ls of
the school. One day Sandara the Bearded came home from lecture, his face
radiant with unwonted smiles. We soon learned that he had been the hero
of the theses: he had defeated his competitor upon the important question
why poultry and other winged creatures are destitute of one of the vital
functions common to all other animals. We mention this particular
instance, because it will give an idea of the elevation and grandeur of
Lamanesque education.

At certain periods of the year, the Living Buddha, the Grand Superior of
the Lamasery, himself appears in person, and gives, in state, official
expoundings of the Sacred Books. These commentaries, though not a bit
more learned or more lucid than those of the professors, are received as
authority. The Thibetian language is alone used in the schools.

The discipline of the Lamasery is vigilant and severe. In the Faculties,
during the lectures, and in the temples, during the recitation of
prayers, you see Lama censors leaning upon long iron rods, and
maintaining order and silence among the students. The least infraction
of the rules is at once visited with a reprimand and, if necessary, with
blows of the iron rod, the old Lamas being equally liable to both the one
and the other, with the young Chabis.

A certain number of Lamas form the police of the Lamasery; they are
attired in the same manner as the other Lamas, only their dress is grey,
and their mitre black. Day and night they perambulate the streets of the
city, armed with a great whip, and re-establish order wherever their
interposition has become necessary. Three tribunals, presided over by
Lama judges, have jurisdiction in all matters that are above the
immediate authority of the police. Those who are guilty of theft, to
however trifling an amount, are first branded on the forehead and on each
cheek with a hot on, and then expelled from the Lamasery.

The Buddhist monasteries, though similar in many respects to our own,
exhibit essential differences. The Lamas are subject, it is true, to one
same rule, and to one same discipline, but it cannot be said that they
live in community. You find among them all the graduated shades of
poverty and wealth that you see in mundane cities. At Kounboum we often
observed Lamas clothed in rags, begging, at the doors of their rich
brethren, a few handfuls of barley meal. Every third month the
authorities make a distribution of meal to all the Lamas of the
Lamaser