e of the forces which move
the universe. He held that there are four stages of being: primaeval
being, the ideal world, the soul and phenomena. This, if not exactly
parallel to anything in Indian philosophy, is similar in idea to the
evolutionary theories of the Sankhya and the phases of conditioned
spirit taught by many Vishnuite sects.

For Plotinus neither moral good nor evil is ultimate: the highest
principle, like Brahman, transcends both and is beyond good [Greek:
uperagathon]. The highest morality is a morality of inaction and
detachment: fasting and abstinence from pleasure are good and so is
meditation, but happiness comes in the form of ecstasy and union with
God. In human life such union cannot be permanent, though while the
ecstasy lasts it affords a resting place on the weary journey, but
after death it can be permanent: the divine within us can then return
to the universal divine. In these ideas there is the real spirit of
India.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 1102: See Scott Moncrieff, _Paganism and Christianity in
Egypt_, p. 199. Petrie, _Personal Religion in Egypt_, p. 62. But for a
contrary view see Preuschen, _Monchtum und Serapiskult_, 1903.]

[Footnote 1103: Flinders Petrie, _Man_, 1908, p. 129.]

[Footnote 1104: _J.R.A.S._ 1898, p. 875.]

[Footnote 1105: Hultzsch, _Hermas_, xxxix. p. 307, and _J.R.A.S._
1904, p. 399.]

[Footnote 1106: Nicolaus Damascenus, quoted by Strabo, xv. 73. See
also Dion Caasius, ix. 58, who calls the Indian Zarmaros.
Zarmanochegas perhaps contains the two words Sramana and Acarya.]

[Footnote 1107: _See J.R.A.S._ 1907, p. 968.]

[Footnote 1108: See Vincent Smith, _Early History of India_, edition
III. p. 147. The original source of the anecdote is Hegesandros in
Athenaeus, 14. 652.]

[Footnote 1109: See Flinders Petrie, _Personal Religion in Egypt
before Christianity_, 1909.]

[Footnote 1110: As I have pointed out elsewhere there is little real
analogy between the ideas of Logos and Sabda.]

[Footnote 1111: [Greek: _Kuklou d' exeptan bathupentheos argaleoio._]
From the tablet found at Compagno. Cf. Proclus in Plat. _Tim._ V. 330,
[Greek: _hes kai hoi par' Orphei to Dionuso kai te kore teloumenoi
tuchein euchontai Kuklou t' au lexai kai anapneusai kakotetos_]. See
J.E. Harrison, _Proleg. to the study of Greek Religion_, 1908, chap.
XI. and appendix.]

[Footnote 1112: Burnet, _Early Greek Philosophy_, p. 94, says that it
first occurs in the Busiris of Isocrates and