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　of　Buddha　strives　to　extricate　itself；　special　solemn　services　begin　in　the　Tibetan　temples　together　with　the　telling　of　fortunes　by　astrology。　　These　rites　indicate　the　specially　pious　Lamas　who　must　discover　where　the　Spirit　of　the　Buddha　will　be　re…incarnated。　For　this　purpose　they　travel　throughout　the　whole　land　and　observe。　Often　God　himself　gives　them　signs　and　indications。　　Sometimes　the　white　wolf　appears　near　the　yurta　of　a　poor　shepherd　or　a　lamb　with　two　heads　is　born　or　a　meteor　falls　from　the　sky。　　Some　Lamas　take　fish　from　the　sacred　lake　Tangri　Nor　and　read　on　the　scales　thereof　the　name　of　the　new　Bogdo　Khan；　others　pick　out　stones　whose　cracks　indicate　to　them　where　they　must　search　and　whom　they　must　find；　while　others　secrete　themselves　in　narrow　mountain　ravines　to　listen　to　the　voices　of　the　spirits　of　the　mountains；　pronouncing　the　name　of　the　new　choice　of　the　Gods。　　When　he　is　found；　all　the　possible　information　about　his　family　is　secretly　collected　and　presented　to　the　Most　Learned　Tashi　Lama；　having　the　name　of　Erdeni；　〃The　Great　Gem　of　Learning；〃　who；　according　to　the　runes　of　Rama；　verifies　the　selection。　　If　he　is　in　agreement　with　it；　he　sends　a　secret　letter　to　the　Dalai　Lama；　who　holds　a　special　sacrifice　in　the　Temple　of　the　〃Spirit　of　the　Mountains〃　and　confirms　the　election　by　putting　his　great　seal　on　this　letter　of　the　Tashi　Lama。

If　the　old　Living　Buddha　be　still　alive；　the　name　of　his　successor　is　kept　a　deep　secret；　if　the　Spirit　of　Buddha　has　already　gone　out　from　the　body　of　Bogdo　Khan；　a　special　legation　appears　from　Tibet　with　the　new　Living　Buddha。　　The　same　process　accompanies　the　election　of　the　Gheghen　and　Hutuktus　in　all　the　Lamaite　monasteries　in　Mongolia；　but　confirmation　of　the　election　resides　with　the　Living　Buddha　and　is　only　announced　to　Lhasa　after　the　event。


CHAPTER　XLIV

A　PAGE　IN　THE　HISTORY　OF　THE　PRESENT　LIVING　BUDDHA


The　present　Bogdo　Khan　of　Outer　Mongolia　is　a　Tibetan。　　He　sprang　from　a　poor　family　living　in　the　neighborhood　of　Sakkia　Kure　in　western　Tibet。　　From　earliest　youth　he　had　a　stormy；　quite　unaesthetic　nature。　　He　was　fired　with　the　idea　of　the　independence　and　glorification　of　Mongolia　and　the　successors　of　Jenghiz　Khan。　This　gave　him　at　once　a　great　influence　among　the　Lamas；　Princes　and　Khans　of　Mongolia　and　also　with　the　Russian　Government　which　always　tried　to　attract　him　to　their　side。　　He　did　not　fear　to　arraign　himself　against　the　Manchu　dynasty　in　China　and　always　had　the　help　of　Russia；　Tibet；　the　Buriats　and　Kirghiz；　furnishing　him　with　money；　weapons；　warriors　and　diplomatic　aid。　　The　Chinese　Emperors　avoided　open　war　with　the　Living　God；　because　it　might　arouse　the　protests　of　the　Chinese　Buddhists。　　At　one　time　they　sent　to　the　Bogdo　Khan　a　skilful　doctor…poisoner。　　The　Living　Buddha；　however；　at　once　understood　the　meaning　of　this　medical　attention　and；　knowing　the　power　of　Asiatic　poisons；　decided　to　make　a　journey　through　the　Mongol　monasteries　and　through　Tibet。　As　his　substitute　he　left　a　Hubilgan　who　made　friends　with　the　Chinese　doctor　and　inquired　from　him　the　purposes　and　details　of　his　arrival。　　Very　soon　the　Chinese　died　from　some　unknown　cause　and　the　Living　Buddha　returned　to　his　comfortable　capital。

