70 Babu S. C. Das — Note on the Paradise [ApkiI/, 



if not actually caused by it. It has lately been found tbat electro- 

 cbemical reactions have explained many obscure points in ordinary 

 chemistry, and it seems likely therefore that further investigation of 

 photographic action by the light of the most recent electro-chemical 

 theories would also throw light on much that is now obscure and 

 uncertain as regards the formation and development of the invisible 

 photographic image. Prof. Meldola in his " Chemistry of Photography " 

 notes these micro- electrical phenomena in photography as subjects 

 for further investigation, and I hope these experiments may prove a 

 useful contribution to the investigation. 



Babu Sarat Chandra Das exhibited and read a short note on a 

 drawing of the Paradise of the Northern Buddhists called De-wa-chan 

 in Tibetan and " Sukhavati " in Sanskrit. (With a plate). 



A Short note on the Paradise of the Northern Buddhists. 



The inscription on the top of this Tibetan drawing of " Sakhavati " 

 the paradise of the northern Buddhists is, in the rectangular form of the 

 Sanskrit character of the 6th — 7th century A. D. Transliterated into 

 Roman character, it stands thus : — 



Sukhavati M sin hkod tshe phyi ma/ii 

 *ifthon var byecZ-pa shes bya-va. 



" The desigu of Sukhavati world called * the prospective of future 

 existence.' " 



This imaginary world, believed by the Buddhists of the Mahayana 

 school to be a reality, lies far to the west beyond numberless worlds. 

 In physical aspect, general character &c., it is said to resemble this 

 world of ours, but the great law of procreation which is the prime cause 

 of all that have life in this world does not prevail in Sukhavati. 

 There all living beings are born, not from the effect of their former 

 deeds, but in consequence of their moral merits and prayers. A pious 

 Buddhist of this world prays, for being born into Sukhavati. When at 

 the time of his death he sees, the Buddha and his sainted followers 

 either in sleep or in wakeful dreams, he is sure to be born in Sukhavati. 

 His soul instantaneously travels many millions of miles westward and 

 enters a lotus blossom which serves him for a womb. In course of time 

 he grows out of the lotus flower and develops into a full grown man. 

 He is found endowed with the power of comprehension, meditation 

 and foreknowledge, and is soon able to work miracles. Women 



* The italics are silent. 



