[1. In the Sutra of the Great Decease we find the instance of a woman reaching this condition:--"The Sister Nanda, O Ananda, by the destruction of the five bonds that bind people to this world, has become an inhabitant of the highest heaven,--there to pass entirely away,--thence never to return."]

(except in very rare cases) as an advance in straight lines, but as an advance by undulations,--a psychical rhythm of motion. This is exemplified by the curious Buddhist classification of the different short courses by which the Kwan or revenants may hope to reach Nirvana. These short courses are divided into Even and Uneven;--the former includes an equal number of heavenly and of earthly rebirths; while in the latter class the heavenly and the earthly intermediate rebirths are not equal in number. There are four kinds of these intermediate stages. A Japanese friend has drawn for me the accompanying diagrams, which explain the subject clearly.

Fantastic this may be called; but it harmonizes with the truth that all progress is necessarily rhythmical.

Though all beings do not pass through every stage of the great journey, all beings who attain to the highest enlightenment, by any course whatever, acquire certain faculties not belonging to particular conditions of birth, but only to particular conditions of psychical development. These are, the Roku-Jindzu

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(Abhidjna), or Six Supernatural Powers:[1]--(1) Shin-Kyo-Tsu, the power of passing any-whither through any obstacles,--through solid walls, for example;--(2), Tengen-Tsu, the power of infinite vision;--(3) Tenni-Tsu, the power of infinite hearing;--(4) Tashin-Tsu, the power of knowing the thoughts of all other beings;--(5) Shuku-ju-Tsu, the power of remembering former births;--(6) Rojin-Tsu, infinite wisdom with the power of entering at will into Nirvana. The Roku-jindzu first begin to develop in the state of Shomon (Sravaka), and expand in the higher conditions of Engaku (Pratyeka-Buddha) and of Bosatsu (Bodhisattva or Mahasattva). The powers of the Shomon may be exerted over two thousand worlds; those of the Engaku or Bosatsu, over three thousand;--but the powers of Buddhahood extend over the total cosmos. In the

[1. Different Buddhist systems give different enumerations of these mysterious powers whereof the Chinese names literally signify:--(1) Calm--Meditation-outward-pouring-no-obstacle-wisdom;--(2) Heaven-Eye-no-obstacle-wisdom;--(3) Heaven-Ear-no-obstacle-wisdom;--(4) Other-minds-no-obstacle-wisdom;--(5) Former-States-no-obstacle-wisdom;--(6) Leak-Extinction-no-obstacle-wisdom.]