The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1894-05-12
TOO SACRED TO TOUCH.
stricken Down, He Lay Where He ren
Until Death Came to His Relief.


sect. who died lately at his residence
in Kyoto, was the head OF all the
Buddhist priests In Japan. He had
been suffering since the fall OF last
year, when he contracted cold,
which appears to have been OF the
character of influenza, being attend.
cd with much pain and obstinate
fever, and which finally wore out the
strength OF the old prelate.
He does not. however, seem to
have been altogether Frustrated, for
on the morning OF his last seizure no
was making his way along the cor
ridor attended by male servant.
The latter, seeing him fall insensible,
gave the alarm, and instantly clus-
ter OF women charged with all sorts
Of duties and ceremonial offices in
the house OF the prelate, where q
state of ceremony resembling that OF
court was observed. ran to the
spot. There were about twenty OF
these women, but so inhexible Is the
etiquette of the ex-lord abbott's
household that in the absence OF his
wife not one OF the attendants might
venture to touch the body OF the in
carnate Buddha, even in the moment
OF his death agony. All they could
do was to send report to the official
in charge OF the affairs OF the house
hold and by him the tldings were
conveyed to the present lord abbot.
whose residence was about q furlong
distant.
Some thirty minutes elapsed be-
fore tho lord abbot arrived, stimuli?
taneously with e physician, and dur.
ing tho whole Of that time the ven
cradle old man, too sacred to be
touched, however much his humanity
needed tending, lay helpless on the
ground. He died about an hour af-
terward. A court physician, spe-
cially dispatched by the emperor
from Toxic, had been in attendance
on the old prelate during the last
days of his illness, and his sor, tho
present lord abbot, had been at his
side almost continu ously. Yet 1t was
his fate to die as has been described.
His remains having been packed in
vermillion, were laid in state in his
residence, whore the public was al
lowed to visit them The ceremony
commenced at a. in. and continued
until 3 in the afternoon, during which
time more chan 10000 persons paid
their last tribute to the Buddha
On the following day tho coffin
was conveyed upon splendid char
lot to the two temples of Amida
Daishi, and, high mass having been
performed in Hokushoin. tho remains
were finally laid beside those OF his
predecessor, q quantity of Uji tea
and incense having been laid over the
vermillion Immediately surrounding
, the corpse. The coffin itself was of
pure white pine, without any special
ornamentation other than its richly
chased gilt mountings. 1t was en-
veloped, however, by gold brocade OF
| the finest type, and upon it was laid
the state robes of the deceased, the
magnifcence of which may be con-
ceived from the fact that they are
said to have cost 10000 yen.
This, however, does not represent
the final rite Of sculpture. A funeral
ceremony on a grand scale was per-
formed ten days later, one feature of
which was feast at which there
were present the dead prclatcs suc.
I cessor, chief priests of the branch
temples throughout the empire, tho
wife, nearest blood relations and i'm
mediate female attendants of the de-
ceased, the duties Of waiting usually
intrusted to the councillors OF the
household being on this occasion del
egated to the principal male attend.
ants OF the lord abbots person.
The viands served were of the plain
est kinda little misc soup. with
square cut pieces Of bean curd, and
some rice.
Similar simplicity was observed
with respect to food distributed to
the general body OF mourners. 1t
was limited to ball of rice and
few slices OF picked turnip. Tho
recipients of this consecrated food
did not eat it. They carried it home
and treasured it rs a talisman against
disease, distributing portions to
friends, who keep it for the Same
purpose. ~
The bier, as carried in the pro.
cession, was surmounted by a golden
phoenix standing on ball OF the
same metal, and from each OF the
corners hung chains supporting swal-
lows. also OF gold. In advance
walked six temple officials. repre-.
senting tho "six roads" o. the Bud.
dhist doctrine, the fresh bamboo
slaves carried by them being en-
blematical OF tho salvation which a
Buddhist saint extends to all be-
levers. The chief mourner was
shod with hemp sandals on tare feet,
AMI sixteen ladies OF tho household
had zori OF straw, also on bare feet.
Other ancient customs peculiar to
this, the most solemn rite OF the
faith, were carefully observed, and
those privileged to be present on
the occasion witness ed most i'm
pressiye ceremony.