A "LIVING BUDDHA."

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 752, 26 February 1910, Page 5

A "LIVING BUDDHA."

iCHINA'S POLTTICAt USE' OP THE', ':■''; Si; I ■! : ; :;:;;? ' ; -A v cirreep.ondent;bf ■''The limes" writes: ■f'Thiit l any human <agenpy;should:,arrogate i to -itself ; authority ; over the:.-.epul seems, w at'firsts sight, 7 -: anf ; . ajtoundmg stretch J : bf. ; the vusually-v conceived /limits of', ■ yet /.this ns N.what ,;, China, attempts .inrregardi.to.-the osouV- of : - the, Grand Lama', of;Lhassa.i;'China,- for ,poh T ■ tical leosons, as has been -known for; some time, : has , ■■usiirpßdlaj'prepondeiinK share in : thV control■ .'of : what.-: the ■: .Tibetan Buddhists-believe" to', be'.the - tioniof'the'sonlof .the' Dalai Lama.'v For this "system''of' hierarchic' , succession,;in; Tibet' has;' for- several hundred years, been baiied-upon' the -that ■■.- the Dalai-'Lama, ;the-:headi of ;-the Buddhist Church rin : 'Central;Asia'-; and'.the. temporal Vsovereisrftl of :{is:: a-:*Living , Buddha','who.. has : . become., perpetually, reincarnate.' on earth.' in : -"oroer :to preside over!, his'". Church,'.ah(i: whosespiritpasses 'on-from theibody -of:;one.Grand:Lama to 'thatr'.of.'-another.iin'.a .bontinuoiis sucoe*; sion 6f : lives, of .which each i new, hierairoh is but acfresa.,jink'in:.the endless'ohain;of. an ::earthly;:. ; :pri6st-kingship.V ; :} : V l'.':'■; ;■[ on 'the.'paesingvaway,,; as ..the • pliysical;'death'''of. tte •; Grand Lama's body, is. called, :the spirit' of 'the: deceased, Lama ;fe,believed ;to" ; eiitßrl;forthwith ;tlie;,body! of ,c a' newly-born,'/ male;;-infant, ,C who.; -is . then tp;be,sought.forV'andjdiscovered by, the :■: manifestatipn:, of ■ miraculous.: poweiß. 'And' : thbs>^lattiM-yaT«jTj^lly'; : .forfl!ioom--.ing-m'sucli ,; ,'an..'alm"ost i ßUpernatnial rnanneriithat. eyen'i the. Abbe'' Huckj linyestig'ating / the ; questidni on the: spot:aboit .60', years.ago,-, declared' his .belief;in ■'. the; genuinenessidf the -miracles;' Bid:':his :'cbnyicHon/:that itheyi; were'.'not due;:tb ; fLama'- ibut ..irwere : v a supernatural I device ■ of;; Saiari .'• himeelf -to doludevthe neatheni- , :ahd'''so'-;oppose|.;-the spread ; qf Christianity.' ; The interregnum,' however/; between, the ;death'of :6rieJGrarid Lama, and { the ;discovery.'•' of Hhd', next • incarnation becamei-asLmightbeexpectedj' a-/period.-'qf^dangerous -politicalvintrigne ;benTeenrival-;facti6ns;of turbulent'lamas, e'achretriving to:.proqure 'the appointment several .occasions;'-'.to-; disastrous 'civil '.war., -Ttos''cbns'tantly-recurring, : ;m'enace-t'ofthe peace /of s the State;-:itW6eemis >to /:me;'; ; has. virtue/of: ■he'rV;suzerainty,'• was': forced.- to undertake : the Pleading'' part. m~-controlling; the'/iro; incarnation of,' ; the; Grand VLama in : order that-;,ttte';'rebirtV-, ; '>:■•/■■'. Zp-Z< v;> Sw ; v''■••:--i ■)'■ -

"her ostensible: means'- of >determih- : :ing ) the■''trne.rebirtt'*Chioa:liia established -.'theJqrdeal;.of 'the lottery,.by the. uriu' "/ In '.front'; of ■ thV.picture: or' tablet "of; 'the" Emperor. ;of : . China,' 5 , and Vin'Hho. presenceof ■the;ieMdent'';Cbmeee.;Minister at,jLhassa,' :; the'.'narfte3 :of',|the^competing children; -4re; pjae%"d/.iiitb:j& "golden, -urn, '. ;/,ti3£ vEinperprft'ChieS.!Liing for/jthe..purDOM, ;"aid .after'prayers and : offier-:«heio"M> J ana/the ;'ouV by 'the Chinese:; Minister ,'ia be-thev.'trno: roincarnatibn".\,; This .ordeal : is. lmowi fe have'.beeni used', for the; seleobon oftheieleTenth'-Grand Xama in'i.D. ; is,' the^sepond . hieraroli • before theV; present-day. one,, ! wh'o- ! is. IKe. r'.thirteenth:.;'';Biit:anthentipf details'inwregord to^tlw'origin:;of 'the:.pr'adtice"do ! 'not4p-' ■peor^tq-;]mTe;;ij^;-;,dieteid-'uitliwto."ii' ; - , " :