Indian Antiquary Vol 60

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Charles E A W Oldham, S Krishnaswami Aiyangar, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarka
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 45

FEBRUARY, 1931)
SCRAPS OF TIBETO-BURMAN FOLKLORE
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6. Incarnation. “Not only is Svong-Tsang-gampo [the Constantine of Tibetan Buddhism) regarded (p. 299) as an incarnation of divinity (deification is the common lot of every great hero in Tibet), but his spirit is supposed to be reincarnate in every succeeding Dalai Lama."
In The Word of Lolla (50, 53 f.) the theory of reincarnation is explained thus: “It was propounded by the Vaishnava Hindus out of the theory of the transmigration of souls from body to body and from the Buddhist 'legends of the mythical predecessors of Buddha and the equally mythical tirthakaras (apostles) of the Jains,' from which they created the many incarnations or avataras of Vishnu, viewed as the Supernatural Self. The Vaishnavas were followed by the Shaivas and all other Hindus, till incarnations of the Deity became a general Hindu belief."
7. Supernatural Powers. "We saw (p. 90) a snow leopard prowling about.. . It is extraordinary how these animals can walk over the snow without sinking into it. The natives explain this peculiarity by giving the snow leopards supernatural powers. . ... We had a curious bit of luck that morning (pp. 92, 93). Our friend the snow leopard had passed us in the night and seemed to be heading for the pass, for we could see his footprints in the snow. There seemed to be a striking regularity about his path, and it occurrred to me that he might be travelling over the line of the road. Investigation proved that the idea was correct. By following his footsteps we saved ourselves a good deal of road seeking. It was amazing to me how the leopard knew the road, buried as it was beneath several feet of snow and, of course, level with the wide expanse on every side. I could only suppose that it was by means of a sense of smell effective through the deep snow, though why he should have kept the road with all its zigzags, when he could easily have made cross-cuts impossible for us, was a mystery which I did not attempt to solve. The servants looked upon the footprints as a very auspicious omen or even as a miraculous intervention on the part of the blessed Buddha or a Bodhisattva."
8. Miracles. “The river (p. 220) itself (Brahmaputra) being no longer hidden in a gorge was exposed to the devastating rays of the sun, which had melted the ice covering, so that we could see water flowing in the middle, but so strong was the wind in the opposite direction that its blasts on the river made it seem as if the water was flowing backwards and uphill. In fact 80 strong was the illusion that the syoe and Lhaten [a servant) thought it to be real and bowed down in worship of the supposed miracle."
.. 9. Magical Powers.
(a) Lama's. "The servants (p. 82)..... after some persuasion consented to go forward though they tried to insist that I make a substantial money-offering to the Lachen Lama and solicit his indulgence to keep back the snow. All the natives of this part of the world firmly believe that a life of ascetio contemplation brings with it magical powers, including the ability to control the elements. The Lachen Lama is partioularly famous all over Sikkim for his regulation of rain and snow. Even villages in the South dominated by other temples send petitions to him with huge gifts, asking that rain be stopped or made to fall as desired."
The question of magical power is discussed in The Word of Lalla, p. 23, thus : "The object of magical formula is to compel the unseen powers, that are held to govern man and his : wants, to abstain or cease from doing him harm, or on the other hand to do him good. In
this way they are a protection of mankind against evil or a method of benefiting him." The Applicability of this observation to the above quoted story is obvious. As regards the probable origin of the belief, it is remarked in The Word of Lalla, p. 65, that "the Shaktio Buddhism that has long prevailed in Tibet largely consists of gross mysticism borrowed from the magic of aboriginal tribes."