HISTORY OF LAMAISM. 241 



LAMAISM IN SIKHIM. 



By L. a. WADDELL, m.b. 



I.— HISTORIC SKETCH OF THE LAMAIC CHUECH IN SIKHIM. 



Lamaism or Tibetan Buddhism is the State religion of Sikhim, 

 and professed by the majority of the people/ In- 

 relig^ion ofSikhim.*^*^^ deed, the lamas since entering the country about 

 two and half centuries ago have retained the 

 temporal power more or less directly in their hands ; and the first 

 of the present series of rulers was nominated by the pioneer lamas. 

 No detailed account of Sikhim Lamaism has hitherto been pub- 

 lished.'^ In regard to the ritual also and general 

 ,£lS^ii^^ ti^tory of Lamaism, I have often differed from 

 such authorities as Koppen' and Schlagintweit,* as 

 I have enjoyed superior opportunities for studying the subject at first 

 hand with living lamas. 



As Lamaism is essentially a priestcraft, I have dealt with it 



mainly in its sacerdotal aspects, and touch little 



priestoaft'^ ^^ ^ upon its higher ethics and metaphysics of which 



most of the lamas are wholly ignorant. And 



throughout this paper I use the term "lama" in its popular sense, as 



a general term for all the clergy of the Tibetan Buddhist Church, and 



not in its special sense of the superior monk of a monastery or sect. 



My special sources of information have been notes taken during 



several visits to Sikhim and a prolonged residence 



^i^^oMces of informa- ^^ Darjeeling in the society of lamas. For many 



of the local details I am especially indebted to the 



learned Sikhim Lama Ugy^n Gyatsho and the Tibetan Lama Padma 



Chh(3 Phel, with whom I have consulted most of the indigenous and 



Tibetan books which contain references to the early history of Sikhim 



and Tibet.^ These vernacular books contain no very systematic 



account either of the introduction of Lamaism into Sikhim or of its 



origin in Tibet, and their contents are largely mixed with myth and 



legend ; but by careful sifting and comparative treatment it is possible 



' The Hinduized Nepalese lately settled in Eastern Sikhim are not natives of Sikhim. 

 - For general notes on Sikhim Lama-ism after Schlagintweit, the chief -nriters are 



Sir John Edgar, Mr. A. W. Paul, c.i.e., wlio afforded me many facilities for 



acquiring information, Sir Joseph Hooker and Sir Ei chard Temple. 

 ■' KoppEN : Die lamaische Hierarchic und Kirclie, Berlin, 1859 

 * E. ScHLAQiNTTVEiT: Buddhism in Tibet, London, 1863. 

 ' I have also obtained valuable aid from the Mongol Lama Sherap Gyatsho and 



Tungyik Wangd^n of the Gelukpa monastery at Ghoom, and from Mr. Dorje 



Tshcring of the Bhotiya school. 



