An Embassy to the Court of the Teshoo Lama in Tibet - Prajna Quest

•TheTIBET. 261right hand is rested with its back upon the thigh, with thethumb bent across the palm. The left arm is bent and held close to thebody, the hand being open, and the thumb, at right angles with thehngers, touching the point of the shoulder.This is the attitude of abstracted meditation. The eyes, at the sametime, being directed downwards, and half closed, indicate that, withthe suspended powers of the body, the faculties of the mind also, arecompletely absorbed in contemplation, efFeclually guarded againstwandering, and shut to every species of external impression.The late Teshoo Lama is represented in an effigy of gold, whichcrowns the pyramid, and isplaced within the concave of a large shell,radiated alternately, with white and red, the edges being scolloped, andprojecting so far as to form a canopy, that incloses within its hollow,the whole body of the figure. The image is represented sitting uponcushions, and has the drapery of a yellow satin mantle, negligentlyflowing over the lower part, whilst a cap, resembling a mitre, coversthe head. As a tribute of respect, which might be gratifying to hisvotaries, and tend to conciliatetheir affection, I made an offering of awhite pelong scarf, which the attending priest received, and passedover the smoke of the incense burning before the shrine, while theGosein and others prostrated themselves nine times with devout humility.The priest then ascended a ladder, and put one end of tb.e scarfupon that hand of the image which was a little advanced ;the otherhung down upon the pyramid. Round the borders of the canopy, weresuspended all the various rosaries, of the richest gems, used by the Lamaduring his life; they consisted of pearls, emeralds, rubies, sapphires.