In
the Persian character, the pronunciation would not be open to the
misapprehension or uncertainty to which, after the sounds themselves
had been forgotten, the English form of spelling might have rendered
them liable.[46]
A form, however, different from both these, is given by one who, with
the exception perhaps of M. Hue, had better opportunities than most
others for ascertaining the meaning of the words and hearing their
actual pronunciation: this was Captain Turner, who was nominated by
Warren Hastings, in the year 1783, to undertake an embassy to the
Court of Thibet, at Lassa.
He, however, makes no mention of the Sanscrit translation above given,
and confesses his inability to obtain, even at the head-quarters
of Thibetian Buddhism, a satisfactory explanation of the origin or
import of the sentence. The following account, taken from Captain
Turner's Report on his Mission, may be of interest, as it explains
the circumstances under which an event so unusual as an embassy to
the Court of Thibet was agreed to by the Grand Lama.
In 1772, a frontier warfare having broken out between the "Booteas,"
dependants of Thibet, and the English Government, in consequence of
the aggression of the former, Teshoo Lama, at the time regent of Thibet
and guardian of the Delai Lama, his superior in religious rank, united
in his own person the political authority and the spiritual hierarchy
of the country, subservient only to the Emperor of China. The Lama,
interested for the safety of Bootan, sent a deputation to Calcutta,
with a letter addressed to the governor, of which the following
is a translation: - "The affairs of this quarter in every respect
flourish. I am, night and day, employed in prayers for the increase
of your happiness and prosperity. Having been informed, by travellers
from your country, of your exalted fame and reputation, my heart, like
the blossoms of spring, abounds with satisfaction, gladness, and joy.
"Praise be to God that the star of your fortune is in its
ascension! Praise be to Him that happiness and ease are the surrounding
attendants of myself and family! Neither to molest, nor persecute,
is my aim. It is even the characteristic of our sect to deprive
ourselves of the necessary refreshment of sleep, should an injury
be done to a single individual; but in justice and humanity, I am
informed, you far surpass us.
"May you ever adorn the seat of justice and power, that mankind may, in
the shadow of your bosom, enjoy the blessings of peace and affluence."
The Lama then enters into the subject of the disturbances between
his dependants and the British Government, and concludes: - "As to
my part, I am but a Fakeer; and it is the custom of my sect, with
the rosary in our hands, to pray for the welfare of all mankind,
and especially for the peace and happiness of the inhabitants of this
country; and I do now, with my head uncovered, intreat that you will
cease from all hostilities in future. In this country the worship of
the Almighty is the profession of all. We poor creatures are in nothing
equal to you. Having, however, a few things in hand, I send them to you
as tokens of remembrance, and hope for your acceptance of them."[47]
The Lama being in this unusually agreeable frame of mind, the British
Government yielded without hesitation to his intercession.
The governor himself readily embraced the opportunity, which he
thought the occurrence afforded, of extending the British influence to
a quarter of the world but little known, and with which we possessed
hardly any commercial connexion.
In 1774 a deputation was sent to carry back an answer to the Lama, and
to offer him suitable presents. It was furnished also with a variety
of articles of English manufacture, to be produced as specimens of
the trade in which the subjects of the Lama might be invited to
participate. The result was, that in 1779, when the Lama visited
the Emperor of China at Pekin, desirous of improving his connexion
with the Government of Bengal, he desired the British envoy to go
round by sea to Canton, promising to join him at the capital. The
Emperor's promise was at the same time obtained to permit the first
openings of an intercourse between that country and Bengal, through
the intermediate channel furnished by the Lama.
The death of both the Lama and the envoy, however, which happened
nearly at the same time, destroyed the plans thus formed.
Soon after the receipt of the letters announcing the Lama's death,
intelligence arrived of his reappearance in Thibet! His soul, according
to the doctrines of their faith, had passed into and animated the
body of an infant, who, on the discovery of his identity by such
testimony as their religion prescribes, was proclaimed by the same
title as his predecessor.
Warren Hastings then proposed a second deputation to Thibet, and
Captain Turner was accordingly nominated on the 9th January, 1783.
His mention of the sculptured stones and inscription is as follows: -
"Another sort of monument is a long wall, on both faces of which
near the top are inserted large tablets with the words 'Oom maunee
paimee oom' carved in relief. This is the sacred sentence repeated
upon the rosaries of the Lamas, and in general use in Tibet. Of the
form of words to which ideas of peculiar sanctity are annexed by the
inhabitants, I could never obtain a satisfactory explanation. It
is frequently engraven on the rocks in large and deep characters,
and sometimes I have seen it on the sides of hills; the letters,
which are formed by means of stones fixed in the earth, are of so
vast a magnitude as to be visible at a very considerable distance."
M. Hue's account of an explanation of the formula, which he received
from the highest authority at Lassa, is as follows:
