Page:History of India Vol 9.djvu/186

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A CHINESE ACCOUNT BY HIUAN TSANG

life, has been thus respectfully addressed, he replies simply by expressing a benediction. Not only do they prostrate themselves to show reverence, but many circumambulate any object that is to be venerated, making sometimes one circuit, sometimes three circumambulations, or as many as they wish if they have a special petition in mind.

Every one who falls sick fasts for seven days. During this interval many recover, but if the sickness lasts they take medicine. The character of these medicines is different, and their names also vary. The doctors differ in their modes of examination and treatment. If a person dies, those who attend the funeral raise lamentable cries and weep together. They rend their garments and tear their hair; they strike their heads and beat their breasts. There are no regulations as to dress for mourning, nor any fixed period for observing it. There are three methods of paying the last tribute to the dead: first, by cremation – wood being made into a pyre, the body is burnt; second, by water – the body is thrown into a stream to float and fall into dissolution; third, by desertion, in which case the body is cast into some forest-wild to be devoured by beasts.

When the king dies, his successor is first appointed, that he may preside at the funeral rites and fix the different points of precedence. Whilst living they give their rulers titles of merit according to their character; when dead there are no posthumous titles.

In a house where there has been a death there is no eating allowed; but after the funeral they resume

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