The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1925-07-01

hldSd Ouly duOuulS 10 ABOUT lO,UU
> Of whom 5000 are women, VIII
strange to say, carry on PRACTICAL
, the whole Of the trade done. The II
naming 5000 males are about 800
: Tibetans and 5000 foreigners =
Chinese, Nepalese, Kashmeris, etc.
The monks are very picturesque Fl
their somber red robes, perhaps no
quite so much in evidence in the tow
itself, as there is more hustle and life
and people are more occupied with
trade than with the saving of their
souls. The streets are full of laden
animals, bringing In the everyday
supplies, and caravans arriving from
Mongolia and eastern Tibet. The
people look well and cheerful and
the town is not nearly so dirty as
might be expected
OF the other buildings in Lhasa.
the school of medicine, situated on a
smaller hill on the same ridge as the
Potala, stands out prominently. There
is very little Of interest connected with
1t, and the inmates or students hardly
know even the names of common use
full herbs.
One of the prettiest spots In all the
valleys is the Lu-Kang garden, where
there is a beautiful pool of water sur
rounded by lofty trees and willows
half concealing an island in the center.
The legend runs that the island is the
abode of a snake, which must be pro- |
pltiated or the waters of the under
ground lake which lie beneath the
Jo-khang will overflow and submerge
Lhasa.
The Tashi and Dalai Lamas never
lie, as their souls on departing the
lie are reincarnated in the BODY of
ONE infant, who, by some miraculous
Ign such as the recognition of q
osary' an article of clothing belong
ig 10 the deceased, or something of
nat sort, establishes his claim.
Modified Devil Worship.
Ihis is not Buddhism as one finds
IN Burma or Siam. The truth is
lat In Tibet Buddhism has been Z
ai.eu ONTO the earlier devil worship
the people and religion has been
oiVeu better expressed as Lamaism \
modified devil worship, so that in
dltlon to the Buddhas and Rodiso+s il
ere have also come TO he tutelorr n
q guardian deities of terrifying r,
u malignant aspect, whose duty if is n
uelend the faith and the faithful OF
ople from external attack. Tboso II
tles are depicted in grotesoua and fc
rlole forms in all the monasteries .,
lerally In violently colored fresco -,
ntings at the entrance. -, n'
Inc credulous peasants, steeped IN -
'erstitlon, look up and nrav - DC
Sc monstrosities for their deliver. az
e from evil, from the lures ana LII
secutions OF the demons md po
ties, by which every Tibetan no ire
as himself as surrounded ep
ne common folk believe FOO :. ia
and malignant gods some III
,he shape of gnomes, some hob. MI
lins' others with such long slender me
s. ana small mouths tbev con acl
now nothing, and in their a. DO,
PTS writhe to such an extent tba,r DIRE
seies cause earthquakes. Anotber shs
7 Is that rainbows are formed hy riy
"eraoie sprites, or small foil. ,
hg down into water, sprites uho ;
only on smells and twang gu,tors in
ney slide; and that drinkinc 81 H.
+ VIII give fever. Others Iir,ns CIV ~
he tops Of hills or passes sans se
avalanches and give TRAVELLERS ~, rUl
nam sickness, and PERTAINS rho . "n'
dreaded of all are the "sbr,~ 'ion
attack children. '''i'
these beliefs are more Or ,osu
religions Of the common neon, MS "
ined with the hope of being ny ~ hosl
Ieincarnated into higher snbon. cons
u Ultimately being admitted into on
ma. INTO hon,