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DEMONOLATRY IN SIKHIM LAMAISM.
213
AUGUST, 1894.]
Before the lay-figure the Lâmas then go through the Service of the Eight Highest Buddhas of Medicine (Sangs-ryas sman-bla), and also continue the service of the Western Paradise.
Next day the Lâmas depart, to return once a week for the repetition of this service, until the forty-nine days of bar-do have expired. But it is usual to intermit one day of the first week, and a day more of each with the succeeding week, so as to get the worship over within a shorter time! Thus the Lâmas return after 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1 days respectively, and thus conclude this service in about three weeks instead of the full term of 49 days, or seven weeks.
Meanwhile the lay figure of the deceased remains in the house in a sitting posture, and is given a share of each meal until the death service is concluded by the burning of the facepaper (chang-bu). This, on the conclusion of the full series of services, is ceremoniously burned in the flame of a butter-lamp, and the spirit is thus given its final congé. According to the colour and quality of the flame and manner of burning, is determined the fate of the spirit of deceased. This process usually discovers the necessity for further courses of worship.
The directions for noting and interpreting the signs given by the burning paper are contained in a small pamphlet, which I here translate, entitled, The Mode of Divining the Signs of the Flames during the Burning of the Chang Paper.
"Salutation to Chhe-mchlog, Heruka, or Most Supreme Heruka! The meaning of the five colours of the flame is as follows:
If the flames be white and shining, then has the deceased become perfect, and born in the highest region of Ok-in (i. e., the Supreme).
If the flames be white and burn actively with round tops, then has the deceased become pious, and born in the Eastern mGön-dgah, or Paradise of Real Happiness.
If the flames burn in an expanded form, resembling a lotus (padma), then the deceased has finished the highest deeds and become religious.
If the flames be yellow in colour and burn in the shape of rGyal-mtshan or Banner of Victory, then has the deceased become nobly religious.
If the flames be red in colour and in form like a lotus, then the deceased has become religious and born in bDe-wa-chan, or Paradise of Happiness.
If the flames be yellow in colour and burn actively with great masses of smoke, then the deceased is born in the region of the lower animals, for counteracting which a gTsug-lag-khang, or Academy, and an image of the powerful and able Dhyâni Buddha (sNang-par-snang-mdsad), should be made. Then will the deceased be born to high estate in the Middle Country (i. e., the Buddhist Holy Land in India).
If the fire burns with masses of dense smoke, then he has gone to hell, for counteracting which, images of Dorje-rnam-hjoms and Vajrapani should be made. Then will the deceased be born as a second daughter of a wealthy parent near our country and, after death in that existence, in fairy land.
If the fire burns fiercely, with great noise and crackling, then will the deceased be born in hell, for preventing which, images of Mi-hkhng-pa and Vajra-Sattva and Avalokita should be made, and the Hell-confession of the Hundred Letters (Yig-rgyana-ragskang-bshags) should be repeated. Then will the deceased be born as a son of a wealthy parent towards the east.
If the flames be blue in colour and burn furiously, the deceased is born in hell, for preventing which the Yige-brgya-pa-kika-nidri-med-bshags-rgyüd, mdo-thar-chhen-tshe-hbar, sdig-bshags, Itung-bshags, mani-bkah-hbum, and spyan-hbyed must be repeated. Then will the deceased either be born as a son of a carpenter towards the east, or again in his, or her, late
