WOESHIP-OFFERINGS. 279 



Qth. — The especial delicacy tsJioj is then offered to all, on four 

 plates, a plate for each row of guests, one plateful being 

 reserved for the lainas. 



Then is done the ceremony of Kang-so,^ or '* expiation for reli- 

 gious duties left undone," which wipes off all arrears of religious 

 duty. Here the ku-nyer or novice appointed for the occasion throws 

 skywards, amid great noise of instruments, several of the tshok cakes 

 to all the demi-gods and demons not specially included in the feast. 

 One tshok cake is then given to each lama in order of rank, from the 

 highest to the lowest, as the food has been consecrated by the gods 

 having eaten of it. They must, however, leave a portion, which is 

 collected carefully, in a plate, in order-, from the lowest to the head 

 lama. Above these collected fragments is placed a whole torma cake, 

 and a worship entitled HIak-dor is done, when the whole of these 

 crumbs — the leavings of the lamas — are contemptuously thrown down 

 to the earth outside the temple door to those evil-spirits who have not 

 yet been subjected by L6-pbn or subsequent lamas. 



Other articles on On the top of the altar are placed the follow- 



altar. ing articles : — 



(?) A miniatui'e chhorten ( = chaitya).^ 

 [ii) One or more sacred books on each side of altar. 

 {iii) A dor-je, the lamaic sceptre and type of the thunderbolt of 

 Indra (Jupiter), and a bell tilhu.'^ The dorje is the coun- 

 terpart of the bell, and when applied to the shoulder of 

 the latter should be of exactly the same length as the bell- 

 handle. 

 {iv) The holy -water vase — thu-pum^ — and a metal mirror — me-long 

 — hanging from its spout. The holy-water of the vase is 

 tinged with saffron, and is sprinkled by means of a long 

 stopper-rod, which is surmounted by a fan of peacock's 

 feathers and the holy kusa grass. 

 [v) The divining arrow, bound with five coloured silks, called 



da-darJ" 

 (vi) A large metal mirror — me-long — to reflect the image of the 



spirits. 

 (vii) Two pairs of cymbals. The pair used in the worship of 

 Buddha and the higher divinities are called si-nyen,^ and 



' 6skaiig-5'so. 



' In the room in which worship is done there must be present these three essential 

 objects representing the .sku-ysum (Skt. Tri-kaya) : (a) an image, (h) a chhortou, 

 and (c) a holy book, which are symbolic of " The Three Holy Ones." In the 

 early Indian Caves this Triad was represented by a Chaitya ( = BuJdha), 

 Wheel ( ^ Dharma), and a Lion ( = Tlie Assembly). 



' dril-bu. I ■* khru<-biun. | ' mdah-dar. | 'ils-smyan. 



