CEYLON BRANCH- KoYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY". 31 



and Bramins are Sassata W&da and affirm that the soul and 

 the world are of eternal duration. 



Secondly, upon what principle, or for what reason, do 

 some Samanas and Bramins hold the eternity of existences, 

 and affirm that the soul and the world are of eternal du- 

 ration. 



Here, Priests, a Samana or Bramin subjects his passions, 

 and is constant and persevering in the practice of virtue ; 

 he by profound and correct meditation attains that mental 

 tranquillity by which he retraces many former states of 

 existence, that is during one revolution of a kalpa, (a) two 

 revolutions of a kalpa, three revolutions of a kalpa, four 

 revolutions of a kalpa, five revolutions of a kalpa, ten re- 

 volutions of a kalpa. He remembers, I lived in such a place, 

 had such a name, was of such a family, had such an ap- 

 pearance, had such a maintenance, and experienced such 

 and such joys and sorrows ; at the termination of my life I 

 departed thence and was born in such a place : there also 

 I had such a name, was of such a family, had such an ap- 

 pearance, had such a maintenance, and experienced such 

 and such joys and sorrows ; at the termination of my life 

 I departed thence and was born here. In this way and 

 manner he retraces various previous states of existence and 

 says, The soul and the world are eternal ; there is no newly 

 existing substance, but they remain as a mountain peak 

 unshaken, imperishable. Living beings pass away, they 

 transmigrate ; they die, they are born, but they continue 

 as being eternal. How does this appear ? I have subjected 

 my passions, and being constant and persevering in the 

 practice of virtue I have by profound and correct medi- 

 tation attained that state of mental tranquillity by which 

 I recollect various former states of existence ; that is, du- 

 ring one revolution of a kalpa, two revolutions of a kalpa, 

 three revolutions of a kalpa, four revolutions of a kalpa, five 



(a) 53o8£0o §8£0o sanwattan wiwattan The former ts<>€)§Q 

 sanwatta includes the dissolution of the system by which the 

 hells, the earth, the 6 heavens, and the three lowest of the 

 Brahma worlds are reduced to a chaotic mass : the last destruc- 

 tion was by water ; the next, Budha has declared in one of his 

 discourses, will be by fire : for 7 suns will appear and the world 

 will be reduced to one impalpable powder. After a long period 

 the universe revives and gradually becomes fit for living beings, 

 from the period of reviviscence till the moment of dissolution is 

 ©©8©«5o wiwattakan, the two e8o8©0S8D© o form a complete 

 revolution of a kalpa. 



