During my stay in Urga I visited the abode15 of the Living Buddhaseveral times, spoke16 with him and observed his life. His favoritelearned Marambas gave me long accounts of him. I saw him readinghoroscopes, I heard his predictions, I looked over his archives ofancient books and the manuscripts containing the lives andpredictions of all the Bogdo Khans. The Lamas were very frank andopen with me, because the letter of the Hutuktu of Narabanchi wonfor me their confidence.
The personality of the Living Buddha is double, just as everythingin Lamaism is double. Clever, penetrating17, energetic, he at thesame time indulges in the drunkenness which has brought onblindness. When he became blind, the Lamas were thrown into astate of desperation. Some of them maintained that Bogdo Khan mustbe poisoned and another Incarnate18 Buddha set in his place; whilethe others pointed19 out the great merits of the Pontiff in the eyesof Mongolians and the followers20 of the Yellow Faith. They finallydecided to propitiate21 the gods by building a great temple with agigantic statue of Buddha. However, this did not help the Bogdo'ssight but the whole incident gave him the opportunity of hurryingon to their higher life those among the Lamas who had shown toomuch radicalism22 in their proposed method of solving his problem.
He never ceases to ponder upon the cause of the church and ofMongolia and at the same time likes to indulge himself with uselesstrifles. He amuses himself with artillery23. A retired24 Russianofficer presented him with two old guns, for which the donorreceived the title of Tumbaiir Hun, that is, "Prince Dear-to-my-Heart." On holidays these cannon25 were fired to the great amusementof the blind man. Motorcars, gramophones, telephones, crystals,porcelains, pictures, perfumes, musical instruments, rare animalsand birds; elephants, Himalayan bears, monkeys, Indian snakes andparrots--all these were in the palace of "the god" but all weresoon cast aside and forgotten.
To Urga come pilgrims and presents from all the Lamaite andBuddhist world. Once the treasurer26 of the palace, the HonorableBalma Dorji, took me into the great hall where the presents werekept. It was a most unique museum of precious articles. Here weregathered together rare objects unknown to the museums of Europe.
The treasurer, as he opened a case with a silver lock, said to me:
"These are pure gold nuggets from Bei Kem; here are black sablesfrom Kemchick; these the miraculous27 deer horns; this a box sent bythe Orochons and filled with precious ginseng roots and fragrantmusk; this a bit of amber29 from the coast of the 'frozen sea' and itweighs 124 lans (about ten pounds); these are precious stones fromIndia, fragrant28 zebet and carved ivory from China."He showed the exhibits and talked of them for a long time andevidently enjoyed the telling. And really it was wonderful!
Before my eyes lay the bundles of rare furs; white beaver30, blacksables, white, blue and black fox and black panthers; smallbeautifully carved tortoise shell boxes containing hatyks ten orfifteen yards long, woven from Indian silk as fine as the webs ofthe spider; small bags made of golden thread filled with pearls,the presents of Indian Rajahs; precious rings with sapphires31 andrubies from China and India; big pieces of jade32, rough diamonds;ivory tusks33 ornamented34 with gold, pearls and precious stones;bright clothes sewn with gold and silver thread; walrus35 tuskscarved in bas-relief by the primitive36 artists on the shores of theBehring Sea; and much more that one cannot recall or recount. In aseparate room stood the cases with the statues of Buddha, made ofgold, silver, bronze, ivory, coral, mother of pearl and from a rarecolored and fragrant species of wood.
"You know when conquerors come into a country where the gods arehonored, they break the images and throw them down. So it was morethan three hundred years ago when the Kalmucks went into Tibet andthe same was repeated in Peking when the European troops looted theplace in 1900. But do you know why this is done? Take one of thestatues and examine it."I picked up one nearest the edge, a wooden Buddha, and beganexamining it. Inside something was loose and rattled38.
