their repl
! tation ~ magicians. When engaged
IN their mystic rites the be
l%ongiur 10 the PonSo sect wear a tai
spointed black hat. surmounted by 4
#. peacock's feather. a deaths head and
a pair Of crossed thunderbolts. and
beat a drum formed OF two human
s.tiis There Il spell still prar
% "a among them which until recen,
years has been occasionally used b
r-stics On ut-ofthe way parts OF In
r.rc This is the sticking % pins into
,rt cTu 90 q man over whom u Z
o e-r- n spell
We-1 Cure Of Diseases.
employed 90 cure
extremely weird one do
r-rs ur a clay fe.r
clothes His rams 4.
Pho frrre witch 4.
O. They believe that th.