a shva ra

The preta-fire, or 'flesh-eater's fire,' refers to ashvara which is a type of Tirthika (non-Buddhist). Among the four types of fire-pit mentioned in the Immaculate Light, the ashvara-fire should be identified as the Tirthika's offering-fire. In Tibet, it means charnel ground fire which means charcoal from a funeral pyre. Jamdrak Rinpoche said that the ingredients for showering down the resplendence of wisdom are vital, while the fire itself is of minor importance. [RY]