essor Tyndall in his excellent papers on what he calls the "Germ
Theory," comes to the following conclusions as the result of a series of
well-planned experiments:--Even in a very small volume of space there
are myriads of protoplasmic germs floating in ether. If, for instance,
say water (clear water) is exposed to them, and if they fall into it,
some form of life or other will be evolved out of them. Now, what are
the agencies for the bringing of this life into existence? Evidently--

I. The water, which is the field, so to say, for the growth
of life.

II. The protoplasmic germ, out of which life or a living organism
is to be evolved or developed. And lastly--

III. The power, energy, force, or tendency which springs into activity
at the touch or combination of the protoplasmic germ and the water, and
which evolves or develops life and its natural attributes.

Similarly, there are three primary causes which bring the human being
into existence. I shall call them, for the purpose of discussion, by
the following names

(1) Parabrahmam, the Universal Spirit.

(2) Sakti, the crown of the astral light, combining in itself all the
powers of Nature.

(3) Prakriti, which in its original or primary shape is represented by
Akasa. (Really every form of matter is finally reducible to Akasa.)*

It is ordinarily stated that Prakriti or Akasa is the Kshetram, or the
basis which corresponds to water in the example we have taken Brahmam
the germ, and Sakti, the power or energy that comes into existence at
their union or contact.**

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* The Tibetan esoteric Buddhist doctrine teaches that Prakriti is cosmic
matter, out of which all visible forms are produced; and Akasa, that
same cosmic matter, but still more subjective--its spirit, as it were.
Prakriti being the body or substance, and Akasa Sakti its soul or
energy.

** Or, in other words, "Prakriti, Swabhavat, or Akasa, is SPACE, as the
Tibetans have it; Space filled with whatsoever substance or no
substance at all--i.e., with substance so imperceptible as to be only
metaphysically conceivable. Brahman, then, would be the germ thrown
into the soil of that field, and Sakti, that mysterious energy or force
which develops it, and which is called by the Buddhist Arahat of Tibet,
FOHAT. That which we call form (rupa) is not different from that which
we call space (sunyata).... Space is not different from form. Form is
the same as space; space is the same as