16

one place, wJiere * they experience no dispersion,
although the conformation of the body rnay be dis-
joined; whether in the producing of a mineral, a
vegetable, an animal, or a man.*' They do not
agree upon the existence of a rational unsubstan-
tial soul. They know of no heaven without the
elements, and believe the necessary original prin-
ciple to be a point of earth. Instead of Bismilla
hirrehma nirrehim, " in the name of the bountiful
and merciful God," they write " Istedin ba ne fseg
t6 illazi la illah M, " I assist myself of thy essence
which alone is God ;" and instead of Idysa kamsil-
lah shay a, " nothing is like it;" they say Ana merkeb
almabin, " I am the vehicle of him who explains tbe
64 truth,"

SECTION III.—UPON SOME OF THE SAYINGS OF VA'HED.
—TheMzdn, " balance," is a book which Vahed
composed with many others; it is distinguished by
the word naskh and c< treatise;" and each naskh and

1 In the translation of this obscure passage between the two asterisks
(edit, of Calcutta, p 375, 1. 17, 18) I followed the manuscript of Oude,
which reads a little differently: s>*