the golden bough-第219章

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e　lamb　annually　slain　by　the　Madis　of　Central　Africa　is　a　divine　scapegoat；　and　the　same　supposition　may　partly　explain　the　Zuni　sacrifice　of　the　turtle。

Lastly；　the　scapegoat　may　be　a　divine　man。　Thus；　in　November　the　Gonds　of　India　worship　Ghansyam　Deo；　the　protector　of　the　crops；　and　at　the　festival　the　god　himself　is　said　to　descend　on　the　head　of　one　of　the　worshippers；　who　is　suddenly　seized　with　a　kind　of　fit　and；　after　staggering　about；　rushes　off　into　the　jungle；　where　it　is　believed　that；　if　left　to　himself；　he　would　die　mad。　However；　they　bring　him　back；　but　he　does　not　recover　his　senses　for　one　or　two　days。　The　people　think　that　one　man　is　thus　singled　out　as　a　scapegoat　for　the　sins　of　the　rest　of　the　village。　In　the　temple　of　the　Moon　the　Albanians　of　the　Eastern　Caucasus　kept　a　number　of　sacred　slaves；　of　whom　many　were　inspired　and　prophesied。　When　one　of　these　men　exhibited　more　than　usual　symptoms　of　inspiration　or　insanity；　and　wandered　solitary　up　and　down　the　woods；　like　the　Gond　in　the　jungle；　the　high　priest　had　him　bound　with　a　sacred　chain　and　maintained　him　in　luxury　for　a　year。　At　the　end　of　the　year　he　was　anointed　with　unguents　and　led　forth　to　be　sacrificed。　A　man　whose　business　it　was　to　slay　these　human　victims　and　to　whom　practice　had　given　dexterity；　advanced　from　the　crowd　and　thrust　a　sacred　spear　into　the　victim's　side；　piercing　his　heart。　From　the　manner　in　which　the　slain　man　fell；　omens　were　drawn　as　to　the　welfare　of　the　commonwealth。　Then　the　body　was　carried　to　a　certain　spot　where　all　the　people　stood　upon　it　as　a　purificatory　ceremony。　This　last　circumstance　clearly　indicates　that　the　sins　of　the　people　were　transferred　to　the　victim；　just　as　the　Jewish　priest　transferred　the　sins　of　the　people　to　the　scapegoat　by　laying　his　hands　on　the　animal's　head；　and　since　the　man　was　believed　to　be　possessed　by　the　divine　spirit；　we　have　here　an　undoubted　example　of　a　man…god　slain　to　take　away　the　sins　and　misfortunes　of　the　people。

In　Tibet　the　ceremony　of　the　scapegoat　presents　some　remarkable　features。　The　Tibetan　new　year　begins　with　the　new　moon　which　appears　about　the　fifteenth　of　February。　For　twenty…three　days　afterwards　the　government　of　Lhasa；　the　capital；　is　taken　out　of　the　hands　of　the　ordinary　rulers　and　entrusted　to　the　monk　of　the　Debang　monastery　who　offers　to　pay　the　highest　sum　for　the　privilege。　The　successful　bidder　is　called　the　Jalno；　and　he　announces　his　accession　to　power　in　person；　going　through　the　streets　of　Lhasa　with　a　silver　stick　in　his　hand。　Monks　from　all　the　neighbouring　monasteries　and　temples　assemble　to　pay　him　homage。　The　Jalno　exercises　his　authority　in　the　most　arbitrary　manner　for　his　own　benefit；　as　all　the　fines　which　he　exacts　are　his　by　purchase。　The　profit　he　makes　is　about　ten　times　the　amount　of　the　purchase　money。　His　men　go　about　the　streets　in　order　to　discover　any　conduct　on　the　part　of　the　inhabitants　that　can　be　found　fault　with。　Every　house　in　Lhasa　is　taxed　at　this　time；　and　the　slightest　offence　is　punished　with　unsparing　rigour　by　fines。　This　severity　of　the　Jalno　drives　all　working　classes　out　of　the　city　till　the　twenty…three　days　are　over。　But　if　the　laity　go　out；　the　clergy　come　in。　All　the　Buddhist　monasteries　of　the　country　for　miles　round　about　open　their　gates　and　disgorge　their　inmates。　All　the　roads　that　lead　down　into　Lhasa　from　the　neighbouring　mountains　are　full　of　monks　hurrying　to　the　capital；　some　on　foot；　some　on　horseback；　some　riding　asses　or　lowing　oxen；　all　carrying　their　prayer…books　and　culinary　utensils。　In　such　multitudes　do　they　come　that　the　streets　and　squares　of　the　city　are　encumbered　with　their　swarms；　and　incarnadined　with　their　red　cloaks。　The　disorder　and　confusion　are　indescribable。　Bands　of　the　holy　men　traverse　the　streets　chanting　prayers；　or　uttering　wild　cries。　They　meet；　they　jostle；　they　quarrel；　they　fight；　bloody　noses；　black　eyes；　and　broken　heads　are　freely　given　and　received。　All　day　long；　too；　from　before　the　peep　of　dawn　till　after　darkness　has　fallen；　these　red…cloaked　monks　hold　services　in　the　dim　incense…laden　air　of　the　great　Machindranath　temple；　the　cathedral　of　Lhasa；　and　thither　they　crowd　thrice　a　day　to　receive　their　doles　of　tea　and　soup　and　money。　The　cathedral　is　a　vast　building；　standing　in　the　centre　of　the　city；　and　surrounded　by　bazaars　and　shops。　The　idols　in　it　are　richly　inlaid　with　gold　and　precious　stones。