"Do you hear it?" the Lama asked. "These are precious stones andbits of gold, the entrails of the god. This is the reason why theconquerors at once break up the statues of the gods. Many famousprecious stones have appeared from the interior of the statues ofthe gods in India, Babylon and China."Some rooms were devoted39 to the library, where manuscripts andvolumes of different epochs in different languages and with manydiverse themes fill the shelves. Some of them are mouldering40 orpulverizing away and the Lamas cover these now with a solutionwhich partially41 solidifies42 like a jelly to protect what remainsfrom the ravages43 of the air. There also we saw tablets of claywith the cuneiform inscriptions44, evidently from Babylonia; Chinese,Indian and Tibetan books shelved beside those of Mongolia; tomes ofthe ancient pure Buddhism45; books of the "Red Caps" or corruptBuddhism; books of the "Yellow" or Lamaite Buddhism; books oftraditions, legends and parables46. Groups of Lamas were perusing,studying and copying these books, preserving and spreading theancient wisdom for their successors.
One department is devoted to the mysterious books on magic, thehistorical lives and works of all the thirty-one Living Buddhas,with the bulls of the Dalai Lama, of the Pontiff from Tashi Lumpo,of the Hutuktu of Utai in China, of the Pandita Gheghen of Dolo Norin Inner Mongolia and of the Hundred Chinese Wise Men. Only theBogdo Hutuktu and Maramba Ta-Rimpo-Cha can enter this room ofmysterious lore37. The keys to it rest with the seals of the LivingBuddha and the ruby47 ring of Jenghiz Khan ornamented with the signof the swastika in the chest in the private study of the Bogdo.
The person of His Holiness is surrounded by five thousand Lamas.
They are divided into many ranks from simple servants to the"Councillors of God," of which latter the Government consists.
Among these Councillors are all the four Khans of Mongolia and thefive highest Princes.
Of all the Lamas there are three classes of peculiar48 interest,about which the Living Buddha himself told me when I visited himwith Djam Bolon.
"The God" sorrowfully mourned over the demoralized and sumptuouslife led by the Lamas which decreased rapidly the number of fortunetellers and clairvoyants51 among their ranks, saying of it:
"If the Jahantsi and Narabanchi monasteries52 had not preserved theirstrict regime and rules, Ta Kure would have been left withoutprophets and fortune tellers49. Barun Abaga Nar, Dorchiul-Jurdok andthe other holy Lamas who had the power of seeing that which ishidden from the sight of the common people have gone with theblessing of the gods."This class of Lamas is a very important one, because everyimportant personage visiting the monasteries at Urga is shown tothe Lama Tzuren or fortune teller50 without the knowledge of thevisitor for the study of his destiny and fate, which are thencommunicated to the Bogdo Hutuktu, so that with these facts in hispossession the Bogdo knows in what way to treat his guest and whatpolicy to follow toward him. The Tzurens are mostly old men,skinny, exhausted53 and severe ascetics54. But I have met some whowere young, almost boys. They were the Hubilgan, "incarnate gods,"the future Hutuktus and Gheghens of the various Mongolianmonasteries.
The second class is the doctors or "Ta Lama." They observe theactions of plants and certain products from animals upon people,preserve Tibetan medicines and cures, and study anatomy55 verycarefully but without making use of vivisection and the scalpel.
They are skilful56 bone setters, masseurs and great connoisseurs57 ofhypnotism and animal magnetism58.
The third class is the highest rank of doctors, consisting chieflyof Tibetans and Kalmucks--poisoners. They may be said to be"doctors of political medicine." They live by themselves, apartfrom any associates, and are the great silent weapon in the handsof the Living Buddha. I was informed that a large portion of themare dumb. I saw one such doctor,--the very person who poisoned theChinese physician sent by the Chinese Emperor from Peking to"liquidate" the Living Buddha,--a small white old fellow with adeeply wrinkled face, a curl of white hairs on his chin and withvivacious eyes that were ever shifting inquiringly about him.
