388 DEMONOLATEY. 



Schlagintweit gives a specimen of one form of this print/ but he has 

 quite mistaken its meaning. The figure in the centre (see Plate XXI) 

 is not " the Lord of the Genii of Fire," but it is merely intended to 

 represent the spirit of the deceased person who sits or kneels, and 

 sometimes with the leg bound, in an attitude of adoration. And 

 before this paper figiire, occupying the position of the face, are set all 

 sorts of food and drink as is done to the actual corpse. 



This is essentially a Bon rite, and is referred to as such in the 

 histories of Guru Padma Sambhava, as being practised by the Bon, and 

 as having incurred the displeasure of the Guru Padma Sambhava, the 

 founder of Lamaism. 



Its inscrip)tion usually runs : — 



"I, the world-departing One, (and here is inserted name of 



"the deceased), adore and take refuge in my lam a- confessor, and all 

 "the deities, both mild and wrathful," and 'the Great Pitier'^ forgive 

 "my accumulated sins and impurities of former lives, and show me 

 "the right way to another good world! " 



And in the margin or adown the middle of the figure are 

 inscribed in symbolic form the six states of rebirth, viz., s^sura or 

 god, A=:asura, 'NA=nara or man, tei=: beast, F}iE=]y?-eia, HUNG=hell.^ 



Around the figure are depicted " the 5 excellent sensuous things," 

 viz., (1) body (as a mirror), (2) sound (as cymbals, a conch, and some- 

 times a lyre), (3) smell (a vase of flowers), (4) essence or nutri- 

 ment (holy cake), (5) dress (silk clothes, &c.) 



The lamas then do the service of the eight highest Buddhas of 

 medicine (Sangs-ryas man-^'la), and also continue the service of the 

 Western Paradise. 



Next day the lamas depart, to return once a week for the 

 repetition of this service, until the 49 days of bar do 

 se?vke^"'^*''"'°^*'''' ^^^e expii-ed ; but it is usual to intermit one day 



of the first week, and tiie same with the succeeding 

 pei'iods, so as to get the worship over within a shorter time. Thus 

 the lamas return after G, 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1 days resjiectively, and thus 

 conclude this service in about three weeks instead of the full term 

 of 49 days. 



Meanwhile the lay figure of the deceased remains in the house 

 in its sitting posture, and is given a share of each meal until the 

 death service is concluded by the burning of the face-paper " chauff-bu." 



• Op. eit,, page 252. 



" Of the Lundred superior deities, 4'i are supposed to be mild, and 58 of an angry nature. 



' An aboriginal or Chinese deity now identitied with Avalokita, with whom he lias much 

 in common. Other deities are sometimes also addressed. 



■• This also is a mystic interpretation of Avalokita's mantra, the 6th syllab'e of which 

 is made to mean hell and is coloured black. 



