Before this ultimate state can be obtained, however, there are many intermediate stages to be passed, extending in a continued chain of being from the lowest hell(nigódam), from which there is no redemption, to the highest heaven/aham-indra-lócam), attainable only by those who are destined to the exalted state of Arhah. In each of these stages beings are subjected to the defects enumerated in a greater or less degree and to the different species of them according to their kind: thus demons and those punished in the various hells are liable to them all, or are released from the effect of some only to increase their torments; vegetables and animals with imperfect organs are afflicted by them in a greater degree, animals with perfect organs and man in a less; the well instructed Saman en, if he persevere in virtue, must soon be released from them and the holy Digambara, on quitting the world, is divested of the whole, clothed in perfection and assured of final beatitude.

This state (mócsham) is attainable by the human race only and by none other, not even by the Deities, who to obtain it must again submit to human birth. Those who have attained to this state are no longer subject to the laws of nature, or, to express it more appropriately, are no longer liable to natural imperfection; no change, therefore, can affect them, no evil reach them, no sin stain them, they rest in perfect equality and infinite happiness They are not merely equal, they are the same, as they constitute but one essence and that essence is God. But of those who have reached this final stage of existence there is a certain number, who, though not really differing, are more eminently distinguish than the rest: these are the Jina or Tírt baca, who revealed to mankind the sacred books on which the religious belief and practice of the Jainas is founded, namely the Prathamánu-yógam, Caranánu-yógam, Charunánu-yógam, Dravyánu-yogam, which, though differing totally from the other writings known by that name, the Rich, Yejush &c, are also called the four Védas. The Tírt,haca successively descended from the highest heaven to the earth, were born in a human forin and, having fulfilled the purposes for which they appeared, attained the state of final beatitude and jointly constitute the deity to whom the worship of the Jainas is addressed, known, as already stated, by the common name of the Arugen or Arhah and by a variety of others of Tamil and Sanscrit origin detailed in the several dictionaries. This worship is solely prompted by gratitude; for no further benefit can be expected from the Tirth aca, who in the enjoyment of ineffable bliss concern themselves no longer with the affairs of the world. No outward worship is ever addressed by the Jainas to the Supreme Being, who being immutable cannot be affected by human prayer or praise; the capacity for ultimate perfection and eternal beatitude is

indred acquired by meditating on him, but that beatitude is obtained by the acts of the devotee, not vouchsafed by the grace of the Deity.

The attributes, as stated in the Védas differ, in terms and arrangement at least, from those deduced from the A'gamas. Two enumerations are commonly referred to; one is found in the Dahara-vidya-pracaran'a, a chapter of the ehandógya an Upanishat of the Sáma-véda, and is called gunásh'tacam the eight attributes, and another in the Mantra-sástra, an abstract of part of the At harvana-véda, this is named the gunashat'cam the six attributes. The termination twam, answering to the English ness and used to form abstract nouns, is generally added to the Sanscrit terms employed to express the attributes; it is omitted, however, in the first series, as the use of appellatives will render the explanation more intelligible. The attributes of the gunáshť acam are thus stated. First, Fd 21 20 52a 2 apahata-pápma from It 21209 apahanti to destroy totally and 214210 pápum sin,—The Exterpator of sin. Secondly, servacárana, from 202 serva all and cárana a cause,―The universal cause. Thirdly, 22" 2♬ serva-vyápaca, from 22 serva and 22 vyapaca he who pervades,-He who pervadeth all. Fourthly 2002idwa? & serva-niyámaca from 202) serva and Aur? ± niyamaca he who fixes, appoints,-He who establisheth all. Fifthly, $) nitya eternal,—The Eternal. Sixthly, ?wn acrïtrima-dayálu from a privative, 4 critrima a peculiar derivation from 7 crï do, act, meaning that which is produced by some act, and ur dayálu he who shews favor; the whole compound, therefore signifies,-He who sheweth mercy without regarding the acts of those to whom it is vouchsafed, 21# 21) prápya; the meaning of the term 20 is explained by the words 250 Guy that which is worthy to be obtained,-He who ought to bẹ

க

т

obtained. 22 prépaca; this word, of the same derivation as the foregoing, denotes the agent or cause and signifies,-He who causes the obtainment of beatitude. The two last attributes are founded on the peculiar tenets of the Adwaita, or Védànta, schools, which declare absorption into the essence of the Godhead to be the state of final and immutable beatitude; the Deity is consequently, both prápya, the object which all should be desirous to obtain and prapaca the agent, by the operation of whose grace, independently of the works of the law, that object is obtained.

