LAMA, correctly b'lama, is the Tibetan word for a superior, and applied to monks. The Dalai Lama, literally ocean superior, is the highest in rank of the Tibetan Lamas. He resides at Yulsung or Lhassa. He is viewed as an incar nation of the Dlyano Bodhi-satwa, Chenresi, who is supposed to effect his re-embodiment by a beam of light which issues from his body and enters the individual whom he selects for his re-descent. The honorific title of Lama (b'lama) strictly belongs only to the superiors of convents, but is applied also to ordained priests. The Tibetan priests are ordained to celibacy ; but as they live under the same roof with nuns, this prohi bition is probably not followed out. The Khanpo is a head Lama, and these are the superiors of the larger monasteries. The Dalai Lamas are selected by the clergy, but, since 1792, the Chinese Government influences the election, to obtain the sons of families known for their loyalty. In Bhutan the Khanpo have made themselves almost independent of the Dalai Lamas, and the ruler of Bhutan, the Dharma Rinpoche or Dharma raja, yields but a loose obedience. Lamas are very numerous at Lhassa and its vicinity ; Dr. Campbell gives a list of 12 principal monasteries, inhabited by a total of 18,500 Lamas. In Ladakh there are about 12,000 Lamas in a population of 158,000. There has been some misapprehension regarding the Buddha and Bodhi-satwa, the regeneration of the Grand Lama being considered by some as an exceptional case of a Buddha returning amongst mankind. Mr. Hodgson (pp. 137, 138) truly calls the divine Lamas of Tibet, Arhanta, but he believes that a very gross superstition has wrested the just notion of the character to its own use, and so created the immortal mortals, or present pal pable divinities of Tibet. Fra Orazio says that Lama sempre sara coil' istessa anima del mede sime (iauy-c' cub) oppure in altri corgi.' Remusat was not aware of this fact when he stated, Les Lamas du Tibet se considerent eux-memes comme autant de divinites (Bouddhas) incarnees pour le salut des hommes.' But the explanation which
Major Cunningham received in Ladakh, which is the same as that obtained by Fra Orazio in Lhassa, is simple and convincing. The Grand Lama is only a regenerated Bod'hi-satwa, who refrains from accepting Buddhahood that he may continue to be born again and again for the benefit of mankind ; for a Buddha cannot possibly be regenerated, and hence the famous epithets of Sathagata, thus gone, and Sugata, well gone, or gone for ever. The ordinary monk or priest in Tibet is the Gylong, above whom are the Laina or presidents, and below whom are the Tohba and Tuppa. The Tuppa is a probationer who is admitted into the establishment to which he would attach himself at the age of 8 or 10, and receives instruction accordingly., At 15, he be comes a Tohba, and at 24 a aylong, provided his acquirements be satisfactory. \ There are two sects, the Gyllupka, who dress in yellow, and the Shammar in red, the Shammar Gylong being allowed to marry.
Tepa is the Lama Yeungjing, the private guru or high priest of the Grand Lama. He is also appointed by order of the emperor, and is some times an avatari Lama, but not always. His office is to teach and train the Grand Lama in childhood and youth, and lead him, if he can, afterwards. He is indeed an important personage in the Buddhist world, being no less than the keeper of the Grand Lama's conscience. The nomination to this post being in the hands of the emperor, furnishes an interesting clue to the extent of the imperial power over the church of Tibet.
The Che Kap Kemu Lama is a churchman of great influence in the government. He appears to represent the Grand Lama in the council of state and in the deliberations of the Shapi. He may be called secretary or minister for the church ; and the Shapi may, correctly enough, be called the financial, judicial, revenue, and home secre taries or ministers.