194 Notes on Moorcrofts Travels in Ladakh, QNo. 147. 



the Sutlej. It is now as low as Panggi near Chini ; its introduction 

 even at Sungram is still remembered ; and among a people who prac- 

 tice Polyandrism, and who have no regular priesthood, it is more 

 likely to extend itself than some other religions. In Kunawar there 

 are no Brahmins, and half of the district is without other priests than 

 the oracular ministers of the local divinities. 



At p. 118, Captain Gerard says, the Lamas wear necklaces of two 

 sorts of beads, raksha and thu, the seed of some plant, and that these 

 necklaces contain 108 beads, which is reckoned a sacred number. 

 There are said to be 108 sacred books of the Buddhists, containing all 

 the knowledge which it is desirable to possess, and that the number 

 of the beads is connected with the number of the volumes. 



The number is equally important in the eyes of the Hindoos, and 

 with them, as perhaps with the Buddhists, it is the numerical sum of 

 the attributes of the divinity. 



Raksha is most likely a corruption of rudraksh ; at all events it 

 is the same seed or berry, and it is brought from India. The necklace 

 should be composed of the rudraksh. 



The " beads'* in our monkish sense, are commonly of wood, and the 

 string may contain seven or nine, or any odd number, but I am un- 

 certain whether this includes, as in India, the larger middle one. 

 The Kunawaree name of this sumram or remembrancer is lak- 

 chikor. 



In the annexed plate is the sentence Aum Mani Padme Horn, in the 

 Ranga character, as it appears on the cap of a Gelong bought at Lassa, 

 and also in variations of that character and in the Uchhen, disposed 

 circularly, as I had it written by two Lamas. It will be observed, that 

 this circular form contains the word shi, as well as the mystic sentence 

 itself. The Lamas ordinarily know nothing of the import of the 

 formulary, but say it means God, while each syllable is considered as a 

 spell, or as efficacious in averting different kinds of evil. 



Emanations — Lotchawa and Kushuh. — The Kushuk Lama presided 

 and was seated above the other priests — Moorcroft, I. 342. 



The Lotchawa resides at Teshoo Loomboo, and for many years past 

 he has appeared in Kunawar, he then appeared in Nako, and two 

 children had the same marks by which he is said to be recog- 

 nized. — Gerard, p. 121. 