The attributes comprized under the common term gunaskat cam are-first, 20 221 Cor 10 serva-jnyánatwam, Omniscience: secondly, a 220F வளூர்

bodh

Oserva-swatantratwam, Omnipotence; the two last members of the compound 2 own and so free-will signify literally independence: thirdly, நிதது உத்தவnilya-triptatwam, eternal Felicity : fourthly, ௯ கதஐ @த alucta-balatwam infinite Power : fifthly, சுநாறிஜொயதOanddihatwam Knowledge without beginning : sixthly, Susoதரி3 உதவ ananta-rupatwam, lit. form without end, Omnipresence. These are, also, called "sacti-shat eam the six powers, but they must not be confounded with the sia dhi above mentioned, from which they differ in meaning and application, as they are the incommunicable attributes of the living God; of him who is the ultimate object of all worship and of whose various energies every name the human imagination has deified is but the type. These Attributes, as they agree in number, so they will be found to vary but little in meaning from those which . follow.

Vira-mamuni, by which title the R. C. J. Beschi is best known as a Tamil author,in the 27th book, ஞாபகப்படலம, f his epic poem the Tembávan'i, commencing with the 156 and ending with the 163 verse, introduces Joseph the husband of Mary explaining the attributes of the Deity of these I shall quote only the two first, as the remaining six contain merely the separate illustration of each attribute, of which a shorter and, therefore, more perspicuous explanation will be given from another work. To each verse of this poem the author has added a prosaic gloss, frequently expanding into a comment, from which, as affording a fuller view of the subject than the text, the translation is made.

றில் நனமைநிறைவுமோர்குறை முற்றினமையுந்தொழத்தகுந்தெய்வ மாறில்வியல் பேவேரிதாயக்கிவாத்துவரும் பலசிவனயென நூலோர் ஆறிலக்கணங்களுரைத்தவையுள்ளோனணடதையில்லைனென்றார் றில்சுடரைமைவரிந்தனை சாற்றுதும் புன்சொலாலவையே

தா

ம

மட்டின்றியெல்லா நன்மைநிறைவு மெல்லாக்குறை யின்மையுமென றிவவிரணடேயெவரும் வணங்கத்தகு மெயக்கடவுட்குரிய மாறாதகுணம தாமே இதுவோர்கக்கொண்டு கிவரைத்தபலகொம்புகளின்றன்மையாகிக் குணத்தை விரித்து நூலோர்மெய்யான தேவனையறிவதறகாறிலக்கணங்க ஊளைச்சொல்லியவையெலாமுடை யோன்றெவனேயென்றாரவற்றுளொன

னுங் குறைந்தெல்லாவற்றையுமில்லாதவனறேவனல்ல வென்றார். ற்போல் நானுமெ ன்புன்சொல்லாலத்தேவாறிலக்கணங்களைச்சொல்லிக்காட்டுவேனென்றா

ஆகையால்ளவிறந்தகதிருளசூரியவனமையாலெழு

னசூசையெனக்

தன்வயத்தாதன் முதகிலனாதல் தகுமபொறியுருவிலனாதல் மனவயதடுதலலநல்முளனாதல்வயினமுறாறுமவியாபகனாதல் பின்வயத்தின் றியொருங்குடன்வனைத்தும் பிறப்பித்த காரணனாதல் பொன்வயத்தோளர் வானமுதல்ெலாவுலகும் போற்றுமெய்யிறைமையி னிலயே

ம

தன்னாலாதலுந்துடகக யினறியாதலுமைம்பொறிக்குரியவுருவிலனாத நிலைபெற்றசகலநன்மையுளனாதலுமெங்கும் வியாபகாதலுந் தவன யல்லாதோருதவியின் றியெல்லாவற்றையுமொருங்குடன் படைத்தவாதி காரணனாதலு மெனறிவ்வாறிலக்கணங்கள் பொன்னொளிர் வானுல் லெவ்வுலகும் வணங்கத்தகுமெய்க் கடவுளின் றெவதததுவமிதேயென்ற

ன்னக

முத

Infinite goodness extending to all and the absolute deprivation of all defeet, these two are the appropriate and unvarying attributes of the true God,. worthy to be adored by all. From this root the six attributes by which the wise have endeavoured to convey a knowledge of the true God have arisen like branches; they say that he who possesses all these is God, but that he who is deficient in one must, also, be deficient in the rest and, consequently, not God. Therefore, said Joseph, even as they attempt to depict in ink the sun with unnumbered beams, will I in language all inadequate endeavour to explain the six attributes of the Deity.

