Indian Antiquary Vol 23

SR No.: 032515
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Richard Carnac Temple
Publisher: Swati Publications
Publication Year: 1984
Total Pages: 412
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 16 MB

Page 219

AUGUST, 1894.]
DEMONOLATRY IN SIKHIM LAMAISM.
207
of a little girl of two years of age, who died at Darjeeling in 1890. Its contents are as follows:
"Hail to Lâma Mañjúśrî! The year of birth of this female was the Bull-year, with which the Snake and the Sheep are in conflict : therefore those individuals born in the Snake and the Sheep-year cannot approach the corpse. The death-demon was hiding in the house inside certain coloured articles, and he now has gone to a neighbouring house, where there is a family of five with cattle and dogs.18 The death-demon will return to the house of the deceased within three months: therefore must be performed before that time the Za-de-kha-gyur Service.
Her Parkba being Dva in relation to her death, it is found that her spirit, on quitting her body, entered her loin girdle and a sword.19 Her life was taken to the east by Tsan and King (Gyalpo) Demons, and her body died in the west: therefore small girls, cousins, sisters and brothers in the house will be harmed. The deceased's death was due to iron, and the deathdemon came from the south, and has gone to the east.
Her Mewa gives the third indigo blue. Therefore it was the death-demon of the deceased's paternal grandfather and grandmother that caused her death. Therefore also take a sats-tsha (a miniature earthen chaitya), a sheep's head, and earth from a variety of sites, and place them upon the body of the deceased, and this danger will be averted (from other members of the family). • The Day of her Death was Friday. Take a leather bag, or earthen pot, in which have been placed four or five coloured articles, and throw it away to the north-west, because the deathdemon has gone in that direction. From the way in which this death has happened it is very unlucky for old men and women. On this account take a horse's skull,20 or a serpent's skull,21 and place it upon the corpse.
Her Death Star is Gre. Her brother and sister, who went near to her, are threatened by the Death-messenger (Shin-je). Therefore an ass's skull and a goat's skull must be placed on the corpse.
Her Death Hour was soon after sunset, and in the twelfth month her life was cut. The death-demon arrived in the earthen cooking-pot and bowl of a man and woman visitor dressed in red, who came from the south. Thus the deceased's father and mother are threatened, and especially so if either was born in the Sheep-year.
Precautions to secure a fortunate re-birth. It is necessary to prepare an image of Vajrapâni and Vajra-sattva, and before these to have prayer 22 offered for the fortunate re-birth of the girl's spirit. If this be done, then she will be re-born in the house of a rich man in the west.
For the benefit of the deceased's Spirit, it is necessary to get the Lamas to read the service (smon-lam), praying for re-birth in the Paradise of Deva-ch hên.
For the benefit of the survivors of the family, it is necessary to have read the prayers for long life, viz., tshe-mdo and tshe-gzungs.
Directions for removal of the Corpse. Those who remove the corpse must have been born in the Dog or in the Dragon year. The body must be taken oatside the house on the morning of the third day following the death, and it must be carried to the south-west, and be buried (not burned, or given to birds or dogs)."
18 Therefore that other family should perform the necessary worship! 19 In this case the affected girdle was cast away and the sword was handed over to the Lama. 20 A fragment of such a skull, or its image made of dough, is usually all that is used. 21 Dough also will do.
33 It has frequently been asserted that no prayer is practised in lamaism. This is not true. Real prayer is frequently offered. The word used here is geol-wa-gtab,