A. The Baron Von Reichenbach. His experiments are fully described in his _Researches_, published in 1844-5. Dr. Baraduc, of Paris, has, quite recently, photographed this light.
346. Q. _Is this bright aura a miracle or a natural phenomenon?_
A. Natural. It has been proved that not only all human beings but animals, trees, plants and even stones have it.
347. Q. _What peculiarity has it in the case of a Buddha or an Arhat?_
A. It is immensely brighter and more extended than in cases of other beings and objects. It is the evidence of their superior development in the power of _Iddhī_. The light has been seen coming from dāgobas in Ceylon where relics of the Buddha are said to be enshrined.
348. Q. _Do people of other religions besides Buddhism and Hindūism also believe in this light?_
A. Yes, in all pictures of Christian artists this light is represented as shining about the bodies of their holy personages. The same belief is found to have existed in other religions.
349. Q. _What historical incident supports the modern theory of hypnotic suggestion?_
A. That of Chullapanthaka, as told in the Pālī Commentary on the _Dhammapada_, etc.
A. He was a bhikkhu who became an Arhat. On that very day the Buddha sent a messenger to call him. When the man reached the Vihāra, he saw three hundred bhikkhus in one group, each exactly like the others in every respect. On his asking which was Chullapanthaka, every one of the three hundred figures replied: "I am Chullapanthaka."
A. In his confusion he returned and reported to the Buddha.
352. Q. _What did the Buddha then tell him?_
A. To return to the vihāra and, if the same thing happened, to catch by the arm the _first_ figure who said he was Chullapanthaka and lead him to him. The Buddha knew that the new Arhat would make this display of his acquired power to impress illusionary pictures of himself upon the messenger.
353. Q. _What is this power of illusion called in Pālī?_
354. Q. _Were the illusionary copies of the Arhat's person material? Were they composed of substance and could they have been felt and handled by the messenger?_
A. No; they were pictures impressed by his thought and trained will-power upon the messenger's mind.
355. Q. _To what would you compare them?_