New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-03-29
RUSSIA DESERTS
KUTUKTU OF urea
Mongolian Priestly Ruler
Violates Order of His
Church by Marrying.
[From Tn. Tribune Correspondent

[From The Tribune Correspondent
st. Petersburg March lit appears
from advices received from Urga that
tho future carries considerable trouble
sequence OF offending the Russian diplo-
matte representative on New Years Day,
has been left alone TO defend himself as
vassal OF China This is no small task
that he has 20 undertake, for he is said
TO have received a message from Yuan
shih-kai informing him that the Tibetan
clergy consider his manner OF living open
to the gravest objections on account OF
profaneness, and that unless there Is a
prompt change in his ways he might DO
expelled from the Buddhist Church.
The Kutuktus Of Urga are reputed 10 be
the third living reincarnation of Buddha.
and for this reason it is their duty TO be
particularly careful about at least such
part Of their life as is obvious to the out
side world. The first two rencarnations
OF Buddha are the Dalai Lama and the
Panchen Lama. The Kutuktus OF Urga
had their origin at the beginning OF the
seventeenth century, when the Dalai
Lama after being held for long period
a captive at the capital Of Mongolia, was
returned 10 Lhasa. II then became
question Of how the Mongolians could
continue to live without living Buddha
in their midst. To solve this question, the
Dalai Lama miraculously discovered that
the son Just born to the house OF Tushetn
Khan, who was the most powerful OF the
Monaghan princes and direct descendant
of Genghis Khan, was an incarnation of
Buddha. The boy was therefore taken TO
Lhasa, indicted into the Buddhist priest
hood and sent back to Urga as the first
Kutuktu, or grand abbot.
His Right to His Office.
From this appointment the present Ku-
tuktu, who is the eighth in the order or
succession, has descended. though not in
the flesh, but by the laying on Of hands
like the descent from st. Peter OF the
priests of the Catholic Church. and from
ST. Paul OF those Of the Episcopal Church
For political reasons the Kutuktus have
no right to marry and establish dynas-
ty. Each is selected at the time of the
death of the last holder OF the office from
among the babies born at the very mo-
ment OF the Kutuktus death. The selec-
ton was left at first 10 the Lamas.
learned in the mysteries OF reincarna-
ton, but when experience showed that
their selection always fell on the scion
of the Tushetu Khan, the emperors of
Picking took over the duty of selection
to themselves. and always made their
choice from the family OF some poor
Tibetan customs official.
Furthermore, none OF the previous seven
Kutuktus was allowed to live TO an ad-
vanced age, some mysterious providence
always having struck him down in the
flower of his manhood. before he had
time to establish himself IN any very
great personal power. 1t is a sad sign
of the decadence of the old Peking au-
thority that the present Kutuktu, who
was born in 1871, has lived so long. Pos
sibly. however, the worthlessness OF his
life may count for his years. 1t is an
open secret that he loves to battle with
the demon Rum, that he is more fond or
gold than anything else in the world,
and that he amasses considerable sums
by his facility with cards. Also, instead
of passing weary hours before the altar
in pious devotion. he skips about the
country in the newest model automobile
that his part OF Mongolia can boast, PLAYS
the piano with two fingers of ono hand
and the thumb and little finger Of the
other, is an expert in changing disks
on the gramaphone and has surrounded
himself with a harem, which is small In
comparison with some that have been
described in history, but yet not so small
at that.