16 



CEYLON BRANCH— ROYAL ASTATIC SOCIETY. 



nal serenity, and a mind concentrated in itself, I enjoyed the 

 pleasures of the Second Jhana, produced by the tranquillity 

 which is undisturbed by enquiry or investigation. 



" Free from the disturbances of pleasure, contented, 

 thoughtful and wise, and possessed of health of body, I ex- 

 perienced the happiness of the Third Jhana, called by holy 

 sages the happy state of thoughtful contentment. 



" Free from the emotions of joy or sorrow, previous exul- 

 tation and depression being annihilated, I lived with a con- 

 tented mind, unmoved either by pleasure or pain, and being 

 perfectly holy, attained to the Fourth Jhana. 



(S Being thus mentally tranquil, pure and holy, free from 

 passion or pollution, serene, and competent to the effort, I 

 addressed my mind to the recollection of former stages of 

 existence. I remembered these states of previous being 

 from one birth up to those experienced during many revolu- 

 tions of kalpas, and recalled to mind the place where I 

 resided, the name I bore, my race and family, my circum- 

 stances, personal appearance, enjoyments and sufferings, and 

 the duration of life, at the conclusion of which I ceased to 

 live there and was born in another place, until I was born in 

 this world. Thus I recalled to mind former states of existence, 

 with their circumstances and causes. Thus Bramin, during 

 the first watch of the night, ignorance passed away and 

 knowledge was obtained ; darkness was dispersed and the 

 light shone forth ; and by my persevering and holy exertion, 

 like the first hatched chicken, I first chipped the shell of 

 ignorance. 



" Being thus mentally tranquil, pure and holy, free from 

 the pollution of the passions, serene and competent to the 

 effort, I addressed myself to the consideration of the birth 

 and death of intelligent beings, and with a clear and godiike 

 vision, transcending that of men, I looked upon beings, dying 

 and beino* born, whether noble or base, beautiful or deformed, 



