ly, after aeons
of time, it enters in Union with the Divine Nirvana and
Para-Nirvana--the state of Eternal Bliss.

The great difference between the Hindu thought and the Grecian is that
while the Greeks considered repeated life with joy as a means of greater
and greater expression of life, the Hindus, on the contrary, regard life
as but a period of travail and sorrow, the only light to be perceived
being the expectation and hope of eventually emerging from the region of
materiality, and illusion, and regaining true existence in the Spirit.
The Hindus nearly all agree that this material life is occasioned by
"avidya" or ignorance on the part of the soul of its own real nature and
being, whereby it fails to recognize that this material life is "maya"
or illusion. They hold that Wisdom consists in the soul recognizing its
real nature, and perceiving the illusion of material life and things,
and striving to liberate itself from the bondage of materiality and
ignorance.

The principal differences among the various Hindu schools of religion
and philosophical thought arise from their differing views regarding the
nature and constitution of the soul on the one hand, and the means of
attaining liberation and freedom from material embodiment on the other.
The doctrine of "Karma" of spiritual cause and effect, which we shall
consider in another chapter, also runs along with all the varying Hindu
conceptions, doctrines, and theories.

Without considering the matter of differences of opinion between the
various schools, concerning the nature and constitution of the soul, we
may say that all the schools practically agree that the constitution of
Man is a complex thing, comprising a number of sheaths, bodies,
coverings, or elements, from the grosser to the more spiritual, the
various sheaths being discarded as the soul advances on its way toward
perfection. There are disputes between the various schools regarding
terminology and the precise arrangement of these "principles," but the
following classification will answer for the purpose of giving a general
idea of the Hindu views on the subject, subject always to the
conflicting claims of the various schools. The classification is as
follows, passing from lower to higher:

1. Physical or material body, or Rupa. 2. Vitality of Vital Force, or
Prana-Jiva. 3. Astral Body, Etheric Double, or Linga Sharira. 4. Animal
Soul, or Kama Rupa. 5. Human Soul, or Manas. 6. Spiritual Soul, or
Bud