On　another　occasion　danger　threatened　the　Living　God。　　It　was　when　Lhasa　decided　that　the　Bogdo　Khan　was　carrying　out　a　policy　too　independent　of　Tibet。　　The　Dalai　Lama　began　negotiations　with　several　Khans　and　Princes　with　the　Sain　Noion　Khan　and　Jassaktu　Khan　leading　the　movement　and　persuaded　them　to　accelerate　the　immigration　of　the　Spirit　of　Buddha　into　another　human　form。　　They　came　to　Urga　where　the　Bogdo　Khan　met　them　with　honors　and　rejoicings。　　A　great　feast　was　made　for　them　and　the　conspirators　already　felt　themselves　the　accomplishers　of　the　orders　of　the　Dalai　Lama。　　However；　at　the　end　of　the　feast；　they　had　different　feelings　and　died　with　them　during　the　night。　　The　Living　Buddha　ordered　their　bodies　sent　with　full　honors　to　their　families。

The　Bogdo　Khan　knows　every　thought；　every　movement　of　the　Princes　and　Khans；　the　slightest　conspiracy　against　himself；　and　the　offender　is　usually　kindly　invited　to　Urga；　from　where　he　does　not　return　alive。

The　Chinese　Government　decided　to　terminate　the　line　of　the　Living　Buddhas。　　Ceasing　to　fight　with　the　Pontiff　of　Urga；　the　Government　contrived　the　following　scheme　for　accomplishing　its　ends。

Peking　invited　the　Pandita　Gheghen　from　Dolo　Nor　and　the　head　of　the　Chinese　Lamaites；　the　Hutuktu　of　Utai；　both　of　whom　do　not　recognize　the　supremacy　of　the　Living　Buddha；　to　come　to　the　capital。　　They　decided；　after　consulting　the　old　Buddhistic　books；　that　the　present　Bogdo　Khan　was　to　be　the　last　Living　Buddha；　because　that　part　of　the　Spirit　of　Buddha　which　dwells　in　the　Bogdo　Khans　can　abide　only　thirty…one　times　in　the　human　body。　　Bogdo　Khan　is　the　thirty…first　Incarnated　Buddha　from　the　time　of　Undur　Gheghen　and　with　him；　therefore；　the　dynasty　of　the　Urga　Pontiffs　must　cease。　　However；　on　hearing　this　the　Bogdo　Khan　himself　did　some　research　work　and　found　in　the　old　Tibetan　manuscripts　that　one　of　the　Tibetan　Pontiffs　was　married　and　his　son　was　a　natural　Incarnated　Buddha。　　So　the　Bogdo　Khan　married　and　now　has　a　son；　a　very　capable　and　energetic　young　man；　and　thus　the　religious　throne　of　Jenghiz　Khan　will　not　be　left　empty。　　The　dynasty　of　the　Chinese　emperors　disappeared　from　the　stage　of　political　events　but　the　Living　Buddha　continues　to　be　a　center　for　the　Pan…Asiatic　idea。

The　new　Chinese　Government　in　1920　held　the　Living　Buddha　under　arrest　in　his　palace　but　at　the　beginning　of　1921　Baron　Ungern　crossed　the　sacred　Bogdo…Ol　and　approached　the　palace　from　the　rear。　　Tibetan　riders　shot　the　Chinese　sentries　with　bow　and　arrow　and　afterwards　the　Mongols　penetrated　into　the　palace　and　stole　their　〃God；〃　who　immediately　stirred　up　all　Mongolia　and　awakened　the　hopes　of　the　Asiatic　peoples　and　tribes。

In　the　great　palace　of　the　Bogdo　a　Lama　showed　me　a　special　casket　covered　with　a　precious　carpet；　wherein　they　keep　the　bulls　of　the　Dalai　and　Tashi　Lamas；　the　decrees　of　the　Russian　and　Chinese　Emperors　and　the　Treaties　between　Mongolia；　Russia；　China　and　Tibet。　　In　this　same　casket　is　the　copper　plate　bearing　the　mysterious　sign　of　the　〃King　of　the　World〃　and　the　chronicle　of　the　last　vision　of　the　Living　Buddha。


