Burning for the Buddha : self immolation in Chinese Buddhism Introduction Mounting the smoke with glittering colors : self immolation in early medieval China The Lotus Sūtra auto cremation and the indestructible tongue Saṃgha and the state: the power(s) of self immolation Is self immolation a good practice  Yongming Yanshou on relinquishing the body Local heroes in a fragmenting empire: self immolation in the late Tang and five dynasties One thousand years of self immolation Conclusion