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To the Editor of the Banner of Light: | |||
{{Style S-HPB SB. Continues on |4-170}} | “The fact of two Buddhist priests being on the list of passengers | ||
in the French steamer ''Anadyr'', is somewhat noteworthy, and may | |||
be taken as an evidence of the retreat of prejudice before the | |||
swift march of western civilization. As regards the purpose of the | |||
voyage, we should like to hear from any of our | |||
correspondents.”—''The Ceylon Observer''. | |||
“It is certainly out of the order of ordinary events in Ceylon for | |||
Buddhist priests to leave the island for other countries, and | |||
especially those imbued with the genius of Christian civilization. | |||
With the Ceylon Observer, we are not a little anxious to know for | |||
what purpose these priests have gone to France.”—''India Madras | |||
Times''. | |||
Though English writers and journalists in Ceylon and India were | |||
well aware that 450,000,000—about one-third of the whole human | |||
race—are Buddhists; though they knew that for some time past there | |||
had been in portions of Ceylon a revival of faith and a repairing | |||
of Buddhist temples, they were nevertheless quite surprised a few | |||
weeks since to learn that two eminent and distinguished Buddhist | |||
priests had sailed from Ceylon to France. Why? for what purpose had | |||
they gone? was the common inquiry. None of these journalists seem | |||
to have been endowed with the gift of interpretation. Let me help | |||
them. Inquiring of a celebrated priest at the Buddhist College, I | |||
learned that the special work of one was to teach the Pali language | |||
in a French university; while the other was to devote himself in a | |||
quiet way to missionary work. Both knowing Buddhism to be a much | |||
older, zealously believe it also to be a much purer and diviner | |||
system of religion than Christianity. Learned priests among them go | |||
further, and boldly affirm that all which is good and true in the | |||
letter of Christianity was borrowed from Buddhism. Believing this, | |||
as they conscientiously do, and being fired with something of the | |||
martyr-spirit, they are desirous that France, and all western | |||
nations, should share in its heavenly and saving benefits. | |||
<center>{{Style S-Small capitals|Buddhists as Spiritualists.}}</center> | |||
While unity of faith is far more general among the immense numbers | |||
of Buddhists than among Christians, there are, nevertheless, | |||
differences of opinion among them touching minor dogmas and | |||
ceremonies. One of these relates to the original meaning of | |||
''Nirvana'', and another to the trifling matter of wearing the | |||
yellow robe. They also slightly differ in their denials and | |||
conceptions of a First Cause, and in the practical utility of | |||
intercourse with spirits. | |||
As all English-talking nations are nominally Christians, so in a | |||
broad, general sense all Buddhists are Spiritualists. {{Style S-HPB SB. HPB note|How can they be Spiritualists you goose when they {{Style S-HPB SB. HPB underlined|do not}} believe in the existence of a Soul? There’s {{Style S-HPB SB. HPB underlined|lies}} for you!}} | |||
It is recorded in their scriptures and they believe that Gautama | |||
Buddha appeared to his disciples after he had peacefully died under | |||
the sacred bo-tree and entered into the rest of Nirvana. | |||
They believe that gods, devas, and glorified saints frequently | |||
abide with and exercise a guardian care and influence over | |||
individuals, cities, and countries. | |||
They believe in transmigration, or re-incarnation—that is to say, | |||
they believe in the descent and re-birth of spirits back into | |||
mortal bodies, and, if very wicked, into animal forms for expiation | |||
and further discipline. | |||
They believe that those who love and sympathize with us on earth, | |||
and those who hate us, do the same in the future world, and that at | |||
certain times the spirits of these persons appear to and | |||
communicate with them. If these spirits exhibit unrest and | |||
wickedness they propitiate them; but if they prove themselves good | |||
they make vows to them. | |||
The Orient is naturally meditative and spiritual. But its | |||
Spiritualism has much of the shady side. Since reaching the dreamy | |||
East, on this second tour, I have listened for hours and days to | |||
descriptions of spiritual phenomena sufficiently marvelous to stun | |||
the cold, plodding positivists of the West. Intelligent and | |||
thoughtful Singhalese, educated in English schools, but really | |||
Buddhists at heart, assured me that frequently the sick, seeing in | |||
night-visions a certain tree, {{Style S-HPB SB. Continues on |4-170}} | |||