ASHES. The use of ashes in mourning customs is very familiar. The Hebrews and Greeks, for instance, strewed themselves with ashes or sat in them, as a sign of humiliation. Out of this practice developed the simpler one, that of a mere sprinkling. But the use of ashes as a sign of humiliation is not confined to mourning customs. Monier-Williams describes a Hindu ascetic who sat " perfectly motionless and impassive, with naked body smeared all over with white ashes, matted hair, and the forefinger of the upraised hand pointing to the heaven to which in imagination he seemed to be already trans porting himself." In other eeremouies the ashes have a different significance : they are sacred. This can easily be understood in cases in which Fire is worshipped. For instance, the devout Brahman performs a religious cere mony before taking his mid-day meal, and consecrates his food by offering small portions to all the deities who have ministered to his wants, especially to Fire. In the course of this ceremony be takes up ashes from the fire and applies them to his forehead, neck, navel, shoulders, and head. It is natural also that the ashes of an ancestor or a hero should be regarded as sacred. Amongst
Chinese Buddhists, for instance, the ashes of a monk who in his devotion to asceticism has immolated himself are treasured as those of a saint. Other uses of ashes are found amongst the Chinese. When a person dies sud denly in his sleep, they believe that he has been struck by a malicious agency. They exorcise this evil spirit by a ceremony in which a circle of ashes is made round the dead man. Again, they strew ashes in the bottom of the coffin of a deceased person. This is done by the sons, but they are unable to provide the ashes them selves because no fire is allowed in the dwelling of the dead person for some days after the decease. When therefore the corpse has been washed, they go round, dressed in sackcloth, to their neighbours to collect ashes. This is called the " begging for ashes." It is the custom to offer gifts for the dead. These often take the form of paper money, which is burned and placed in a paper wrapper in the coffin. See Monier-Williams, Brah manism; J. J. M. de Groot, R.S.C., 1892, etc.: and, for a number of other customs, Maurice Canney in Hastings' E.R.E.