LANMAN TELLS OF BRAHMAN DOCTRINE OF TRANSMIGRATION

Professor C. R. Lanman, Wales Professor of Sanskrit and Editor of the Harvard Oriental Series, lectured yesterday afternoon to a large audience in the Peabody Hall of Phillips Brooks House on Brahmanism and Brahman literature.

After quoting many examples of Sanskrit poetical literature, Professor Lanman described how the life of a Brahman is divided into four phases: first, the "Walk with God" or life as a student; second, the support of a family; third, the life of a forest hermit; fourth, the renunciation of the World. Karma (meaning "deed") was defined as inherited tendency, derived from some former existence, and Transmigration, as viewed by Brahman philosophy, was described as birth after birth until the Karma becomes sterile and unable to reproduce. In each successive existence, the bodily form has a relation to the previous existence; for instance, a man who steals grain will be reborn a mouse, which also steals grain.

At the close of the lecture, Professor Lanman answered many interesting questions submitted by members of the audience.