Twenty…four　days　after　the　Jalno　has　ceased　to　have　authority；　he　assumes　it　again；　and　for　ten　days　acts　in　the　same　arbitrary　manner　as　before。　On　the　first　of　the　ten　days　the　priests　again　assemble　at　the　cathedral；　pray　to　the　gods　to　prevent　sickness　and　other　evils　among　the　people；　and；　as　a　peace…offering；　sacrifice　one　man。　The　man　is　not　killed　purposely；　but　the　ceremony　he　undergoes　often　proves　fatal。　Grain　is　thrown　against　his　head；　and　his　face　is　painted　half　white；　half　black。　Thus　grotesquely　disguised；　and　carrying　a　coat　of　skin　on　his　arm；　he　is　called　the　King　of　the　Years；　and　sits　daily　in　the　market…place；　where　he　helps　himself　to　whatever　he　likes　and　goes　about　shaking　a　black　yak's　tail　over　the　people；　who　thus　transfer　their　bad　luck　to　him。　On　the　tenth　day；　all　the　troops　in　Lhasa　march　to　the　great　temple　and　form　in　line　before　it。　The　King　of　the　Years　is　brought　forth　from　the　temple　and　receives　small　donations　from　the　assembled　multitude。　He　then　ridicules　the　Jalno；　saying　to　him；　What　we　perceive　through　the　five　senses　is　no　illusion。　All　you　teach　is　untrue；　and　the　like。　The　Jalno；　who　represents　the　Grand　Lama　for　the　time　being；　contests　these　heretical　opinions；　the　dispute　waxes　warm；　and　at　last　both　agree　to　decide　the　questions　at　issue　by　a　cast　of　the　dice；　the　Jalno　offering　to　change　places　with　the　scapegoat　should　the　throw　be　against　him。　If　the　King　of　the　Years　wins；　much　evil　is　prognosticated；　but　if　the　Jalno　wins；　there　is　great　rejoicing；　for　it　proves　that　his　adversary　has　been　accepted　by　the　gods　as　a　victim　to　bear　all　the　sins　of　the　people　of　Lhasa。　Fortune；　however；　always　favours　the　Jalno；　who　throws　sixes　with　unvarying　success；　while　his　opponent　turns　up　only　ones。　Nor　is　this　so　extraordinary　as　at　first　sight　it　might　appear；　for　the　Jalno's　dice　are　marked　with　nothing　but　sixes　and　his　adversary's　with　nothing　but　ones。　When　he　sees　the　finger　of　Providence　thus　plainly　pointed　against　him；　the　King　of　the　Years　is　terrified　and　flees　away　upon　a　white　horse；　with　a　white　dog；　a　white　bird；　salt；　and　so　forth；　which　have　all　been　provided　for　him　by　the　government。　His　face　is　still　painted　half　white　and　half　black；　and　he　still　wears　his　leathern　coat。　The　whole　populace　pursues　him；　hooting；　yelling；　and　firing　blank　shots　in　volleys　after　him。　Thus　driven　out　of　the　city；　he　is　detained　for　seven　days　in　the　great　chamber　of　horrors　at　the　Samyas　monastery；　surrounded　by　monstrous　and　terrific　images　of　devils　and　skins　of　huge　serpents　and　wild　beasts。　Thence　he　goes　away　into　the　mountains　of　Chetang；　where　he　has　to　remain　an　outcast　for　several　months　or　a　year　in　a　narrow　den。　If　he　dies　before　the　time　is　out；　the　people　say　it　is　an　auspicious　omen；　but　if　he　survives；　he　may　return　to　Lhasa　and　play　the　part　of　scapegoat　over　again　the　following　year。

This　quaint　ceremonial；　still　annually　observed　in　the　secluded　capital　of　Buddhismthe　Rome　of　Asiais　interesting　because　it　exhibits；　in　a　clearly　marked　religious　stratification；　a　series　of　divine　redeemers　themselves　redeemed；　of　vicarious　sacrifices　vicariously　atoned　for；　of　gods　undergoing　a　process　of　fossilisation；　who；　while　they　retain　the　privileges；　have　disburdened　themselves　of　the　pains　and　penalties　of　divinity。　In　the　Jalno　we　may　without　undue　straining　discern　a　successor　of　those　temporary　kings；　those　mortal　gods；　who　purchase　a　short　lease　of　power　and　glory　at　the　price　of　their　lives。　That　he　is　the　temporary　substitute　of　the　Grand　Lama　is　certain；　that　he　is；　or　was　once；　liable　to　act　as　scapegoat　for　the　people　is　made　nearly　certain　by　his　offer　to　change　places　with　the　real　scapegoatthe　King　of　the　Yearsif　the　arbitrament　of　the　dice　should　go　against　him。　It　is　true　that　the　condit