and during great religious ceremonies, much more expensive
incense is used. Altogether three classes of perfumes are
employed in Buddhist rites: ko, or incense-proper, in many
varieties--(the word literally means only "fragrant substance");
--dzuko, an odorous ointment; and makko, a fragrant powder. Ko is
burned; dzuko is rubbed upon the hands of the priest as an
ointment of purification; and makko is sprinkled about the
sanctuary. This makko is said to be identical with the
sandalwood-powder so frequently mentioned in Buddhist texts. But
it is only the true incense which can be said to bear an
important relation to the religious service.

"Incense," declares the Soshi-Ryaku,(1) "is the Messenger of
Earnest Desire. When the rich Sudatta wished to invite the Buddha
to a repast, he made use of incense. He was wont to ascend to the
roof of his house on the eve of the day of the entertainment, and
to remain standing there all night, holding a censer of precious
incense. And as often as he did thus, the Buddha never failed to
come on the following day at the exact time desired."

This text plainly implies that incense, as a burnt-offering,
symbolizes the pious desires of the faithful. But it symbolizes
other things also; and it has furnished many remarkable similes
to Buddhist literature. Some of these, and not the least
interesting, occur in prayers, of which the following, from the
book called Hoji-san (2) is a striking example:--

--"Let my body remain pure like a censer!--let my thought be ever
as a fire of wisdom, purely consuming the incense of sila and of
dhyana, (3) that so may I do homage to all the Buddhas in the Ten