MODE OF TELLING THE BEADS. 287 



is of a bluish-green complexion. A red rosary with red Tarn-din, a 

 yellow with yellow Jam-yang; and Nam-sc, who is of a golden 

 yellow colour, is worshipped with an amber rosary. 



The rosaries of the laity are composed of any sort of bead, accord- 

 ing to the taste and wealth of the owner. They 

 Layrosaneg. ^^^ mostly of glass beads of various coloui's, and 

 the same rosary contains beads of a variety of sizes and colours inter- 

 spersed with coral, amber, turquoise, &c. — vide fig. 5. The number of 

 beads is the same as with the lamas, but each of the counter strings are 

 usually terminated by a dorj'e : both strings record only units of cycles, 

 which suffice for the smaller amount of bead-telling done by the laity. 



Mode of Telling the Beads. 



When not in use the rosary is wound round the right wrist like 

 a bracelet, or worn around the neck with the 

 Telling the beads, knotted end uppermost. 



The act of telling the beads is called tang-che^ which literally 



means "to purr" like a cat, and the muttering of 



How called. ^|^g prayers is rather suggestive of this sound. 



In telling the beads the right hand is passed through the rosary, 



which is allowed to hang freely down with the 



Mode of. knotted end upwards. The hand with the thumb 



upwards is then usually carried to the breast and held there stationary 



during the recital. On pronouncing the initial word " Om," the first 



bead resting on the knuckle is grasped by raising the thumb and 



quickly depressing its tip to seize the bead against the outer part 



of the second joint of the index finger. During the_ rest of the 



sentence the bead, still grasped between the thumb and index finger, 



is gently revolved to the right, and on conclusion of the sentence 



is dropped down the palm-side of the string. Then with another 



" Om" the next bead is seized and treated in like manner, and so on 



throughout the cycle. 



On concluding each cycle of the beads, it is usual to finger 

 each of the three " keeijer-beads," saying respectively " Om ! Ah! 

 Hung ! " the mystic symbols of the lamaic trinity. 



The Mystic Formulas for the Beads. 



The mystic formulas for the beads follow the prayer properly 

 so called, and are believed to contain the essence 

 The mystic formu- ^f ^^ formal prayer, and to act as powerful spells, 

 *^" They are of a Sanskritic nature, usually containing 



the name of the deity addressed, but are more or less wholly un- 

 intelligible to the worshipper, 



3J 2 



