Oriental Religious Faiths, II: Buddhism

Vol. n. DECEMBER, 1898. No. 2

ORIENTAL RELIGIOUS FAITHS, n.

BUDDHISM.

BY H. DHARMAPALA, OF CEYLON.

A systematic study of Buddha's doctrine has not yet been made by the western scholars, hence the conflicting opinions expressed by them at various times. The notion once held by the scholars that it is a system of materialism has been exploded. The positivists of France found in it a positivism. Buckner and his school of materialiststhought it was a materialistic system. Agnostics found in Buddha an agnostic, and Dr. Rhys Davids, the eminent Palo scholar, used to call him the "agnostic philosopher of India." Some scholars have found an expressed monotheism therein. Arthur Lillie, another student of Buddhism, thinks it a theistic system. Pessimists identify it with Schopenhaur's pessimism. The late Mr. Buckle identified it with the pantheism of India. Some have found in it a monoism, and the latest dictum is Professor Huxley's that it is an idealism supplying "the wanting half of Bishop Buckley's well-known idealist argument." Dr. Eikl

says that Buddhism is a system of vast magnitude, for it embraces all the various branches of science, which our Western nations have been long accustomed to divide for separate study. It embodies, in one living structure, grand and peculiar views of physical science, refined and subtle theories on abstract metaphysics, an edifice of fanciful mysticism, a most elaborate and far-reaching system of practical morality, and, finally, a church organization as broad in its principles and as finely wrought in its most intricate network as any in the world. All this is, moreover, confined in such a manner that the essence and substance of the whole may be compressed into a few formulas and symbols plain and suggestive enough to be grasped by the most simple-minded ascetic, and yet so full of philosophic depths as to provide rich food for years of meditation to the metaphysician, the poet, the mystic, and pleasant pasturage for the most fiery imagination of any poetical dreamer. In the religion of Buddha is found a comprehensive system of ethics and a transcendental metaphysic embracing a sublime psychology. To the simple-minded it offers a code of morality, to the earnest student a system of pure thought. But the basic doctrine is the self-purification of man. Spiritual progress is impossible for him who does not lead a life of purity and compassion. The superstructure has to be built on the basis of a pure life. So long as one is fettered by selfish-

ness, passion, prejudice, fear, so long the doors of his higher nature are closed against the truth. The rays of the sunlight of truth enter the mind of him who is fearless to examine truth, who is free from prejudice, who is not tied by the sensual passion, and

who has reasoning faculties to think. One has to be an atheist in the sense employed by Max Muller:

There is an atheism which is not death; there is another which is

the yery life blood of all true faith. It is the power of giving up what, in our best, our most honest moments, we know to be no longer true. It is the readiness to replace the less perfect, however dear, however sacred it may have been to us, by the more perfect, however much it may be detested as yet by the world. It is the true self-sacrifice, the truest trust in truth, the truest faith.

Without that atheism no new religion, no reform, no reforma-

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tion, no resuscitation would ever have been possible; without that atheism no new life is possible for any one of us. The strongest emphasis has been put by Buddha on the supreme importance of having an unprejudiced mind before we start on the road of investigation of truth. The least attachment of the mind to preconceived ideas is a positive hindrance to the acceptance of truth. Prejudice, passion, fear of expression of one's convictions, and ignorance are the four biases that have to be sacrificed at the threshold. To be born as a human being is a glorious privilege. Man's dignity consists in his capability to reason and to think and to live up to the highest ideal of pure life, of calm thought, of wisdom, without extraneous interventions. Buddha says that man can enjoy in this life a glorious existence, a life of individual freedom, of fearlessness and compassionateness. This dignified ideal of manhood may be attained by the humblest, and this consummation raises him above wealth and royalty. "He that is compassionate and observes the law is my disciple." Human brotherhood forms the fundamental teaching of Buddha —universal love and sympathy with all mankind, and with animal life. Everyone is enjoined to love all beings as a mother loves her only child and takes care of it even at the risk of her life. The realization of the ideal of brotherhood is obtained when the first stage of holiness is realized. The idea of separation is destroyed and the oneness of life is recognized. There is no pessimism in the teachings of Buddha, for he strictly enjoins on his holy disciples not even to suggest to others that life is not worth living. On the contrary, the usefulness of life is emphasized for the sake of doing good to self and humanity. From the fetich-worshiping savage to the highest type of humanity man naturally yearns for something higher. And it is for this reason that Buddha inculcated the necessity for self-reliance and independent thought. To guide humanity in the right path, a Tathagata (Messiah) appears from time to time. In the sense of a Supreme Creator, Buddha says that there is no such being, accepting the doctrine of evolution as the only true one, with corollary, the law of cause and effect. He condemns the idea of a creator, but the Supreme God of the Brahjnans and minor gods are accepted. But they are subject to the

law of cause and effect. This Supreme God is all love, all merciful, all gentle, and looks upon all beings with equanimity. Buddha teaches men to practice these four supreme virtues. There is no

difference between the perfect man and this Supreme God of the present world. The teachings of Buddha on evolution are clear and expansive. We are asked to look upon the cosmos "as a continuous process unfolding itself in regular order in obedience to natural laws." We see in it all not a yawning chaos restrained by the constant interference from without of a wise and beneficent external power, but a vast aggregate of original elements perpetually working out their own fresh redistribution in accordance with

their own inherent energies. He regards the cosmos as an almost infinite collection of material, animated by an almost infinite sum

total of energy, which is called Akasa, I have used the above definition of evolution as given by Grant Allen in his "Life of Darwin," as it beautifully expresses the generalized idea of Buddhism. We do not postulate that man's evolution began from the protoplasmic stage; but we are asked not to speculate on the origin of life, on the origin of the law of cause and effect, etc. So far as this great law is concerned we say that it controls the phenomena of human life as well as those of external nature, the whole knowable universe forms one undivided whole. Buddha promulgated his system of philosophy after having studied all religions. And in the Brahma-jola sutta sixty-two creeds are discussed. In the Kalama, the sutta, Buddha says:

Do not believe in what ye have heard. Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations. Do not believe in anything because it is renowned and spoken of by many. Do not believe merely because the written statement of some old sage is

produced. Do not believe in conjecture. Do not believe in that as truth to which you have become attached by habit. Do not believe merely on the authority of your teachers and elders. Often observation and analysis, when the result agrees with reason, are conducive to the good and gain of one and all. Accept and live up to it.

To the ordinary householder, whose highest happiness consists in being wealthy here and in heaven hereafter, Buddha inculcated a simple code of morality. The student of Buddha's religion, from

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destroying life, lays aside the club and weapon. He is modest and full of pity. He is compassionate to all creatures that have life. He abstains from theft, and he passes his life in honesty and purity of heart. He lives a life of chastity and purity. He abstains from falsehood and injures not his fellow-man by deceit. Putting away slander, he abstains from calumny. He is a peacemaker, a speaker of words that make for peace. Whatever word is humane, pleasant to the ear, lovely, reaching to the heart, such are the words he speaks. He abstains from harsh language. He abstains from foolish talk; he abstains from intoxicants and stupefying drugs. The advance student of the religion of Buddha, when he has faith in him, thinks, "full of hindrances in household life is a path defiled by passion. Pure as the air is the life of him who has renounced all worldly things. How difficult it is for the man who dwells at home to live the higher life in all its fullness, in all its purity, in all its freedom. Let me then cut off my hair and beard, let me clothe myself in orange-colored robes, let me go forth from a household life into the homeless state." Then before long, forsaking his portion of wealth, forsaking his circle of relatives, he cuts off his hair and beard, he clothes himself in the orange-colored robes and he goes into the homeless state, and then he passes a life of self-restraint, according to the rules of the order of the blessed one. Uprightness is his object and he sees danger in the least of those things he should avoid. He encompasses himself with holiness, in word and deed. He sustains his life by means that are quite pure. Good is his conduct, guarded the door of his senses, mindful and self-possessed, he is altogether happy.

The student of pure religion abstains from earning a livelihood by the practice of low and lying arts, viz., all divination, interpretation of dreams, palmistry, astrology, crystal prophesying, charms of all sorts. Buddha also says:

Just as a mighty trumpeter makes himself heard in all the four directions without difficulty, even so of all things that have life, there is not one that the student passes by or leaves aside, but regards them all with mind set free and deep-felt pity, sympathy, and equanimity. He lets his mind pervade the whole world with thoughts of love.

To realize the unseen is the goal of the student of Buddha's teachings, and such a one has to lead an absolutely pure life.

Buddha says: Let him fulfill all righteousness; let him be devoted to that quietude drive back the ecstasy of heart which springs from within; let him not of contemplation; let him look through things; let him be much alone. Fulfill righteousness for the sake of the living, and for the sake all

of the blessed ones that are dead and gone.

Thought transference, thought reading, cliarordience, clair- Toyance, projection of the sub-conscious self, and all the higher branches of psychical science that first now engage the thoughtful attention of psychical researches are within the reach of him

who fulfills all righteousness, who is devoted to solitude and to contemplation. Charity, observance of moral rules, purifying the mind, making others participate in the good work that one is doing, co-operating with others in doing good, nursing the sick, giving gifts to the deserving ones, hearing all that is good and beautiful, making others learn the rules of morality, accepting the laws of cause and

effect, are the common appanage of all good men. Prohibited employments include slave dealing, sale of weapons of warfare, sale of poisons, sale of intoxicants, sale of flesh— all deemed the lowest of professions. The five kinds of wealth are: Faith, pure life, receptivity of the mind to all that is good and beautiful, liberality, and wisdom. Those who possess these five kinds of wealth in their past incarna- tions are influenced by the teachings of Buddha. Besides these, Buddha says in his universal precepts: He who is faithful and leads the life of a householder, and possesses the following four (Dhammas) virtues, truth, justice, firmness, and liberality, such a one does not grieve when passing away. Pray ask other teachers and philosophers far and wide whether there is found anything greater than truth, self-restraint, liberality, and forbearance. The pupil should minister to his teacher; he should rise up in his presence, wait upon him, listen to all that he says with respect- ful attention, perform the duties necessary for his personal com- fort, and carefully attend to his instruction. The teacher should

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show affection for his pupil. He trains him in virtue and good manners, carefully instructs him, imparts to him a knowledge of the sciences and wisdom of the ancients, speaks well of him to relatives, and guards him from danger. The honorable man ministers to his friends and relatives by presenting gifts, by courteous language, by promoting them as his equals, and by sharing with them his prosperity. They should watch over him when he has negligently exposed himself, guard his property when he is careless, assist him in difficulties, stand by him, and help to provide for his family. The master should minister to the wants of his servants, as dependents; he assigns them labor suitable to their strength, provides for their comfortable support; he attends them in sickness, causes them to partake of any extraordinary delicacy he may obtain, and makes them occasional presents. The servants should manifest their attachment to the master; they rise before him in the morning and retire later to rest ; they do not purloin his property, do their work cheerfully and actively, and are respectful in their behavior toward him. The religious teachers should manifest their kind feelings toward lawyers. They should dissuade them from vice, excite — them to virtuous acts being desirous of promoting the welfare of all. They should instruct them in the things they had not previously learned, confirm them in the truths, and point out to them the way to heaven. The lawyers should minister to the teachers by respectful attention manifested in their words, actions, and thoughts; and by supplying them their temporal wants and by allowing them constant access to them. The wise, virtuous, prudent, intelligent, teachable, docile man will become eminent. The persevering, diligent man, unshaken in adversity and of inflexible determination, will become eminent. The well-informed, friendly-disposed, prudent-speaking, generousminded, self-controlled, self-possessed man will become eminent. In this world, generosity, mildness of speech, public spirit, and courteous behavior are worthy of respect under all circumstances and will be valuable in all places. If these be not possessed,'^the mother will receive neither honor nor support from the

son, neither will the father receive respect or honor. Buddha alsa says:

Know that from time to time a Tathagata is born into the world fully enlightened, blessed and worthy, abounding in wisdom and goodness, happy with knowledge of the world, unsurpassed as a guide to erring mortals, a teacher of gods and men, a blessed Buddha, He, by himself, thoroughly understands and sees, as it were face to face, this universe, the world below with all its spirits, and the worlds above, and all creatures, all religious teachers, gods and men, and he then makes his

knowledge known to others. The truth doth he proclaim, both in its

letter and its spirit, lovely in its origin, lovely in its progress, lovely in its consummation; the higher life doth he proclaim, in all its purity and in all its perfectness. 1. He is absolutely free from all passions, commits no evil even in secrecy, and is the embodiment of perfection. He is above doing anything wrong. 2. Self-introspection —by this he has reached the state of supreme enlightenment. 3. By means of this divine eye he looks back to the remotest past and future. Knows the way of emancipation, and is accomplished in the three great branches of divine knowledge, and has gained perfect wisdom. He is in possession of all psychic powers, always willing to listen, full of energy, wisdom, and dhyana. 4. He has realized eternal peace and walks in the perfect path of virtue. 5. He knows three states of existence. 6. He is incomparable in purity and holiness. 7. He is teacher of gods and men. 8. He exhorts gods and men at the proper time according to their individual temperaments. 9. He is the supremely enlightened teacher and the perfect embodiment of all the virtues he teaches. The two characteristics of Buddha are wisdom and compassion.

Buddha also gave a warning to his followers when he said :

He who is not generous, who is fond of sensuality, who is disturbed at heart, whois of uneven mind, who is not reflective, who is not of

calm mind, who is discontented at heart, who has no control over his senses —such a disciple is far from me, though he is in body near me.

The attainment of salvation is by the perception of self

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through charity, purity, self-sacrifice, self-knowledge, dauntless energy, patience, truth, resolution, love, and equanimity. The last words of Buddha were these:

Be ye lamps unto yourselves; be ye a refuge to yourselves; betake yourself to an eternal voyage; hold fast to the truth as a lamp; hold fast as a refuge to the truth; look not for refuge to anyone besides yourselves. Learn ye, then, that knowledge which I have attained and have declared unto you, and walk ye in it, practice and increase in order that the path of holiness may last and long endure for the blessing of many people, to the relief of the world, to the welfare, the blessing, the joy of gods and men.