Lives of Alcyone

FORTY-SEVENTH LIFE 261
another prophet, that “ never man spake like this man” .
The influence of His magnetism upon the people was
incalculable. His aura filled the whole garden, so that all the vast
crowd was directly under its influence—actually within Him, so to
speak. The splendour of the aura attracted vast hosts of the higher
devas of all kinds, and they also helped to influence the audience,
so that we cannot wonder when we read in the sacred books that
often at the close of a single sermon hundreds or even thousands
attained the Arhat level. Many of the people then born in that part of
India were those who had followed Him in previous incarnations in
far-away lands, and were especially born in India in order that they
might have this inestimable advantage of direct contact with Him
after His enlightenment had been gained.
Those whose vision was confined to the physical plane saw
only a gracious Prince of commanding appearance and of winning
manner, who spoke to them with a clearness and directness to
which they were not at all accustomed from their brahman teachers.
The latter had for many years taught little but the necessity of
frequent offerings to Brahmans, and of constant sacrifice to the
Gods, which of course always involved heavy fees to their priests.
But now came this far mightier Teacher, who told them in the
simplest and most direct language that the only sacrifice pleasing to
the Gods was that of a pure and gentle life—that not animals but
vices were to be destroyed and cast out, and that the great
necessity was not gold for the temples, but purity and kindliness of
life among the devotees.
On this occasion when the two cousins went to hear Him, he
took for His text the subject of fire. He pointed out to a fire which