Whenever he comes to a monastery59, the local "god" ceases to eat anddrink in fear of the activities of this Mongolian Locusta. Buteven this cannot save the condemned60, for a poisoned cap or shirt orboots, or a rosary, a bridle61, books or religious articles soaked ina poisonous solution will surely accomplish the object of theBogdo-Khan.
The deepest esteem62 and religious faithfulness surround the blindPontiff. Before him all fall on their faces. Khans and Hutuktusapproach him on their knees. Everything about him is dark, full ofOriental antiquity63. The drunken blind man, listening to the banalarias of the gramophone or shaking his servants with an electriccurrent from his dynamo, the ferocious64 old fellow poisoning hispolitical enemies, the Lama keeping his people in darkness anddeceiving them with his prophecies and fortune telling,--he is,however, not an entirely65 ordinary man.
One day we sat in the room of the Bogdo and Prince Djam Bolontranslated to him my story of the Great War. The old fellow waslistening very carefully but suddenly opened his eyes widely andbegan to give attention to some sounds coming in from outside theroom. His face became reverent66, supplicant67 and frightened.
"The Gods call me," he whispered and slowly moved into his privateshrine, where he prayed loudly about two hours, kneeling immobileas a statue. His prayer consists of conversation with theinvisible gods, to whose questions he himself gave the answers. Hecame out of the shrine68 pale and exhausted but pleased and happy.
It was his personal prayer. During the regular temple service hedid not participate in the prayers, for then he is "God." Sittingon his throne, he is carried and placed on the altar and thereprayed to by the Lamas and the people. He only receives theprayers, hopes, tears, woe69 and desperation of the people,immobilely gazing into space with his sharp and bright but blindeyes. At various times in the service the Lamas robe him indifferent vestments, combinations of yellow and red, and change hiscaps. The service always finishes at the solemn moment when theLiving Buddha with the tiara on his head pronounces the pontificalblessing upon the congregation, turning his face to all fourcardinal points of the compass and finally stretching out his handstoward the northwest, that is, to Europe, whither in the belief ofthe Yellow Faith must travel the teachings of the wise Buddha.
After earnest prayers or long temple services the Pontiff seemsvery deeply shaken and often calls his secretaries and dictates70 hisvisions and prophecies, always very complicated and unaccompaniedby his deductions71.
Sometimes with the words "Their souls are communicating," he putson his white robes and goes to pray in his shrine. Then all thegates of the palace are shut and all the Lamas are sunk in solemn,mystic fear; all are praying, telling their rosaries and whisperingthe orison: "Om! Mani padme Hung!" or turning the prayer wheelswith their prayers or exorcisings; the fortune tellers read theirhoroscopes; the clairvoyants write out their visions; whileMarambas search the ancient books for explanations of the words ofthe Living Buddha.
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1
Buddha
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| n.佛；佛像；佛陀 | |
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concealing
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，遮住( conceal的现在分词 ) | |
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compassionate
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| adj.有同情心的，表示同情的 | |
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fascination
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| n.令人着迷的事物，魅力，迷恋 | |
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pagoda
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| n.宝塔（尤指印度和远东的多层宝塔），（印度教或佛教的）塔式庙宇 | |
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majesty
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| n.雄伟，壮丽，庄严，威严；最高权威，王权 | |
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conquerors
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| 征服者，占领者( conqueror的名词复数 ) | |
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hazy
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| adj.有薄雾的，朦胧的；不肯定的，模糊的 | |
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sages
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| n.圣人( sage的名词复数 )；智者；哲人；鼠尾草（可用作调料） | |
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immersion
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| n.沉浸；专心 | |
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monks
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| n.修道士，僧侣( monk的名词复数 ) | |
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vengeance
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| n.报复，报仇，复仇 | |
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warriors
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| 武士，勇士，战士( warrior的名词复数 ) | |
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sect
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| n.派别，宗教，学派，派系 | |
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abode
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| n.住处，住所 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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penetrating
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| adj.（声音）响亮的，尖锐的adj.（气味）刺激的adj.（思想）敏锐的，有洞察力的 | |
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incarnate
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| adj.化身的，人体化的，肉色的 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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followers
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| 追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件 | |
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propitiate
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| v.慰解，劝解 | |
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radicalism
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| n. 急进主义, 根本的改革主义 | |
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artillery
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| n.(军)火炮，大炮；炮兵(部队) | |
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retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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cannon
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| n.大炮，火炮；飞机上的机关炮 | |
