hinders your mentioning it," enquired Le-kea. "From of old it has been said," rejoined he, "that women are like water, inconstant, and like the nature of vapour and flowers, consist of a little truth mixed up with much falsehood. Since she has been a famous concubine, she must in the Six Courts (Luh yuen) have made acquaintances enough to fill the empire. Some of them have perhaps gone to the South, and having originally been connected with them she makes use of you in order to transfer her, and come to a place to meet them." "This is an unnecessary apprehension," said Le-kea. "Should it not be so," said Sun-foo, "the lads of Keang-gan are very earnest after worthless actions, and leaving your fair one to reside alone, it is difficult to protect her from someone's either leaping over the wall or penetrating the roof. If you take her home with you it will augment your father's indignation, for your plans have no adjustment, besides, father and son are a heavenly relation, and must not be cut off. Should you for the sake of a concubine oppose your father, and for a light woman renounce your family, within the four seas it will be deemed that you are a floating wave, an unsteady man. Hereafter no wife will respect you as a husband, no younger brother consider you as his elder brother, no playfellow look upon you as his friend. Where by will you stand erect in the midst of heaven and earth? You can not at present but be apprehensive." Now hearing this, he was quite bewildered, and shifting his mat, enquired for a scheme, saying: "I rely upon your views, whereby will you inform me." "I have a scheme very apropos for you," said Sun-foo, "but apprehend that owing to your being plunged in the love of this light woman you cannot put it in action, but that you will suffer me to expend my words upon you in vain." "If," he said, "you have any good plan to let me have the pleasure of beholding my home, you are my benefactor, why apprehend to tell me." Sun-foo said, "Owing to your dissipation this last few years, your stern parent nourishes his indignation so excessively, also on account of witnessing your detaining yourself, and giving up your mind to female beauty, and being so mixed up with gay and bad company, and spending gold like dirt, which on a future occasion must render you a person who will reject the family and ruin the property, and he cannot bear your taking the estate. Now on your return empty handed you will straightway incur his indignation; but if you would cut off the love of this female, regard a plan, and act according to my wishes, which are to bestow upon you a thousand dollars, you may then have the means of telling your father that you have taken an office at the capital, and have not dissipated any of your former wealth. He must then believe you. By this means the family will be reconciled, and not to speak only about it, it will make a fortune out of a calamity. Maturely consider it; I do not covet the beauty of your fair one but am really and honestly doing it entirely upon Now Le-kea was an unstable man your account." by nature, and at the bottom of his heart apprehended his father, and taking in this discourse of

Sun-foo during the feast, got a suspicion into his brain, rose up, made a reverence, and said: "Hearing your great instruction, breaks and opens the rush foundation. Only she has accompanied me for a long dtisance; it is impossible with justice to get rid of her. Allow me to return and consult with her; if I obtain her free consent I will then return an answer." "In what you say," rejoined Sun-foo, "you must dismiss all suspicion about any trick, for having faithfully done it for you I decidedly ought not to bear it. For you and your father having been separated, the circumstance of your returning home is decidedly finishing the gem.' The two drank awhile-the winds ceased-and the clouds stopped-the daylight began to get dusk. Sun-foo commanded his servant to pay the reckoning, took Le-kea's hand, and re-embarked. Thus it was

Meeting a person only partially tell him what you think You should not entirely give up to him your whole heart.

Now Too-shih-neang had prepared dessert and wine in the boat, desirous of taking some wine with him; as he had not returned in the evening she trimmed some lamps to wait for him, and when he came into the boat she rose and came to meet him. Perceiving that his countenance was agitated as though he had something which displeased him, she filled a vase of wine and warmed it to comfort him. He shook his head and would not drink nor speak a word, and finally laid himself down on the bed and slept. Too-shih-neang was displeased at heart, and putting away the cups which she had prepared for him, took off his clothes, and approaching the pillow, said: "What have you seen or heard of to-day that you cherish your melancholy feelings in this manner?" He only sighed, and did not open his mouth, after she had enquired three or four times he had dropped asleep, and much afflicted she did not lie down, but sat at the head of the bed, and could not sleep. In the middle of the night Le-kea awoke and heaved a sigh. "What is it," asked Too-shih-neang, "that you have and cannot utter, but keep continually sighing?" He grasped the clothes and rose; he wished to speak, but could not articulate for some time; he beat his breast and let fall some tears. Tooshih-neang embraced and raised him up, kindly enquired of him, and with tender words soothed him: "You and I having, in our two years acquaintance, passed through innumerable sorrows and griefs, having undergone all these difficulties and journeyed for a long distance, having not yet been discomforted, now being about to pass the Keang and compass joys for a long time, why are you on the contrary made unhappy? you must certainly have some reason for it; and living as man and wife, if anything troubles you, you decidedly ought to take counsel with me, and by no means conceal it." The young gentleman being repeatedly urged could only wipe his tears away and say: "Exhausted and fatigued as it were to the brink of heaven, it was owing to your benevolence I was not deserted, and your having accompanied me through all these

