The Tartars are a very
good sort of people. It is true that to please them I made myself
a little heathen after their fashion, and joined without scruple in
the national chorus, 'Houm mani pani houm.' "
Judging by the system of spelling he has adopted in other instances in
his letters, this would be nearly -- as regards the two main words --
the same pronunciation as I have given. He however, in another part,
follows it still more closely, and at the same time shows that he
is aware of a translation which, although probably the true one,
has no connexion whatever with the words as he himself actually
represents them.
He says -- "In Thibet they sing a good deal also -- that is, one or two
inhabitants per square league -- but only a single song of three words
-- 'Oum mani pani;' which means, in the learned language, 'Oh, diamond
water-lily!' and leads the singers direct into Buddha's paradise.
"But, though composed of three Thibetian words, it is evidently of
Indian origin, and I have proved it BOTANICALLY.
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