THE EXAMINATIONS. 299 



e?^U-chhos at their respective chambers, taking an offering of rice, beer, 



and flour. And each db\J-chhos gives about ten rupees as a return present 



for the ai'ticles received. Then the boy's relatives return to their homes. 



The boy is now subject to the monastery rules and discipline; 



His life as a novice. ^^^ ta^st practise and learn by heart the books of 



the magic circles (dKyil hkor). And he shares in 



most of the privileges of the other monks, getting his share of meat 



and lay offerings of money and gifts of alms — these latter two are, 



however, appropriated by his lama-tutor. And he resides in the 



monastery, getting occasionally leave of absence for a month or so 



to re-visit his home. He must implicitly obey his tutor, and the 



relatives of the boy must come frequently to pay their respects to the 



tutor, bringing presents of cooked food, &c. 



Examinations. — Within a year of his admission to the order he 



should attempt to pass the first professional examin- 



First professional ation, and in the following year or two the second 



examination. '. . . ■ « i -i i 



exammation tor promotion. And until he passes 

 these examinations he must perform the menial office of serving out 

 tea and beer to the elder monks in the Great Assembly Hall. 



The examinations are conducted in the presence of the assembled 

 monks, who observe a solemn silence, and the test 

 How conducted. -^ ^^^ ^^^ candidate to stand up in the assembly 

 and recite by heart all the prescribed books. The ordeal is a very 

 trying one, so that the candidate is given a companion to prompt and 

 encourage him. The first examination lasts for three days ; and 

 nine intervals are allowed daily during the examination, and these 

 intervals are utilized by the candidates in revising the next exercise, 

 in company with their teacher. 



The books for the First Examination comprise the worship neces- 

 sary for three "magic circles," viz, — The _first is 

 FiSV^mtt" the^ magic circle of JKon.;«chhog .pyi Mus Eig- 

 hasm /idsah ??ztshan snying-jioT chhos Akhor.^ This 

 book contains about sixty pages, and its recitation takes nearly one 

 whole day. It comprises the chapters : — 



(1) Tshe-5grub or The obtaining of long life. 



(2) Zhi-khro — The mild and angry deities. 



(3) Guru-drag — The fierce form of Padma Sambhava. 



(4) Seng-^dongma — The lion-faced demoness. 



(5) Chhos skyong Mahakala Yeshes wzgonpo. 



(6) Thang-lha,^?«Dsoc^-/nga, Lha-chhen and sManJstiin — Local 



and mountain deities. 



(7) JsKang bshags, tshogs and Tashi smon-lam. 



' Or "Banquet to the whole assembly of the Gods and Demons " — aide page 276. 

 - Mt. Thang-lha with its spirit " Kiting " is a northern gaardian of Sikhim. 



X 



