366 SIKKIM HIMALAYA. Chap. XVI. 



these, and it is clearly the interest of the supreme pontiffs of 

 those ecclesiastical capitals to encourage such, and to intimate 

 to the Sikkim authorities, the claims those who perform them 

 have for preferment. Dispensations for petty offences are 

 granted to Lamas of low degree and monks, by those of 

 higher station, but crimes against the church are invariably 

 referred to Tibet, and decided there. 



The election to the Sikkim Lamaseries is generally con- 

 ducted on the principle of self-government, but Pemiongchi 

 and some others are often served by Lamas appointed from 

 Tibet, or ordained there, at some of the great convents. I 

 never heard of an instance of any Sikkim Lama arriving at 

 such sanctity as to be considered immortal, and to reappear 

 after death in another individual, nor is there any election of 

 infants. All are of the Ningma, Dookpa, or Shammar sect, 

 and are distinguished by their red mitres ; they were once 

 dominant throughout Tibet, but after many wars * with the 

 yellow-caps, they were driven from that country, and took 

 refuge principally in the Himalaya. The Bhotan or Dhurma f 



* The following account of the early war between the red and the yellow- 

 mitred Lamas was given me by Tchebu Lama : — For twenty-five generations the 

 red-caps (Dookpa or Nmgma) prevailed in Tibet, when they split into two sects, who 

 contended for supreme power ; the Lama of Phado, who headed the dissenters, and 

 adopted a yellow mitre, being favoured by the Emperor of China, to whom reference 

 was made. A persecution of the red Lamas followed, who were caught by the 

 yellow-caps, and their mitres plunged into dyeing vats kept always ready at the 

 Lamaseries. The Dookpa, however, still held Teshoo Loombo, and applied to the 

 Sokpo (North Tibet) Lamas for aid, who bringing horses and camels, easily pre- 

 vailed over the Gelookpa or yellow sect, but afterwards treacherously went over 

 to them, and joined them in an attack on Teshoo Loombo, which was plundered 

 and occupied by the Gelookpas. The Dookpa thereafter took refuge in Sikkim and 

 Bhotan, whence the Bhotan Rajah became their spiritual chief under the name of 

 Dhurma Rajah, and is now the representative of that creed. Goorucknath is still the 

 Dookpa's favourite spiritual deity of the older creed, which is, however, no longer in 

 the ascendant. The Dalai Lama of Teshoo Loombo is a Gelookpa, as is the Rim- 

 bochay Lama, and the Potala Lama of Lhassa, according to Tchebu Lama, but 

 Turner (" Travels in Tibet," p. 315) says the contrary; the Gelookpa consider 

 Sakya Thoba (or Tsongkaba) alias Mahamouni, as their great avatar. 



t Bhotan is generally known as the Dhurma country. See page 136, in note. 



