82 
Sarat Chandra Das —Contributions on Tibet. 
[No. 1, 
the young Dalai Lama into the priesthood. In the year 1766 he received a 
deputation from the Emperor of China, consisting of Asakhan Kwan 
Ampan, the keeper of the grand seal Nag-wan Paljor, a 3rd grade mandarin 
Khi-ya-thelen, together with twenty other officials. They brought him the 
Emperor’s letter written on thirteen gold tablets, each an inch thick, 
3 inches broad and about 20 inches long. The following are the contents 
of the letter: 
“ The commands of the all-powerful Hwan 48 (Emperor) derived of 
old from heaven, extend over all the world. The four great oceans alone 
encompass the reign of his excellent laws which are essential for the 
well-being and happiness of mankind. Throughout all the quarters in all 
ages, the fame of Hwan’s merciful and generous protection is proclaimed. 
He adores and venerates the sacred creed of the yellow hat of sublime 
precepts, whose saints, pre-eminently holy in the moral virtues, have 
toiled according to the canonical rules. Thou, O precious Panchhen! 
having fully comprehended the teachings of that sacred creed, sittest over 
the head of the Dalai Lama. Thy illustrious predecessor has obtained 
sainthood. Thou, too, during this sojourn in the world by the obser¬ 
vance of discipline and moral rectitude, shouldst obtain sanctity. Till now 
thou hast grown more and more exalted. By this grant of a golden 
diploma and seal the all-powerful Hwan respectfully appoints thee to the 
dignities and offices of thy spiritual ancestors, to be the sovereign, spiritual 
and temporal, of the great province of Tsan. For the propagation of the 
sacred religion over all the earth, and for the spread of thy holy fame far and 
wide, thou wilt as of old have a general authority over all Tibet. Vouchsafe 
the blessing of thy mercy and prayers over us in this central dominion ! 
The 4th day of the 1st winter month, in the 30th year of the reign of 
the Emperor Chhin-Lun 49 (of Nam-kyon or celestial protector).” 
To this the Panchhen returned a dignified reply. In the year 1770 
he was invited to Lhasa to supervise the education of the young Dalai 
Lama. This time also he lavished his bounties over the monks and the 
beggars of the country. “ In the year 1771 he received an embassy from the 
Duk-desi (Deba-Baja) of Bhutan named Shidar which brought 
him presents of some value. The Panchhen in return deputed one of his 
secretaries to Bhutan with a letter of advice. Being informed of the miscon¬ 
duct of the Deba Baja towards the Ghatika Baja (Baja of Coocli Behar) whose 
territories had been invaded by the Bhutanese and who had himself been led 
in chains to the capital of Bhutan, the Panchhen sent a messenger to Bhutan 
urging the immediate release of the captive Baja. The Deba wrote him 
to say that he (the Deba) implicitly obeyed the command of the Lama by at 
48 A Chinese word. 
49 In English works on China he is called Kyen-lung. 