circumstances testifies your excessively great virtue. Only revolving on the other hand my father's deportment and moral reputation, wrapped up in usages moreover of a disposition correct and severe, I apprehend the accumulation of his indignation, and that he will infallibly expel me. You and I floating about can find rest at what bottom? It will be impossible to preserve the delights of husband and wife; the relation of a father and son will be cut off. To-day, taking wine with my friend Sun-foo, of Tsingan, he pointed out all this to me, and I am as it were cut to the heart." "What do you think of doing," said Too-shihneang. "A man in my circumstances," he replied, "should sacrifice his feelings. My friend Sun-foo has drawn out for me a very excellent plan-only I am afraid you will not assent to it." "Who is this friend Sun-foo?" she said, "If his plan is so truly excellent why should I not assent to it?" "My friend Sun-foo," he replied, "is a salt merchant of Tsin-gan, a young and elegant scholar. During the night he listened to your song, and sent to enquire about it. I told him what had passed, and chatting over the causes of the difficulties of our return, he very liberally wished to take you for a thousand ounces of silver, in order that by this means I may obtain a good story to go and visit my father, and you may obtain a situation. I grieved and wept on account of feeling unable to abandon you." When he had finished, his tears fell like rain. The young lady opened both her hands and said, with a cold smile, "This person is a great hero to propose such a plan to you. After you have received the money you will then return magnificently home, and I, married into another family, shall not cause any hindrance to your travelling equipment, having come forth for your love and stopping for decorum-accomplishing the plan of a double convenience-where are the thousand pieces of gold ?" The youth ceased weeping, and said: "Not having had your reply, the money remains with him still-they have not passed into my hand." "To-morrow morning quickly assent, lest he break his agreement; only a thousand ounces should be weighed; when they are done so and delivered into your hand, I will then pass into his boat-but do not be a merchant that an uncapped boy can cheat."

(To be continued.)

首楞 嚴經

Sheu Lang yen king,

OR

The Sûrangama Sûtra.

There is no Buddhist Sitra better known or more commonly met with in China than the "Lang-yen" or "Sheou-Lang-yen." M. Julien, who does not refer to this work in his "Si-yu-ki," restores Sheou-lang-yen in his "Méthode" to the Sanskrit "Coûrangama" (Méthode 1006). Wassilief renders it doubtfully by the Sanskrit "Chourangama"

(Bouddhisme, p. 344) as though allied with Sûra, the sun' or a hero.'

I suspect the original reference was to the symbol so commonly met with on Buddhist coins and in the rock inscriptions, compare for example the coin of Krananda (J. R. A. S. vol. i. part 2, N.S., p. 475) and the rock inscription of Djunir (Lotus p. 438)-which represented the highest region of space, or the Empyrean under the figure of the sun surmounted by a three-forked flame. This symbol is evidently the origin of what we commonly call the Trisul ornament, and which occurs so repeatedly on the gates and sculptures of Sanchi. As indicating the "Highest" or most exalted region of the universe, it was transferred as an ornament to the head of the figure of Buddha. This ornament is commonly found over the Singhalese idols. It is mentioned by Burnouf (Lotus, p. 610) as the Trident on the head of Buddha. It is spoken of by Turnour as "a lambent flame of sanctity," (Lotus, p. 609). In the "Essai sur le Pali" it is called tchoulamani or tchoudamani, joyau de tête, p. 88.

