H8 TIBET, i 



the grand lama seems to die either of old age or infirmity, his soul in 

 fact only quits a crazy habitation to look for another younger or bet- 

 ter, and it is discovered again in the body of some child, by certain 

 tokens, known only to the lamas or priests, in which order he always 

 appears. In 1774, the grand lama was an infant, which had been 

 discovered some time before by the Teeshoo lama, who, in authority 

 and sanctity of character, is next to the grand lama, and, during his 

 minority, acts as chief. In the year 1783, when Mr. Turner went on 

 his embassy into Tibet, the Teeshoo lama was in a like manner an 

 infant under the guardianship of a regent ; and Mr. Turner, in his 

 account of his embassy, has given a curious and interesting relation 

 of a visit which he was permitted to make to him. " Teeshoo Lama," 

 he tells us, " was at that time eighteen months old. He was placed*, 

 in great form, upon his musnud. On the left side stood his father 

 and mother, and on the other the officer particularly appointed to 

 wait upon his person. The musnud is a fabric of silk cushions, piled 

 one upon the other, until the seat is elevated to the height of four 

 feet from the floor ; a piece of embroidered silk covered the top, and 

 the sides also were decorated with pieces of silk of various colours, 

 suspended from the upper edge and hanging down. Though the 

 little creature," says our author, "was unable to speak a word, he 

 made the most expressive signs, and conducted himself with astonish- 

 ing dignity and decorum. His complexion was of that hue which in 

 England we should term rather brown, but not without colour. His 

 features were good, he had small black eyes, and an animated expres- 

 sion of countenance ; altogether, I thought him one of the handsomest 

 children I had ever seen." 



The religious votaries of the lamas are divided into two sects, the 

 gyllookpa and the shammar, at the head of each of which are three 

 Jamas. Over the gyllookpa sect preside Dalai Lama, whose residence 

 is at Pootalah, near Lassa ; Teeshoo Lama, who resides at Teeshoo 

 Loomboo ; and Taranaut Lama, who resides at Kharka, in Kilmank. 

 This sect prevails over the greatest part of Tibet. The three lamas 

 who in like manner preside over the shammar sect, have their resi- 

 dence in Bootan, in separate monasteries, but from the limited extent 

 of that country, at no great distance from each other. These sects 

 are distinguished by the colour of the dress of their priests. Those 

 of the gyllookpa wear long robes of yellow cloth, with a conical cap 

 of the same colour, having flaps to fall down and cover the ears. The 

 dress of the other sect is red, and the tribes are known as belonging 

 to the red, or the yellow cap. The former, it is said, differ principally 

 from the others in admitting the marriage of their priests ; but the 

 latter are considered as the most orthodox, as well as possessed of 

 far the greatest influence, since the emperor of China is decidedly a 

 votary of this sect, and has sanctified his preference of the yellow 

 colour by a sumptuary law which limits it to the service of religion, 

 and the imperial use. These sects formerly engaged in violent 

 religious wars, each destroying, when successful, the monasteries of 

 the other, and establishing its own in their stead ; but at present the 

 power of the gyllookpa has attained the undisputed superiority, in 

 which it appears to be firmly fixed in consequence of the emperor of 

 China having declared in its favour, and adopted for himself the dis- 

 tinction of the yellow hat. 



There are in this country numerous monasteries containing a great 

 number of gylongs or monks, who are enjoined sobriety, to forego 



