DIVINATION BY PLAilES. 389 



This paper, on the conclusion of the full series of services, is 

 ceremoniously burned in the flame of a butter- 



paJJr! ''''™°^ °* '^^ ^^™P' ^°'^ *'^^ ^1""* ^^ *^^ g^^^" ^^s final co?iye. 

 Ancl according to the colour and quality of the flame 

 and mode of burning is determined the fate of the spirit of deceased. 

 This process usually discovers the necessity for fui-tlier courses of 

 worship. 



The directions for noting and interpreting the signs of this 

 burning paper are contained in a small pamphlet which 1 here trans- 

 late, entitled : — 



" The mode of divinixg the signs of the flames during the Burning of 



the ' Chang ' paper. 



"Salutation to ' Clihe-wchhog, Heruka,' or 'The most Supreme 

 Heruka ! ' The marking of the five colours of the flames is as 

 follows: — ■ 



"If the flames be white and shining, then he has become perfect 

 and is born in the highest region of Ok-min (i.e., 

 Divination by the fire. The Supreme). 



"If the flames be white and burn actively with round tops, then he 

 has become pious and is born in the Eastern ' ;«ngon-c/gah,' or ' The 

 Paradise of Real Happiness.' 



" If they burn in an expanded form, resembling a lotus (padma), 

 then he has finished his highest deeds and has become religious. 



"If they bo yellow in colour and burn in the shape of 'rgyal- 

 ?«tshan,' or ' Banner of Victory,' then he has become religious nobly. 



"If they be red in colour and in form like a lotus, then he has 

 become religious and is born in Jde-wa-chan, or ' The Paradise of 

 Happiness.' 



"If they be yellow in colour and burn actively with great masses 

 of smoke, then he is born in the region of the lower animals, for coun- 

 teracting which a //tsug-lag-khang, or ' An Academy,' and an image 

 of the powerful and able Dhyani Buddha (snang-par-snangwidsac/) 

 should be made ; then he will be born as a chief in the middle country 

 {i.e., The Buddhist Holy Land in India). 



"If the fire bums with masses of dense smoke, then he has gone 

 to hell, for counteracting which, images of Vajra .... (Dorje-niam- 

 /ijoms) and Vajra-pani should be made; then he will be born as a 

 second daughter of a wealthy parent near his own country, and after 

 hie death in that existence he will be born in the fairy land. 



"If the fire bums fiercely, with great noise and crackling, then 

 he will be born in hell, for preventing which, images of Mi-^khug-pa 

 and Vajra-Satwa and Avalokita should be made, and 'the hell 