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Having thus become a usual appendage to the head of statues, the word seems to have changed from "Sûra" or "Choura" to "Tchûda," which means 'the top' or 'ornament of the top' of any thing. So that the "Sûramani” or tchudamani" of which we read so often as connected with "the topmost part of a pagoda," or as "passing away into the sky" (compare J.R.A.S. vol. iv., part 2, N.S., p. 409. Catena, p. 11, etc.) is nothing else but this trisul ornament, as it indicates the highest point of the universe. Hence in Chinese the Tsun shing

尊勝 or 'honor'd diadem' on "the top of Buddha's cranium" (Wylie) is simply this symbolical ornament. And therefore we do not wonder to find the Chinese phrase Fu ting tsun shing ta to lo ni rendered by Julien "Sarvadourgati parichoudana ouchnîcha vidjaya nama dhârani" (Journal Asiatique, Nov., Dec., 1849, p. 393) where "parichoudana" seems to correspond with "tsun shing." Hence also the expression Fu-ting-tsun-shing, is often converted into Fu-ting-sheou-lang-yen, in the Sutra in question.

佛頂尊勝陀羅尼

There is a curious connection between this ornament on the head of Buddha and the "Linga Sarira" of the Sankhya philosophy. It is well known that this "subtle person "is compared to a flame which exists on the top of the head, and as such is referred by Burnouf to the archetypal body of the Buddhists as explained by Hodgson (compare Colebrooke's Essays, p. 155, Burnouf's Introduction, p. 498). By referring to the figures on the gold cup found at Manikyala (Wilson's Ariana, plate iv. Mrs. Speir's Ancient India, p. 362) we see at once the mode of representing this "flame on the head of Buddha." We are reminded hereby of "the cloven tongues like as of fire" of which we read in the book of the Acts of the Apostles. At any rate there is a resemblance between the supposed Linga Sarira, the Buddhist Trisul, and the Christian "cloven tongues of flame" placed on the head of the inspired (or, so supposed,) teachers are thus used for one common purpose.

We are told by Wilson that "The primitive Linga is a pillar of radiance,.... travelling upwards and downwards for 1000 years without approaching any termination, the sacred syllable "Om" appears above it, and the Vedas proceed from it," Vishnu_Purana, xlii, xliii). By turning to plate lxx. in Dr. Fergusson's Tree and Serpent worship, we shall find I think no difficulty in at once identifying the pillars of radiance surmounted by the sacred Trisul, (which in fact is used as an equivalent for "Om," as in the Djunir Rock inscription before referred to,) with the original and primitive Linga, which is nothing more than a mark or type of wood or stone, and has no reference whatever to the "impure fancies of European writers" (Wilson, Vishnu Purana, xliv).

In the seventh book of the Sûtra under consideration it is stated that at the time of the delivery of the Dhârani "the head of Buddha was invisible in its height; his body surrounded by radiance and like a pillar of fire and hence I gather that the title "Sûrangama" or "Chûdangama" simply means that which springs from or is connected with the Highest and Sublimest point of the Doctrine of Buddha, and this is figured either by a pillar of fire surmounted by the "Trisul" (or "Om,") or else by the "Trisul" or ("Om ") alone, as the latter denotes the highest point of the Linga or mark on Buddha's head.

In conclusion, I find from the commentary (Kiuen viii, p. 30) that this Sûtra was derived from an Indian school, spoken of as the "hwan Ting pou," i. e., the school of the Murdhabhisictas, apparently a mixed school of Brahmans and Buddhists, as the Murdhabhisicta class sprang from "a Brahmana by a girl of the Cshatriya caste" (Colebrooke's Essays, p. 272). [For a further allusion to Buddha as a pillar of light refer to Manual of Buddhism, p. 180]. P.S.-The Chinese admits of a derivation from Tchûra and Linga, i. e., the "Tchuda mark," as well as from Sûra.

For myself, and with reference to the latter point, I can safely say that my comparisons of the existing Buddhism of Nepaul, with that of Tibet, the Indo-Chinese nations and Ceylon, as reported by our local enquirers, as well as with that of ancient India itself, as evidenced by the sculptures of Gaya, and of the cave temples of Aurungabad, have satisfied me that this faith possesses as much identity of character in all times and places as any other we know, of equal antiquity and diffusion.†

*See the explanation of these sculptures by a Nepaulese Buddhist in the Quarterly Oriental Magazine No. xiv. pp. 218, 222.

+As a proof of the close agreement of the Bauddha systems of different countries, we may take this opportunity of quoting a private letter from Colonel Burney, relative to the 'Burmese Philosopher Prince,' Mekkhara Men, the King of Ava's uncle."

