188 



Notes on Mooter of Us Travels in Ladakh, [No. 147. 



Hindoo month Flagon, (February-March,) on the 15th day of the 

 moon. This day is called nenas ; and the great feast of the general 

 prayers of the Gelukpa sect in the beginning of the year may be con- 

 nected with it. (Csoma de Koros' Grammar, p. 197). All good Lamas 

 also fast twice in each month, but on these days they may eat raw 

 fruits. The bodies of Lamas are usually burnt, and in general if not 

 always, tombs called dungkang are erected over their ashes ; but the 

 bodies of priests of great holiness are sometimes cut in pieces, and dis- 

 persed on the top of a hill, or the surface of a barren plain, as food for 

 birds ; and all sects, who are admitted to be of great purity and excel- 

 lence, are privileged to eat and drink out of the skulls of those whose 

 bodies have been scattered to the winds, or they may have beads made 

 of portions of the skulls of these good men. (Malte Brun, II, 628, 

 quotes Rubinquis as saying, that in Tibet the people drank out of the 

 skulls of their ancestors; this story may be an exaggeration of the pre- 

 sent practice of the holiest Lamas.) 



The doctrines and observances above-mentioned, are applicable to 

 all orders of Lamas, so far as I have learnt. I have not fallen in with 

 any of the Sukkias or Banboo, or Pitchoba sects, but I have always 

 heard that the Sakkias greatly resemble the Ningmas. I will now 

 mention some particulars of each class. 



Of the Gelukpas, there are six orders : the 1st (or highest) Ghehsheh, 

 2d Chogzirkpa, 3d Katchin, 4th Gelong, 5th Gichul, and the 6th or 

 lowest, Chunba. The following table shews the lower ranks or orders, 

 and the books they read in villages and provincial establishments 

 before attaining to each : — 



Order. 



Chunba, 



Names of 

 Books. 



Dohna, . , 



Subject. 



Forms of prayers for 

 procuring bless- 

 ings 



Sharrah, Ningho On abstraction and 

 Dukar,.. .. the nothingness 

 of this world. 



Remarks. 



Do not wear a robe, but a yellow 

 frock, (or chola orchapkan,)a 

 conical yellow cap without lap- 

 pets, head shaved. 



