Los Angeles herald., 1892-04-30


Last evening the earthly remains OF
Byron Adonis, one of the most advanced
''adepts" of the circle of known Theos-
ophists, or, more properly speaking,
Buddhists, were incinerated at the cre-
matory in Rosedale cemetery, with the
ceremonies attending Buddhist fu-
neral.
1t was the first Buddhist incineration
that has been performed in the United
States, and the ceremonies were of a
simple but, in some respects, mystical
character.
The remains of Byron Adonis, who
was man 55 years of age, were received
in this city on Thursday from San Fran
cisco, having been placed in the hands
of the firm OF w. Gray q Co. of that
city to be forwarded here for the last
rites. In his will Adonis enjoined his
executors to send his remains to Los
Angeles, there to be incinerated in
accord with the Buddhist ceremonial,
and request was likewise received here
from the Buddhist society of San Fran
cisco that the wishes OF the eminent
adept should be complied with in accord
with the letter and spirit of the Budd-
hist ceremonial.
THE CEREMONIES
TOok y,1ooo in ho rocontiop roon, &c
the Rosedale crematory at 6 O'Clock last
evening. Quite an assemblage of local
Buddhists and Theosophists had gath
cred for the occasion. The remains OF
the deceased were swathed in white
clothes, and decked with lilies and lotus
flowers-both OF symbolic Importance in
the Buddhist faith. The body was
turned face downward. and sandalwo cd,
sugar, salt, rice, gold and copper, and
other symbolical elements were placed
on the bier.
THE OPENING INVOCATION.
The ceremonies were then solemnly
opened by the Buddhists present re-
peating the invocation-in reality the
creed of Buddhism-as follows in the
original Sanskrit:
''Buddham saranam gak Khammi,
Dhammam saranam gak Khammi,
Sangham saranam gak Khamma"
Translated into English, the invoca-
cation is as given below:
81 take my refuge in the Buddha
take my refuge in the Dhamma,
take my refuge in the Order"
The invocation was repeated three
times, and the second invocation was
given three times, as follows:
"Anikka vata samhara uppadavaya sh hamm ino
UppSsgittoa pSgt ninusshanti 'esam vapasamo suk-
This invocation, translated into Eng
lish, contains the following beautiful
thoughts:
How transient are all component thin gs!
Their natures to be born and die;
Coming. they go and then is best,
When each has ceased, and all is rest"
A lotus flower was then dropped on
the bier, with the prayer 80 mani pad
mahan," to him of the Lotus and the
Jewel.
FROM THE ZEND-AvEsTA.
President Bellman of the Los Angeles
Theosophical society land member of
Theosophical Propaganda, at the request
of the Buddhists then solemnly recited
the following portion of the Gathas--
Yasna XLIII:
salvation to this man; salvation to
him whomsoever b may bel Let the
absolutely ruling Great Creator grant
him the living Lord, the two eternal
powers. Yea, verify, ask it of Thee,
o Ahura, for the maintaining Right
eousness. And mays't Thou also give
it to me, Piety splendor, holy bless.
ings, the good minds life.
''Yea, to this one may the man be
endowed with glory, give that best of
all things, the spiritual glory. And do
Thou likewise reveal Thine own gifts
through Thy most bountiful spirit, o
Mazda! And do Thou teach US Thy
wonderful thoughts of wisdom, those of
Thy good mind, which Thou hast re-
vealed to us by Thy righteousness with
IN US with the happy increase of our
Joy, and on long life's every day.
And may this holy man approach
toward that which is better than the
good, he who will show to US the straight
paths OF spiritual profit, the blessings
of this corporeal life, and that of the
eternal worlds where dwells Ahura.
Take this holy man to higher plane.
an offerer of Thine, o Mazda! a faithful
citizen, and bountiful of mind.
'Yea, we will regard Thee as mighty
and likewise beautiful,
80 Ahura Mazda! p
"When we behold those aids of grace
approach US, aids which Thou dust
guard and nurture as Thy just awards to
the wicked, to hold them from us, as
we'll as to the righteous for our help.
Thy Fines Herewith 60 strong through
the Holy Order, and to us come the
Good Minds power"
"For 90 we conceived of Thee as boun-
tiful, o Great giver, Mazda! When we
behold Thee as supreme in the genera