"The prince has been reading with the greatest

P.S.-Whether Rémusat's avenu be understood loosely, as meaning 'come,' or strictly, as signifying come to pass,' it will be equally inadmissible as the interpretation of the word Tathagata; because Tathagata is designed expressly to announce that all reiteration and contingency whatever is barred with respect to the beings so designated. They cannot come; nor can anything come to pass affecting them.*

And if it be objected, that the mere use of the word avenu, in the past tense, does not necessarily imply such reiteration and conditional futurity, I answer that Rémusat clearly meant it to convey these ideas, or what was the sense of calling on me for the successive incarnations of these avenus? It has been suggested to me that absolu, used substantively, implies 'activity. Perhaps so, in Parisian propriety of speech. But I use it merely as opposed to relative with reference to mere mortals; and I trust that the affirmation-there are many absolutes, many infinites, who are nevertheless inactive-may at least be distinctly understood. I have nothing to do with the reasonableness of the tenet so affirmed or stated, being only a reporter. FURTHER REMARKS ON M. REMUSAT'S REVIEW OF BUDDHISM.†

Adverting again to Rémusat's Review in the Journal des Savans for May, 1831, I find myself interest M, Csoma de Körös's different translations from the Tibet scriptures in your journal, and he is most anxious to obtain the loan of some of the many Tibetan works, which the Society is said to possess. He considers many of the Tibetan letters to be the same as the Burmese, particularly the b, m, n, and y. He is particularly anxious to know if the monastery called Zedawuna still exists in Tibet, where, according to Burmese books, Godama dwelt a long time, and with his attendant Ananda planted a bough which he had brought from the great pipal tree, at Buddha-Gaya. The prince is also anxious to know whether the people of Tibet wear their hair as the Burmese do? how they dress, and how their priests dress and live? The city in which the monastery of Zedawuna stood, is called in the Burmese scriptures Thawotthi, and the prince ingeniously fancies, that Tibet must be derived from that word. The Burmese have no s, and always use their soft th, when they meet with that letter in Pali or foreign words-hence probably Thawotthi is from some Sanskrit name Sawot. I enclose a list of countries and cities mentioned in the Burmese writings, as the scene of Godama's adventures, to which if the exact site and present designation of each can be assigned from the Sanskrit or the Tibet authorities, it will confer an important favour on Burmese literati.' It is highly interesting to see the spirit of inquiry stirring in the high places of this hitherto benighted nation. The information desired is already furnished, and as might be expected, the Burmese names prove to be copied through the Prakrit or Pali, directly from the Sanskrit originals, in this respect differing from the Tibetan, which are translations of the same name.

*Avenu signifies quod evenit, contigit, that which hath happened.-(Dictionnaire de Trevoux.) Tathagata; tatha thus (what really is), gata (known, obtained.)-(Wilson's Sans. Dict.)-Ed.

† Printed from the Journal of the Bengal Asiatic Society, No. 33, A. D. 1834.

L

charged with another omission more important than that of all mention of the Avatars. It is no less than the omission of all mention of any other Buddhas than the seven celebrated Mánushis. The passage in which this singular allegation is advanced is the following: "Les noms de ces sept personnages (the 'Sapta Buddha') sont connus des Chinois, et ils en indiquent une infinité d'autres dont le Bouddhiste Nipálien ne parle pas."

My Essay in the London Transactions was the complement and continuation of that in the Calcutta Researches. Rémusat was equally well acquainted with both; and, unless he would have had me indulge in most useless repetition, he must have felt convinced that the points enlarged on in the former essay would be treated cursorily or omitted, in the latter. Why, then, did he not refer to the Calcutta paper for what was wanting in the London one? Unless I greatly deceive myself, I was the first person who shewed clearly, and proved by extracts from original Sanskrit works, that Buddhism recognises 66 une infinité" of Buddhas,Dhyani and Mánushi, Pratyeka, Srávaka, and Mahá Yánika. The sixteenth volume of the Calcutta Transactions was published in 1828. In that volume appeared my first essay, the substance of which had, however, been in the hands of the Secretary nearly three years before it was published.† In that volume I gave an original list of nearly 150 Buddhas (p. 446, 449): I observed that the Buddhas named in the Buddhist scriptures were "as numerous as the grains of sand on the banks of the Ganges;" but that, as most of them were nonentities in regard to chronology and history, the list actually furnished would probably more than suffice to gratify rational curiosity; on which account I suppressed another long list, drawn from the Samadhi Rája, which was then in my hands, (p. 444.) By fixing attention on that cardinal dogma of Sugatism, viz., that man can enlarge his faculties to infinity, I enabled every inquirer to conclude with certainty that the Buddhas had been multiplied ad libitum. By tracing the connexion between the Arhantas and the Bodhisatwas; between the latter again, and the Buddhas of the first, second, and third, degree of eminence and power; I pointed out the distinct steps by which the finite becomes confounded with the infinite,-man with Buddha; and I observed in conclusion that the epithet Tathagata, a synonym of Buddha, expressly pourtrays this transition. (London Transactions, vol. ii. part i.) Facts and dates are awkward opponents except to those, who, with Rémusat's compatriot, dismiss them with a tant pis pour les faits!' For years before I published my first essay, I had been in possession of hundreds of drawings, made from the Buddhist pictures and sculptures with which this land is saturated, and which drawings have not yet been published, owing to the delay incident to procuring authentic explanations of them from original