Existing by himself; existing without beginning; existing independently of the organs of sense; being possessed of everlasting and universal goodness; pervading all space; being the first cause by which all things were created at once and without assistance :-these six attributes describe the divine nature of the true God, worthy to be adored in the heavens, shining like gold, and in all worlds.

These six attributes, expressed in the same terms, are, also, found under the word குணம -சு in the Togei-yagaradi or third division of Vira-māmuni’s Sadur-ágarádi, or dictionary of the high Tamil in four, parts, and they are, also, enumerated in the commentary on the following couplet, which contains the invocation prefixed to the Part treating on prosody in his Grammar of the high Tamil, entitled Tonnùl-vilaccam.

யாப்புற நலமெலாமிவிணைந்தவோர் சடகுணன

காப்புறவடி தொழீ இக்காட்டுது மயாப்பே

Having, to obtain his aid, worshipped the feet of the only God, who united with all good, possesseth the six attributes, I proceed to explain the rules of Prosody.

These terms, however, are not in common use in the service of the Catholic church though they are known to all Christian natives conversant with the writings of Vira-mamuni: I add, therefore, an explanation of each in the words by which these attributes are more generally expressed. First, தனவயத்தாதல் is explained by the words சறுவெசுவரன தானாயிருக்கிறா he is of himself the Lord of all ; secondly, முதகிலனாதல் - அனாதியாயிருக்கிறாt he is Eternal; thirdly, உடமபிலனாதல் - சரீரமில்லாமகிருக்கிறார he is Immaterial ; fourthly, எல்லாநலமுளனாதல் - அளவில்லாதசகல நனமைச்சுருபியாயிருக கிற.he manifest himself in everlasting and universal goodness ; fifthly, எங கும் வியாபகனாதல் - எங்குமவியாபித்திருக்கிறார் he perradeth all space; sixthly, எவற்றிறகுங்காரணனாதல். றகுங்காரணனாதல் - எல்லாவற்றிறகுமாதிகாரணமாயி ககி he is the First-Cause of ull. The first of these attributes is expressed by the same term as the first of those taken from the A'gamas, and it agrees with the third of those from the Sulàmani Nigan'du, with the fourth of the series from the Sama, and the second of that from the Atharvana-véda. In like manner each of the remaining five, though not in all, will be found in one of the preceding series. Thus the second, not found in the series from the Agamas, is the same as the sixth of that of the Jaina sect and the fifth of the gunáshtacam. and gunashaticam.

றார்

ரு

The terms used by Beschi are Tamil and, as is evident, are partly borrowed from those in use among the Hindus; the explanation of them, in which the principal terms are of Sanscrit derivation, is taken from the Mantra-málei, containing the principal part of the liturgy of the Catholic church composed by Tatwa-bod,haca-swami, the R. Robertus Nobili. This writer has, also, given an elaborate disquisition on the attributes in his work entitled Jnyánaupadésam extending from the beginning of the third to nearly the end of the seventh lecture (பாடம்) of the first book (முநதினகாண்டம). Although the style of this work does not entitle it to rank among compositions in the superior dialect of the Tamil, the following extracts are so immediately connected with the present subject and afford such lively specimens of the peculiar spirit of this Indo-European writer, and of the felicity and precision with which he has rendered into Tamil the phraseology of the schools, that they cannot fail to be acceptable both to the Tamil and English reader. The first passage forms the concluding paragraph of the third lecture and contains the exposition of the third attribute, the immateriality of the Deity; the second is an abridgement, preserving the words of the author, of the fourth lecture on the fourth attribute, or the goodness of the Deity.

சுறுவேசுவான

ல்

தானாயிருக்கிறாரென்றுமெப்போதுமிருக்கிறாரென்று மங்கீகரித்தோமானால் நமக்குச் சரீாமிருக்கிறதுபோலே யவருக்குச் சரீரமு சொல்லக்கூடாது - அதேனென றால் மட்டோடே கூடியி

ண