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

APPENDIX. 47 1remained, in the same position as when he expired ; which, when theEmperor belield, he shed many tears, and in other respects,manifested thesincerest grief.The corpse was immediately, by the Emperor's orders, put intoa coffin,with great quantities of all kinds of spices, and rich perfumes :and upon hisreturn to his palace, lie gave orders, that a small temple, in form of those inwhich they deposit the objects of their worship, of pure gold, should beimmediately prepared, largeenough to contain the coffin, when set upright;which, after seven or eicrht days, was, according to his orders, in readiness.The following morning the Emperor proceeded from his palace to the housein which the remains of the Lama lay, in the same magnificence, and pomp,as when he visited the Lama in his lifetime, with the addition of one thousandKhoseong, or holy men, attending him; and having the golden templecarried with him, fixed on poles, and borne upon men's shoulders. Uponhis arrival at the house, where the corpse lay, he caused the temple to be setup, within the temple of worship, belonging to the house of the late Lama,and the corpse to be deposited in it, and joined in prayers with those thatattended him, for four hours.He afterwards distributed silver to the amountof four lacks of rupees, to the Khoseong, and then returned to his palace.The friendsand followers of the deceased Lama were overwhelmed withgrief, and remained, for upwards of two months, confined to the house, by theheavy snow, and severity of the cold. At length, when three months wer^nearly expired, and the weather became more favourable, the Emperor, withall his retinue, came to their place of residence, at the house where the Lama'scorpse lay;and, after having gone through some forms of prayer, with theKhoseong, in the temple where the corpse was deposited, he ordered silver,to the amount of one lack of rupees, to be left as a kind of offering before thecoffin, besides many pieces of rich brocades, and other silks.The Emperor also ordered presents of silver and silks, to a considerableamount, to be given to the Lama s brother, as Avell as to all those of hisfriends, whom the Lama, during his life time, had distinguished by hisparticular notice, and which they severally recei\ ed.