*The triyána, or three paths to bliss (of three different degrees) suited to the respective capacities of the several followers of this creed, want elucidation. The Mahayana is elsewhere spoken of as the humblest path; some call it the highest.

+According to usage in that matter provided.

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sources. All the gentlemen of the residency can testify to the truth of this assertion; and can tell those who would be wiser for the knowledge, that it is often requisite to walk heedfully over the classic fields of the valley of Nepaul, lest perchance break your shins against an image of a Buddha! These images are to be met with everywhere, and of all sizes and shapes, very many of them endowed with a multiplicity of members sufficient to satisfy the teeming fancy of any Brahman of Madhya Desa! Start not, gentle reader, for it is literally thus, and not otherwise. Buddhas with three heads instead of one-six or ten arms in place of two! The necessity of reconciling these things with the so called first principles of Buddhism,* may reasonably account for delay in the production of my pictorial stores. Meantime, I cannot but smile to find myself condoled with for my poverty when I am really, and have been for ten years, accablé des richesses! One interesting result only have I reached by means of these interminable trifles; and that is, strong presumptive proof that the cave temples of Western India are the work of Buddhists solely, and that the most apparently Brahmanical sculptures of those venerable fanes are, in fact, Buddhist. A hint to this effect I gave so long ago as 1827, in the Quarterly Oriental Magazine, (No. XVI. p. 219;) and can only afford room to remark in this place, that subsequent research had tended strongly to confirm the impressions then derived from my very learned old friend Amrita Nanda. The existence of an infinite number of Buddhas; the existence of the whole Dhyani class of Buddhas; the personality of the Triad; its philosophical and religious meanings; the classification and nomenclature of the (ascetical or true) followers of this creed; the distinction of its various schools of philosophy; the peculiar tenets of each school, faintly but rationally indicated; the connexion of its philosophy with its religion; and, as the result of all these, the means of speaking consistently upon the general subject,† are matters for the knowledge of which, if Rémusat be not wholly indebted to me and my authorities, it is absolutely certain that I am wholly unindebted to him and his; for till he sent me his essay on the Triad, I had never seen one line of his, or any other continental writer's, lucubrations on Buddhism.

I have ventured to advance above that in the opinion of a learned friend, the Chinese and Mongolian works on Buddhism, from which the continental savans have drawn the information they possess on that topic, are not per se adequate to supply any very intelligible views of the general subject.

As this is an assertion which it may seem desirable to support by proof, allow me to propose the following. Rémusat observes, that a work of the

first order gives the subjoined sketch of the Buddhist cosmogony. "Tous les êtres etant contenus dans la tres pure substance de la pensée, une idée surgit inopinement et produisit la fausse lumière; Quand la fausse lumière fut née, le vide et l'obscurité s'imposèrent reciproquement des limites. Les formes qui en resultèrent étant indeterminées, il y eut agitation et mouvement. De là naquit le tourbillon de vent qui contient les mondes. L'intelligence lumineuse étoit le principe de solidité, d'ou naquit la roue d'or qui soutient et protège la terre. Le contact mutuel du vent et du metal produit le feu et la lumière, qui sont les principes des changemens et des modifications. La lumière précieuse engendre la liquidité qui bouillonne à la surface de la lumière ignée, d'ou provient le tourbillon d'eau qui embrasse les mondes de toute part."