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treasurer
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| n.司库，财务主管 | |
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miraculous
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| adj.像奇迹一样的，不可思议的 | |
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fragrant
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| adj.芬香的，馥郁的，愉快的 | |
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amber
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| n.琥珀；琥珀色；adj.琥珀制的 | |
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beaver
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| n.海狸，河狸 | |
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sapphires
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| n.蓝宝石，钢玉宝石( sapphire的名词复数 )；蔚蓝色 | |
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jade
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| n.玉石；碧玉；翡翠 | |
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tusks
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| n.（象等动物的）长牙( tusk的名词复数 )；獠牙；尖形物；尖头 | |
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ornamented
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| adj.花式字体的v.装饰，点缀，美化( ornament的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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walrus
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| n.海象 | |
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primitive
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| adj.原始的；简单的；n.原(始)人，原始事物 | |
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lore
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| n.传说；学问，经验，知识 | |
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rattled
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| 慌乱的，恼火的 | |
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devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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mouldering
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| v.腐朽( moulder的现在分词 )；腐烂，崩塌 | |
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partially
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| adv.部分地，从某些方面讲 | |
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solidifies
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| （使）成为固体，（使）变硬，（使）变得坚固( solidify的第三人称单数 )； 使团结一致； 充实，巩固； 具体化 | |
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ravages
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| 劫掠后的残迹，破坏的结果，毁坏后的残迹 | |
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inscriptions
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| （作者）题词( inscription的名词复数 )； 献词； 碑文； 证劵持有人的登记 | |
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Buddhism
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| n.佛教（教义） | |
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parables
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| n.（圣经中的）寓言故事( parable的名词复数 ) | |
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ruby
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| n.红宝石，红宝石色 | |
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peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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tellers
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| n.（银行）出纳员( teller的名词复数 )；（投票时的）计票员；讲故事等的人；讲述者 | |
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teller
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| n.银行出纳员；(选举)计票员 | |
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51
clairvoyants
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| n.透视者，千里眼的人( clairvoyant的名词复数 ) | |
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monasteries
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| 修道院( monastery的名词复数 ) | |
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exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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ascetics
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| n.苦行者，禁欲者，禁欲主义者( ascetic的名词复数 ) | |
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anatomy
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| n.解剖学，解剖；功能，结构，组织 | |
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skilful
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| (=skillful)adj.灵巧的，熟练的 | |
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connoisseurs
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| n.鉴赏家，鉴定家，行家( connoisseur的名词复数 ) | |
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magnetism
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| n.磁性，吸引力，磁学 | |
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monastery
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| n.修道院，僧院，寺院 | |
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condemned
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| adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词 | |
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bridle
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| n.笼头，束缚；vt.抑制，约束；动怒 | |
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esteem
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| n.尊敬，尊重；vt.尊重，敬重；把…看作 | |
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antiquity
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| n.古老；高龄；古物，古迹 | |
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ferocious
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| adj.凶猛的，残暴的，极度的，十分强烈的 | |
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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reverent
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| adj.恭敬的，虔诚的 | |
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supplicant
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| adj.恳求的n.恳求者 | |
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shrine
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| n.圣地，神龛，庙；v.将...置于神龛内，把...奉为神圣 | |
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woe
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| n.悲哀，苦痛，不幸，困难；int.用来表达悲伤或惊慌 | |
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dictates
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| n.命令，规定，要求( dictate的名词复数 )v.大声讲或读( dictate的第三人称单数 )；口授；支配；摆布 | |
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deductions
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| 扣除( deduction的名词复数 )； 结论； 扣除的量； 推演 | |
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