CHAPTER　XLV

THE　VISION　OF　THE　LIVING　BUDDHA　OF　MAY　17；　1921


〃I　prayed　and　saw　that　which　is　hidden　from　the　eyes　of　the　people。　A　vast　plain　was　spread　before　me　surrounded　by　distant　mountains。　An　old　Lama　carried　a　basket　filled　with　heavy　stones。　　He　hardly　moved。　　From　the　north　a　rider　appeared　in　white　robes　and　mounted　on　a　white　horse。　　He　approached　the　Lama　and　said　to　him：

〃'Give　me　your　basket。　　I　shall　help　you　to　carry　them　to　the　Kure。'

〃The　Lama　handed　his　heavy　burden　up　to　him　but　the　rider　could　not　raise　it　to　his　saddle　so　that　the　old　Lama　had　to　place　it　back　on　his　shoulder　and　continue　on　his　way；　bent　under　its　heavy　weight。　Then　from　the　north　came　another　rider　in　black　robes　and　on　a　black　horse；　who　also　approached　the　Lama　and　said：

〃'Stupid！　　Why　do　you　carry　these　stones　when　they　are　everywhere　about　the　ground？'

〃With　these　words　he　pushed　the　Lama　over　with　the　breast　of　his　horse　and　scattered　the　stones　about　the　ground。　　When　the　stones　touched　the　earth；　they　became　diamonds。　　All　three　rushed　to　raise　them　but　not　one　of　them　could　break　them　loose　from　the　ground。　Then　the　old　Lama　exclaimed：

〃'Oh　Gods！　　All　my　life　I　have　carried　this　heavy　burden　and　now；　when　there　was　left　so　little　to　go；　I　have　lost　it。　　Help　me；　great；　good　Gods！'

〃Suddenly　a　tottering　old　man　appeared。　　He　collected　all　the　diamonds　into　the　basket　without　trouble；　cleaned　the　dust　from　them；　raised　the　burden　to　his　shoulder　and　started　out；　speaking　with　the　Lama：

〃'Rest　a　while；　I　have　just　carried　my　burden　to　the　goal　and　I　am　glad　to　help　you　with　yours。'

〃They　went　on　and　were　soon　out　of　sight；　while　the　riders　began　to　fight。　　They　fought　one　whole　day　and　then　the　whole　night　and；　when　the　sun　rose　over　the　plain；　neither　was　there；　either　alive　or　dead；　and　no　trace　of　either　remained。　　This　I　saw；　Bogdo　Hutuktu　Khan；　speaking　with　the　Great　and　Wise　Buddha；　surrounded　by　the　good　and　bad　demons！　　Wise　Lamas；　Hutuktus；　Kampos；　Marambas　and　Holy　Gheghens；　give　the　answer　to　my　vision！〃

This　was　written　in　my　presence　on　May　17th；　1921；　from　the　words　of　the　Living　Buddha　just　as　he　came　out　of　his　private　shrine　to　his　study。　　I　do　not　know　what　the　Hutuktu　and　Gheghens；　the　fortune　tellers；　sorcerers　and　clairvoyants　replied　to　him；　but　does　not　the　answer　seem　clear；　if　one　realizes　the　present　situation　in　Asia？

Awakened　Asia　is　full　of　enigmas　but　it　is　also　full　of　answers　to　the　questions　set　by　the　destiny　of　humankind。　　This　great　continent　of　mysterious　Pontiffs；　Living　Gods；　Mahatmas　and　readers　of　the　terrible　book　of　Karma　is　awakening　and　the　ocean　of　hundreds　of　millions　of　human　lives　is　lashed　with　monstrous　waves。



Part　V

MYSTERY　OF　MYSTERIESTHE　KING　OF　THE　WORLD


CHAPTER　XLVI

THE　SUBTERRANEAN　KINGDOM


〃Stop！〃　whispered　my　old　Mongo