ALLUSIONS IN SACRED BOOKS OF THE EAST. 



207 



third heaven the astronomical interest begins, for Enoch was 

 brought there and 



" I looked below and I saw gardens such as has never been 

 known for goodliness . . . and in the midst the tree of life in that 

 place, on which God rests, when He comes into Paradise . . . 

 From its root in the garden, in the going out towards earth, 

 Paradise is between corruptibility and incorruptibility. There go 

 forth two streams which pour honey and milk, oil and wine, and 

 are separated in four directions, and go about with a soft course. 

 And they go down to the Paradise of Eden between corruptibility 

 and incorruptibility. And thence they go along the earth and 

 have a revolution in their circle like also the other elements." 



So reads A ; B omits some of the details, and for " two 

 streams " reads " four."* It is evident from this passage that 

 the " third heaven " and the Garden of Eden have an intimate 

 geographical relationship to each other, something like that 

 between the heavenly Iran-Ye^ of the Iranians and the 

 Enclosure of Yim. A similar, but not the same, relationship, 

 for B recollected — though perhaps A did not — that the Garden 

 lav u eastward in Eden," and in Chapter XLII, B inserts, though 

 A omits : — 



" I went out to the East, to the Paradise of Eden, where rest has 

 been prepared for the just, and it is open to the third heaven, and 

 shut from this world. And guards are placed at the very great gates 

 of the East of the Sun, i.e., fiery angels, singing triumphant songs that 

 never cease rejoicing in the presence of the just. At the last 

 coming they will lead forth Adam with our forefathers, and conduct 

 them there." 



It is evident that B considered that Adam and the fore- 

 fathers were remaining in the third heaven until " the last 

 coming," when they will be conducted to Eden, " where rest has 

 been prepared for the just." 



The further description of the " third heaven " removes any 

 doubt that it was indeed the Iranian conception of heaven, hell 

 and paradise that inspired the author of the " Secrets," and not 



* Not only does A omit any reference to the Garden of Eden being in 

 the East, but it gives two streams, not four, as in the Bundahis XX : 

 " 1. On the nature of rivers it says in revelation that these two rivers 

 "flow forth from the north, part from A lbure and part from Alburn of 

 Anharmazd ... 4. Both of them continually circulate through the two 

 extremities of the earth, and ?pass into the sea ; and all the regions feast 

 owing to the discharge (mhak)." 