Now I ask, is there a man living, not familiar with the subject, who can extract a particle of sense from the above passage? And are not such passages, produced in illustration of a novel theme, the veriest obscurations thereof? But let us see what can be made of the enigma. This apércu cosmogonique of the Lang-yen-king, is, in fact, a description of the procession of the five elements, one from another, and ultimately from Prajná, the universal material principle, very nearly akin to the Pradhana of the Kapila Sánkhya. This universal principle has two modes or states of being, one of which is the proper, absolute, and enduring mode; the other, the contingent, relative, and transitory. These modes are termed respectively Nirvritti and Pravritti.

The former is abstraction from all effects, or quiescence the latter is concretion with all effects, or activity. When the intrinsic energy of matter is exerted, effects exist; when that energy relapses into repose, they exist not. All worlds and beings composing the versatile universe are cumulative effects; and though the so-called elements composing them be evolved and revolved in a given manner, one from and to another, and though each be distinguished by a given property or properties, the distinctions, as well as the orderly evolution and revolution, are mere results of the gradually increasing and decreasing energy of nature in a state of activity. Upaya, or 'the expedient,' is the name of this energy;-increase of it is increase of phenomenal properties;-decrease of it is decrease of

*See Bailly's History of Asia, pp. 114, 118, 124, 187, of vol. i; also pp. 130, 187. Wondrous concord of ideas! Also Goguet, 1. 170.

Causes and effects, quoad the versatile world, cannot be truly alleged to exist. There is merely customary conjunction, and certain limited effects of proximity in the precedent and subsequent, by virtue of the one true and universal cause, viz, Prajná, With the primitive Swabhávikas cause is not unitised: for the rest, their tenets are very much the same with those above explained in the text; only their conclusions incline rather to scepticism than dogmatism. It may also perhaps be doubted whether with the latter school, phænomena are unreal as well as homogeneous. In the text, I would be understood to state the tenets of the Prajnikas only.

phænomenal properties. All phænomena are homogeneous and alike unreal; gravity and extended figure, no less so than colour and sound. Extension in the abstract is not a phænomenon, nor does it belong properly to the versatile world. The productive energy begins at a minimum of intensity, and increasing to a maximum, thence decreases again to a minimum. Hence ákása, the first product, has but one quality or property; air, the second, has two; fire, the third, has three; water, the fourth, has four; and earth, the fifth, has five.*

These elements are evolved uniformly one from another in the above manner, and are revolved uniformly in the inverse order.

Súnyatá, or the total abstraction of phænomenal properties, is the result of the total suspension of nature's activity. It is the ubi, and the modus, of the universal material principle in its proper and enduring state of nirvritti, or of rest. It is not nothingness, except with the sceptical few. The opposite of Súnyatá is Avidya, which is the mandane affection of the universal principle, or the universal principle in a state of activity, that is, of pravritti. Avidyá is also the result of this disposition to activity; in other words it represents phanomenal entities, or the sum of phænomena, which are regarded as wholly unreal, and hence their existence is ascribed ignorance or Avidyá. Now, if we revert to the extract from the Lang-yenking, and remember that la pensée,† l'intelligence luminense,† and la lumière precieuse,† refer alike to Prajná, the material principle of all things, (which is personified as a goddess by the religionists,) we shall find nothing left to impede a distinct notion of the author's meaning, beyond some metaphorical flourishes analogous to that variety of descriptive epithets by which he has characterised the one universal principle. Tourbillon de vent, and tourbillon d'eau are the elements of air and of water, respectively; and le principe de solidité is the element of earth.

"Tous les êtres etant contenus dans la pure substance de Prajná une idée surgit inopinement et produisit la fausse lumière:"-that is, the universal material principle, or goddess Prajná, whilst existing in its, or her, true and proper state of abstraction and repose, was snddenly disposed to activity, or impressed with delusive mundane affection (Avidya.) "Quand la fausse lumière fut née, le vide et l'obscurité s'imposèrent réciproquement des limites." The result of this errant disposition to activity, or this mundane affection, was that the universal void was limited by the coming into being of the first element, or ákása, which, as the primary modification of Súnyatá (space), has scarcely any sensible properties. Such is the mean

*There is always cumulation of properties, but the number assigned to each element is variously stated.

+ Prajná is literally the supreme wisdom, videlicet, of nature. Light and flame are types of this universal principle, in a state of activity. Nothing but extreme confusion can result from translating these terms au pied de la lettre, and without reference to their technical signification. That alone supremely governs both the literal and metaphorical sense of words.