74 FREEDOM OF MANNERS. LAMAISM. 



traveller, but, if he look more deeply into it, he will 

 find it is nothing but the wild unbridled nature of the 

 nomad, requiring liberty for his childish habits, and 

 perfectly indifferent to the awful despotism of social 

 life. The very official, who to-day sits beside his 

 inferior and smokes a pipe with him on terms of 

 good-fellowship, may to-morrow punish his com- 

 panion, confiscate his sheep, or practise any injustice 

 he likes with impunity. 



Bribery and corruption are as prevalent here as 

 in China ; a bribe will work miracles, and nothing 

 can be done without it. The worst crime may go 

 unpunished if the perpetrator gives a good purse to 

 the proper authorities ; on the other hand, a good 

 act has no merit without a certain offering, and this 

 system pervades the whole administration, from the 

 lowest to the highest. 



Turning to their religion, we see how deeply 

 Lamaism has struck root in their midst, more so 

 perhaps than in any other Buddhist country.^ Hold- 

 ing contemplation to be the ideal of all perfection, it 

 exactly suits their indolent character, and has laid 

 the foundation of that terrible asceticism which 

 induces them to sever themselves from all desire for 

 progress, and to seek, in obscure and abstract ideas 

 of the Divinity and life beyond the tomb, the sum 

 and end of man's earthly existence.^ 



'^ It is not known exactly when Buddhism was introduced into 

 Mongoha ; a few traces of Shamanism, one of the oldest religions of 

 Asia, are still left in the country. 



* We have nothing to do with the philosophy of Buddhism in this 

 work ; this subject has been treated in the Russian language by Pro- 

 fessor Vassilielf, entitled ' Buddhism.' 



