THE WHEEL OF LIFE. 271 



As existence here is rather miserable, although it is above 

 maukind, only the proud and envious are re-born here, but re-birth 

 from this region mostly occurs in hell owing to the wicked life led 

 during existence here. 



III. Manldnd. — The atmosphere of this region is blue or colour- 

 less. It shows the miseries of human existence which have to be 

 endured by all alike, from prince to jiauper : family troubles, striving 

 after wealth, position, or necessaries of life, &c., &c. 



The following phases of life are depicted amongst others : — 



1. Birth. 



2. Old «^(?. —Decrepit old man and woman hobbling along. 



3. Disease. — Sick man, with doctor feeling his pulse, or sick 



attempting to diink. 



4. Death. — A dying man surrounded by weeping relatives, 



with a lama doing worship near his head, and 

 another monk ascertaining whether the breathing 

 has ceased. Another scene depicts the dead body 

 being carried oS, j^recedod by a lama, who carries 

 the end of a scarf affixed to the corpse, and in 

 the lama's hand are a damaru (hand-drum) and a 

 thigh-bone trumpet, while in the distance is the 

 funereal pjTe to cremate the body. 



Other scenes illustrate worldly pleasure and business. A man 

 sitting under a tree in front of his house, drinking tea or wine, and 

 children at play, and hills in the distance. Traders bargaining, also 

 a drunken man, a borrower, and a criminal being punished for crimes. 



IV. The Beasts. — The atmosphere of this region is darker, but it 

 has hills and trees and also some men, as it is merely a different aspect 

 of the human world. Ruskin says "the fish is freer than the man ;" 

 but the lilmas think otherwise. They class all aquatic animals as 

 " the Bonded Animals," and only terrestrial and flying animals are 

 " The free." Hence the animal region is divided into an aquatic and 

 a land-section, each peopled by characteristic animals. This is a state 

 of greater misery than the human, as the animals prey on one another, 

 and man also kills many of the animals and uses others as beasts of 

 burden or for other utilitarian purposes. 



The picture shows land animals of various kinds, some devouring 

 others, and some human hunters killing game animals. In the water 

 are fish and a variety of animals, also preying on one another. 



V. The Yldags or Tantalized Ghosts. — The atmosphere of this region 

 is also darkish. This is the special place of those who on earth were 

 miserly, envious, and uncharitable. They have jewels and food and 

 drink in plenty, but cannot enjoy them, and are always gnawed by 

 hunger and thirst, as they are given huge bodies with microscopical 



