“When Gushi Khan, the Chief of all the Olets or Kalmucks, finished the war with the ‘Red Caps’ in Tibet, he carried out with him the miraculous ‘black stone’ sent to the Dalai Lama by the ‘King of the World.’  Gushi Khan wanted to create in Western Mongolia the capital of the Yellow Faith; but the Olets at that time were at war with the Manchu Emperors for the throne of China and suffered one defeat after another.  The last Khan of the Olets, Amursana, ran away into Russia but before his escape sent to Urga the sacred ‘black stone.’  While it remained in Urga so that the Living Buddha could bless the people with it, disease and misfortune never touched the Mongolians and their cattle.  About one hundred years ago, however, some one stole the sacred stone and since then Buddhists have vainly sought it throughout the whole world.  With its disappearance the Mongol people began gradually to die.”

“Enough!” ordered Bogdo Gheghen.  “Our neighbors hold us in contempt.  They forget that we were their sovereigns but we preserve our holy traditions and we know that the day of triumph of the Mongolian tribes and the Yellow Faith will come.  We have the Protectors of the Faith, the Buriats.  They are the truest guardians of the bequests of Jenghiz Khan.”

So spoke the Living Buddha and so have spoken the ancient books!

CHAPTER XLII

THE BOOKS OF MIRACLES

Prince Djam Bolon asked a Maramba to show us the library of the Living Buddha.  It is a big room occupied by scores of writers who prepare the works dealing with the miracles of all the Living Buddhas, beginning with Undur Gheghen and ending with those of the Gheghens and Hutuktus of the different Mongol monasteries.  These books are afterwards distributed through all the Lama Monasteries, temples and schools of Bandi.  A Maramba read two selections: 

“. . .  The beatific Bogdo Gheghen breathed on a mirror.  Immediately as through a haze there appeared the picture of a valley in which many thousands of thousands of warriors fought one against another. . . .”

“The wise and favored-of-the-gods Living Buddha burned incense in a brazier and prayed to the Gods to reveal the lot of the Princes.  In the blue smoke all saw a dark prison and the pallid, tortured bodies of the dead Princes. . . .”

A special book, already done into thousands of copies, dwelt upon the miracles of the present Living Buddha.  Prince Djam Bolon described to me some of the contents of this volume.

“There exists an ancient wooden Buddha with open eyes.  He was brought here from India and Bogdo Gheghen placed him on the altar and began to pray.  When he returned from the shrine, he ordered the statue of Buddha brought out.  All were struck with amazement, for the eyes of the God were shut and tears were falling from them; from the wooden body green sprouts appeared; and the Bogdo said: