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<center>BY DON FULANO.</center>

<center>BY DON FULANO.</center>

{{Style S-Small capitals|I had} quite intended that my last paper should have closed the series of these articles; but having, since writing it, fallen in with an excellent lecture on “Buddhist Nihilism," by Prof. Max Muller, a very high authority, I find that I have still some words to say upon the subject, which will, I trust, be of interest to many.

{{Style S-Small capitals|I had}} quite intended that my last paper should have closed the series of these articles; but having, since writing it, fallen in with an excellent lecture on “Buddhist Nihilism," by Prof. Max Muller, a very high authority, I find that I have still some words to say upon the subject, which will, I trust, be of interest to many.

Professor Max Muller takes the same view that I have taken of the exact meaning of the state Nirwana. He points out that where in the Buddhist canon we find contradictions, we should attribute all views that seem opposed to Buddha’s general character and teaching to modern innovation. The same might probably be said with truth of the Christian canon, and of that of every other religion of long standing. Nihilism is opposed to the spirit of Buddha's teaching, and to many views undoubtedly expressed by him, and to some facts reported of him; it is therefore probably an innovation. The creed of the ordinary Buddhist everywhere is, that Nirwana is a state of perfect rest and bliss, of freedom from all passion, and of extinction of the selfhood. It is only by one large section of Buddhist divines that it is held to be—unless we misunderstand them—utter extinction. Max Muller says:

Professor Max Muller takes the same view that I have taken of the exact meaning of the state Nirwana. He points out that where in the Buddhist canon we find contradictions, we should attribute all views that seem opposed to Buddha’s general character and teaching to modern innovation. The same might probably be said with truth of the Christian canon, and of that of every other religion of long standing. Nihilism is opposed to the spirit of Buddha's teaching, and to many views undoubtedly expressed by him, and to some facts reported of him; it is therefore probably an innovation. The creed of the ordinary Buddhist everywhere is, that Nirwana is a state of perfect rest and bliss, of freedom from all passion, and of extinction of the selfhood. It is only by one large section of Buddhist divines that it is held to be—unless we misunderstand them—utter extinction. Max Muller says: