THE WHEEL OFLIEETHESTORYOFBUDDHISMBYK. J.SAUNDERSAUTHOR OF BUDDHIST IDEALSTRANSLATOR AND EDITOR OF THE HEART OF BUDDHISM*EDITOR ANDJOINTTRANSLATOR OF THE BUDDHAS WAYOF VIRTUEWARDEN OF THE Y.M.C.A. STUDENTSHOSTEL,RANGOONOXFORDUNIVERSITYPRESSLONDON EDINBURGHGLASGOWNEWYORKTORONTOMELBOURNEBOMBAYHUMPHREYMILFORD1916DEDICATEDTOE. C. C.THE GOSPEL OFGAUTAMABUDDHA.Onething onlydo I teach Sorrow and theuprootingof sorrow.{MajjhimaATikaya, xxii.)As somepoor prisonerindungeon pentFromyeartoweary yearis rackedby pain.Longsfor release and cannot findcontent,But everpinesand chafesagainsthis chainSo do thou see in eachsucceedingbirthAprison-cellof untoldmisery,Seek to shake off all chains that bind to earthAnd from existence evermore be free !iNFromthe Introduction tothe_/(7/a>fa.)CONTENTSPAGEINTRODUCTION . ..7CHAPTER ITHEINDIAOFGAUTAMASDAY,AND HIS EARLYHISTORY . . . . . . .-13CHAPTER IITHETEACHER AND SOME OF HIS TEACHINGS . 26CHAPTER IIITHE EARLY DEVELOPMENT OF BUDDHISM ANDITS GOLDEN AGE ......45CHAPTER IVTHERISE OF THENORTHERNSCHOOLANDTHEDOWNFALL OF BUDDHISM IN INDIA . .64CHAPTERVBUDDHISM IN THE SOUTH: CEYLON. .76CHAPTERVIBUDDHISM IN THE SOUTH : BURMA ..99CHAPTERVIIBUDDHISM INTHENORTH:TIBET,CHINA,ANDJAPAN......116CHAPTERVIIICONCLUSION: THE BUDDHAAND THE CHRIST139EPILOGUE: THE DEMON OF DESIRE.153BIBLIOGRAPHY.. . 161INDEX .. .163LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONSToface pageThe \Vheel ofLife(Burlington Smith)iAn Ordinand(Messrs.Skeen&Co.). . .16TheLimits ofAsceticism hadbeenreached . . 21IndianAsceticism . . . . . . .28Learningthe Buddhist Beatitudes(P.TheYellow-robed Mendicants(P. Klier)Sumangala,a Modern Teacher of theSangha(Messrs.Skeen &Co.).....50A GandharaSculptureof a Bodhisattva(LahoreMuseum)........63Devil DancersinCeylon (Messrs.Skeen&Co.). SoTheShwe-DagonPagoda, Rangoon(P. Klier). .97Worshippersat theShwe-Dagon Pagoda, Rangoon(P. Klier).. 100BurmeseChristian Hermit . . . ..109BurmeseBuddhas ... . .113ANatShrineandOfferings(Conyers Baker).-113PrayerCylindersin Tibet . . . .116ADevil MaskofTibetan Buddhism.. . .116Tibetan Lamas . . . . . . .120Makinga BuddhaImage. . . . .-125Kwanyin,GoddessofMercy. . . ..125Derelict 128PagodasinMandalay(P. Klier). . ..140INTRODUCTIONBUDDHISM isbeingeagerlystudiedin theWest, andthereis no dearth of booksuponit. Yetabriefhistoryof itsamazing developments may proveuseful inhelpingthosewhoare notexpertsto asaneviewofit,andto aknowledgealike ofitsstrengthandofits weakness.It is forsuchreadersthatthis littlebookhasbeenwritten:it avoids technicalities as far aspossible,andignores manygreat problems, seekingtogiveasimple yetaccurate andsympatheticaccountofthereligionofGautamaBuddhaanditsdevelopments.Sixyears spentin close contactwith the^peoplesof BurmaandCeylonhaveconvincedmethat whatever itmayhavedonein its GoldenAge,andstrongas itshold stillis,the Buddhism ofto-dayin all itsmanyformsis almostpowerlessto effect either individual or socialregeneration.I believe thatasympatheticandopen-mindedstudyofitanditshistorywill convincethe studentthat this isso,andwill send the Christianbacktothestudyofhisownreligionwithanewunderstandingofit andanewappreciationofitswonderfulpowertomeethumanneeds andtosatisfyhumanaspirations.Likeeachof the other branchesof scienceinturn,andsidebysidewiththepsychologyofreligion,thecomparativestudyofreligionat first hailed as anenemyhasproved8INTRODUCTIONa valuableally,and hasadded,or isadding, yetanotherstriking chapterto thegreatvolumeofChristianApologetic.It is a fact of fargreater significancethan hasyetbeenrealized thatBuddhismhasin thecourseofitsdevelopmentadoptedjustthose elements ofbelief andpracticewhichareessentialpartsofChristianity: and hasdoneso in the teethof the strictinjunctionsof its founder. With him it wasastoicagnosticism, knowingnoSupremeGod,repudiatingworshipandprayerand the doctrine of theforgivenessofsin;havingnoroomforanyschemeofatonement,noranyideal ofa socialHeaven. Yet in Buddhistlandstheseideasandpracticeshavesprungup;theaspirationsof thehumanheart haveconjuredthem intobeing,or,clusteringroundsomefaintmythorlegend,have moulded it nearer to thehearts desire andgivenit a local habitationandaname .Everywherethe Buddhistsystemhas failed tomeethumanneeds,andhaspersistedchieflybecauseoftheun-Buddhisticelements it hasabsorbed ordeveloped.Buddhismhas infact been forced to maketerms withTheism,and exhibitsall forms of theistic belief from thepureAmida-cult ofJapanto thesensuouspolytheismofTibet.Because it isimportantthat thelaymanshouldhavethesefacts inanavailableform I amofferinghimthisbook,whichdeals with theonlyrivalreligiontoChristianitywhich isreally possibleto the Western mind.Nota fewmen of culture intheWest,orphanedin theworld offaith,andfindingthe milk offered thembythesciences thin and a littlesour,havesoughtin Buddhismaviamedia,andare satisfied thattheyhavefound it. ButthesemenareStoics,andas oneof themsaid tome: Forthegreatbulk ofmankindChristianityis a betterreligion.INTRODUCTIONgAfew heroicspiritsseem able tostruggleon alone;butlovemakes heroicdeedspossibleto all.Someof theseWesternBuddhists arenowbusyrevivingandpurifyingBuddhism in Burma andCeylon,and notwithoutsuccess. Othersarepreachingit in theWest;andthere areurgentreasonswhyevery intelligentman in theWestshouldstudyit andweighits claims.The time has come when no manmaycall himselfeducated whose historicalknowledgeis confined to theshores oftheMediterranean,andwhosemodernsympathiesare limited to the movements of the West. For Asia isawake,andin allhistorythereis nomorefascinatingchapterthan that nowbeingwritten,The Renaissance ofIndia,ChinaandJapan.NowBuddhism iscloselylinkedupwith all these countries : and eventhoughit is not a vital force in theirRenaissance, yetit hasplayedagreat partin theirhistory,andscores ofmillions oftheirpeoplesreverethememoryofGautamaBuddhaas theirgreatestteacher.Moreover,thedayoftheattitudeofindifference betweenEast and West has for everpassed: forgoodor eviltheir destinies areinextricablyintertwined. Inwayslittlerealized the East isalready minglingwith the life of theWest,andinways hardlydreamed ofyetshe isgoingtoaffect thedestinies of theyounger peoplesofEuropeandAmerica.Alreadyshe isofferingus herreligiousideas, biddingussinkourmaterialismandlearnofthegreatidealist GautamatheBuddhatoescapefrom sorrow and fromtheclingingmeshofdesire . Sheoffersto usonewhois still theLightof Asia as theLightof the World and bids us seeinioINTRODUCTIONhim a teacher morepracticaland more intellectual thanJesusofNazareth.WemuststudyBuddhismthen notmerelyonaccountofitsantiquityit is500 yearsolder thanChristianitynormerelyonaccountofitsgreathistoricpastit hasmouldedthe destiniesofnations,andbroughtcomforttounnumberedmillions but because it is still apowerful religion,withimportant bearingsuponthe modernworld.Furthermore,however much wemayadmireGautama,eventhoughwemaysee in himaforerunner of theChrist,yetfor Christians there can be noquestionofcompromise.Wemaystudyandsympathize,andyetbelovinglyintolerant of the claims of modern Buddhism. Forthoughthe moralteachingsof Buddhism aregoodandtrue,itsunderlyingassumptionsarelargelyfalse. If Buddhism betrue,thenChristianityis untrue : Our all,as Athanasiuswroteofanothergreatconflict our all is at stake.I believe thatChrist is thegoaloftheBuddhist,as of theJewish,Law : butBuddhism,likeJudaism,if it is to finditstruefulfilment,must die to live : it mustforgoits mostcherishedassumptionsandacknowledgeits failure before itcan find thepowerit isseekingtovitalize it oncemore,andtogiveitstrengthto makethe nations live.For,asBishop Copleston,lateMetropolitanofIndia,hassaid,Buddhism is likea mancoachingacrewfromtheriverbank,andshoutingNow rownicely!Do rownicely!Men need more than exhortation. And Buddhism withholdsfrom them the bread oflife. Itshistoryis thehistoryofthebankruptcyofagnosticism.AsmyfriendMr.StanleySeniorhasexpressedit :Here is asystemannounced for true and final whichINTRODUCTION 1 1knows nosupreme God,noSoul,noSin,noSaviour,noForgiveness ;whichproclaimsthesethings (the things bywhichwehavestrengthto liveanddie)as illusions;1whichseesonlysorrow andsufferingin theuniverse,and thirstsonlyfor deliverance from the chain ofbeing: whose bestdoctrine is the non-survival of the fittest;andwhich hailsfallen andfeeblemanas hisownSaviour !Buddhism,soregarded,contains within itself thegermsof anantagonismtoChristianitymore serious than theantagonismofIslam,or ofanyother of thegreatworld-religions,inasmuchas it is apossible rallying-groundof alltheagnostic abilityandcultureof theage: ameeting-placeof all for whomhumanityand notDeityis thesupremeidea.Andthisbringsus to thepracticalissue : ourownpersonal attitude towards Buddhism.Manywho read thisbookmaybe calledupontospendtheir lives in one ofthegreatBuddhistcountriesofthe East in oneoftherichpossessionswhich ourEmpireholds intrust,suchasBurmaorCeylon,orinthefarEastwherethere is anever-increasingrninglingofthe races.Maywenotavoidthetwomistakessocommonlymadeby Europeansin these landssupercilious indifference on the onehand,and anunthinkingenthusiasmfor thereligionofGautamaontheother?Wecan atanyrate seek toapproachthesubjectwithopenminds.I amgladtoacknowledgemydebttomanywritersuponBuddhism,and not least tomy colleague,the Rev.W.S.1Whilstthis statement is nottrueofMahayanaBuddhism,yet,as weshallsee,the essentialtenets ofMahayanaBuddhismconflictwith theessentialteachingsofthefounderofBuddhism.12INTRODUCTIONSenior,whohasspentnineyearsinCeylonand has contributed to this book somevaluablesuggestions,and somepassagesinthe first twochapters.Miss OliveEdis, F.R.P.S.,haskindly supervisedthemakingofblocks for the illustrations.ToBasilYeaxlee I amgratefulforgeneroushelpin reading proofsandpreparingan Index tasks undertakeninthemidst ofvery heavyworkconnected with the war.To Messrs. Skeen ofColombo,Klier ofRangoon,andBurlingtonSmith ofDarjeelingI also owemythanks forpermissiontoreproducesomeoftheirexcellentphotographs.RANGOON,Advent,1913.CHAPTER ITHEINDIAOFGAUTAMA SDAY,ANDHISEARLYHISTORYForthem,andie,andall,theremustbehelp?WE are accustomed to think of our ownage,with itsAworld-widespreadsocialupheavalsand thegreatawakeningofthe)ejjgjousnations oftheEast,asa crisis in theworldshistory.movement.Asimilar crisis makes the fifth and sixth centuriesn.c.for ever remarkable. For at this time agreat quickeningandwideningof humanthoughttookplace.It was theageofAeschylusandPythagorasinGreece,ofJeremiahandEzekiel inIsrael,ofZoroaster,thefounderofthe Parsireligion,inPersia,and ofLaotze and Confucius in China.All over the civilized worldmightythinkers werethinkinggreat thoughts uponthedeep problemsof life WhenceamI ? What ismy destiny? Aboveall,how shall I behappyandlead the ideal life ?Between Greece and Israel on one side and Chinaontheotherlies a land in somerespectsmorewonderfulthanIndia,they,a land which even theunimaginative maycome toloveandto reverence.It is a land of vastsnow-cappedmountains,of fertileThelandi r L c v ^i rand theplains,ofgreatrivers; yetover agreatpartof it the forces,K.p|t,of Nature seem to beranged againstmans efforts : thefierce heat beats downunpityingly,terribledroughtsdrivethepeopletodespair,and inmanypartslife is onelongstrugglefor existence. Still thepatient toilingmillionsthink moreoftheunseenandspiritualthan ofthephysical.14THE INDIA OF GAUTAMA S DAYIndia is above all a land ofspiritualthirst. Forthe Indianbelieves in the Divine with apassionate certaintyof conviction thatnothingcan shake : hemayfor a time turnaway,but healwaysreturns to thatquestfor theUnseenandthe Eternal. Yethe has but littlejoyin hisreligion;amidst those vastrampartsof snowMelancholysits enthroned,and she broods over these endless sun-scorchedplains.AndbesidehersitshersisterFear. Isnotlifeafearfulthingathingof disease and endlesstoil,of sorrow andoldageanddecay? Arenot allthingsthepreyofDeath?Their India ispessimistnow;and she waspessimist twenty-eligion.pve cent urj esago.ne sat as manYan Indian recluse hassat,in theshadeof apeepul-tree,since thatdaybetter knownas theBo-orBodhi-tree,theTreeofKnowledge,theTree of theGreatEnlightenment.FaHsian,theChinesetraveller,sawit,witheredbutliving,nearlya thousandyearsafterwards;while a branch ofit,carriedbySanghamitta,Asokasdaughter,toAnuradhapurainCeylontookroot,andflourished,and survivesto-day,perhapstheoldest,certainlythemostfamous,ofall thetreesofEarth. IneverySinhalesevillage,theBo-tree,withhigh-walledrootsandgleamingdagobabesideit,preachestopiousBuddhists anever-presentsermon,whichbringsthe Masternear.Sittingunder the tree . . . he wentthroughsuccessively purerandpurer stagesof abstraction of consciousness,until the sense of omniscient illumination came overhim;inallpiercingintuitionhepressedontoapprehendthewanderingsofspiritsin the mazesoftransmigration,andtoattain theknowledgeof thesources whence flow the sufferingsof theworld,and of thepathwhich leads to the extinction ofthissuffering.. . . When Iapprehendedthis(heisreportedto have said of thismoment) mysoul wasreleased from the evil ofdesire,released from the evil ofearthlyexistence,released from the evil oferror,releasedfrom the evil ofignorance.To the released awoke theknowledgeofrelease;extinct isrebirth,finished the sacredcourse,dutydone : nomoreshall I returntotheworld : thisGAUTAMA S EARLY HISTORY23I knew. HenceforthGautama SiddarthawastheBuddha,theEnlightened.Whatwasthe solution he hadfound? Inwhatdoes hisgospelconsist?Asheafterwardsformulatedit,his intuitionwasfourfold,Thefourconsistingofthe Four Noble Truths.Theyare a kindoftnf thgdiagnosisof the sickness of the soul baseduponcurrentIndiansystemsof medicine. Asthere mustbeacause foreveryphysicalailment,andas,oncethis cause isfound,theailmentmaybecuredbyitsremoval,so must itbe,arguedthisphysicianof thesoul, withmisery.It is asymptomofdisease :ifwecandiscover thedisease,wemayremovethesymptom.Now if the disease isanywhere,it must be inmanhimself,andthereforehe,andheonly,canremove it.Thesymptomofdisease,then,ismisery;Thecauseofit is thatclingingto lifewhichall ofus haveandwhichBuddhismcalls evil;Thecure formiseryis tobequitofthis desire :Thewayto bequitof this desire is to follow certainclearly-markedwaysofrighteousnessthe NobleEightfoldPath.Ourfrontispiece (fromawall-paintingin a TibetanThe demonTemple)shows indiagrammaticform the essentials ofofdesire-thisteaching.Thecirclerepresentsthewearyroundof rebirths,eachsegment depictinglife in oneof the worldsofmenoranimals,orinahelloraheaven. TheblackDemonis desire orself-will,and ifhe bedestroyed,thenthewheelfalls topiecesand man is released from rebirth andsuffering.At the hub of the wheel aresymb.olicalanimals,eachclutchingoneanother : theeaglestandingforlust,thesnakeforanger,andthehogforstupidity.Thesearethe cardinalvices ofBuddhism formsinwhichself-willmanifests itself.Togetridofselfishdesire,therefore,is togetridofexistence24GAUTAMA S EARLY HISTORYand its attendant vicesand miseries ! And behindself-willisignorance: salvation is inknowledge.Such in brief isthe Buddhasgospel. It has cast astrange spelloverAsia,wheremillions ofhearts have found in it comfortandtruth, AndeveninEuropeandAmericait is offered as thepanaceaofall ills. It issimpleandstraightforward: Onething onlydo Iteach,OMonks,said the author of itsorrow and theuprootingof sorrow. And it containsmuchthatis ofpermanentvalue : If therewerenoself-will,saysa ChristianMystic,there would be no Devil and noHell. Butcan selfcastout self? Issufferingthesupremeevil?Couldwepreachthisgospelto all wholabourandareheavy-laden? Is sin notsomethingworsethanignorance?THE NOBLK EIGHTFOLD PATH : THE BUDDHIST WAY orHAPPINESS.(Amiddlepathbetweenausterityandsensuality.)Rightbelief:i. e.right acceptanceoftheFourNobleTruths,oftheLawofBuddha.Rightaspiration: i. e.feelingsofbenevolence,compassion,&c.Rightspeech.Rightaction : i. e.keepingthe five oreight precepts: abstainingfrommurder,theft,adultery,drunkenness,andlying,ifoneis alayman.Ifone is aBhikkhu,hemustabstain also from food aftermidday,fromusing highbeds,andfromwatchingplaysandspectacles.Rightlivelihood : i. e. notmakingmoneybyharmfulmeans,e.g. bysellingslaves orweaponsofwarorliquor.Righteffort: i. e. mental effort.Rightmindfulness: i. e. anawareandwakeful stateofmind.Right contemplation: i. e.rightuse of meditation and theserenecalmnesswhich follows such meditation.GAUTAMA S EARLY HISTORY25ILLUSTRATIVEREADINGS(FromTheHeartof Buddhism.}The Buddhas attitude to theBody.ff>*T"Thisbodyis a nest ofloathly sores,A dank andslimyskin dothwrapit round :And from a thousand thousandoozing poresIt sendeth out its .stenches like anopenwound.TheKingdomofthe Mind.Blest is the lessonmyteacher hastaught,For I live in thevillage,but ever inthoughtIescapeto thejungle! No fetters for me!For wisdom hath set me mostgloriouslyfree !The Strenuous Life of Meditation:(afarmerspeaks).HappyI in freedom blithe !Three crookedthingsare laidaside,Theplough,thehoe,theheavy scythe:Theretheystand;there let them bide !. The strenuous life of meditationfree,This is the life for the likes of me !Compassion.As,recking naughtofself,a mothers loveEnfolds and cherishes heronly son,Sothroughthe world letthy compassionmoveAndcompass livingcreatureseveryone,Soaringandsinkingin unfetteredliberty,Freed from illwill,purgedof allenmity.CHAPTER IITHETEACHERANDSOMEOFHISTEACHINGSThatwisdomwhich hath made on>- Asiamild?hejoyof THEnewdiscoveryhehadmadecertainlyfilledtheSeekerw^J"1If ^ s recordedthat hebrokeout into apaeanofthanksgivingat theattainment of this newinsight,and thishasbeen well translated from theoriginalPalibySirEdwinArnold :Manya house of lifeHath held meseekingever him whowroughtThoseprisonsof thesenses, sorrow-fraught ;Sore wasmyceaseless strife.Butnow,Thou Builder of this tabernacle Thou!I know Thee ! Never shalt thou buildagainThese walls ofpain,Nor raise the roof-tree of deceits;norlayFresh rafters on theclay ;Brokenthyhouseis,and theridge-pole split!Delusion fashioned it !SafepassI them deliverance to obtain.\Ve cansympathizewith hisjoy;he was as someshipwrecked sailorclingingto asparon thestormywaters whocomes atlast,exhaustedbuttriumphant,to thelonged-forshore,hisperilsall behind him;or as the merchantwhopaidhis all butbecametheownerofthepearlofgreatprice.1Jyplaysa muchgreater partinearlyBuddhismthan isgenerallyrealized.THE TEACHERAND HIS TEACHINGS27Letusseekthe hiddenmeaningoftheallegory,that wemaythe betterunderstand hisjoy.The Builder of houseafter house is Tanha falseclingingtoexistence,a falseegoism;the Seekerhadtried,as hebelieved,through manyexistences to find thecauseofbeing,andnowin aflashthesecret was his. Theridge-poleisignorance,and therafters are evil states ofmind.Sothen,whenwisdomdawns,theridge-pole splits ;andDesire,thebuilder,can no more rear these walls ofpain. Toescapefrom thewearyround of rebirths werehappinessindeed !Buteven asthetriumph-songdied on hislipsthe EvilHisone who often comes in the form ofdepressionandtemPtatlon-despairdrew near and assailed the victor with asuddenand fiercetemptation.AstheChrist after thegreatspiritualupliftofHisBaptism,so the Buddha after hisEnlightenment had to endure fierce assaults of evil;these are thewavesofouremotionallife,which is oftenrhythmicactionandreactionbeingcloselyinterwoven.TheBuddhawastemptedtokeephis secret tohimself;for the multitude are slow ofunderstandingand blindedwith the dust of desire,and how shalltheybetaught?LettheEnlightened passintoNirvana,andlet alost worldroll on.Buteither his owndeep-seated compassion,oradeus exmachinain theshapeofBrahma,or both inconjunction,rescuedhimfromthe wiles ofMara : heputthetemptationfrom him and entereduponthe arduous toils of afortyyears ministry;this isjustly regardedasagreaterrenunciationthaneventhat of homeandfamilywhichhehadmadenineyearsbefore.He wouldgoforth and share theglad tidings;andheGautamafacedthe taskresolutelyandunflinchingly,for he felt thatasPreacher-howeverdull theirunderstanding,andhoweverprejudiced28 THE TEACHERThe wheelofthelawThefirstBuddhistSermon.theirhearts,hehadamessagefor all hisfellow-countrymen,for chiefandpeasant,for Brahmanandsacrificing-priest,forascetic andhouseholder.Somethingofwhathehadtosayto each will befoundattheendofthechapter.His firstthoughtswere for thefive asceticswhoonce hadbeen his followers.Theywere,heheard,atBenares,andto Benares he turned hissteps.Onthewayhe met twomerchants,whoasked him what he did. Igo,hesaid,toBenares,to set inmotiontheWheelofthe Law.Theyi[areheart-stirringwords.Asthe Cross is thesignofChristianity,andthe CrescentofIslam,so Buddhism has for its blazon thespokesandnaveofawheel. Ofthis emblemseveralinterpretationsarepossible.Thesimplestandmostprobableis that it standsfor aconquerors chariot that rollsthroughthe world intriumph ;another is that it stands forthechariot oftheSunthatlightensthe universe. In either case the BuddhistWheelmakesanenormousclaim.Arrived atBenares,heheard that the five ascetics werein thedeer-parkknownasIsipatana,the ParkoftheSages.Astheysaw himcoming theydetermined togivehim nowelcome,buttoignorehimasanapostate.Butsomethingin hislook,thepersonal magnetismwhich wemaywellascribe tohim,overcamethem inspiteofthemselves. Oneoffered him a stool;one relieved him of hisbegging-bowl.Hesat down in theirmidst,and therepreachedthe firstBuddhistsermon. Thisdiscourse hasbeenpreservedandit is ofcentralimportance,for in it we see the ideas whichhavebeenthe real lever of Buddhism.Theyare twothe two which we saw in the Buddhas ownexperience.There is Deliveranceandthere is AssuranceofDeliverance.Deliverance and.Assurance, surelythese are two of thegreatestneeds of man. And when the Buddha claimedAND HIS TEACHINGS29themboth,is itstrangethat mengavehim heed? Hispreachingcame from hisheart,andinto menshearts it went.Hespokewith theauthorityofthe manwhohasexperiencedwhathetells,andmenlistened. Twootherpointsmaybenoted.First,hepreacheda middlepath,avoidingasceticism ontheonehand, andtheworldlings life ontheother.Both ofthesehehadfully tested,andhe knewthat neitherofthemwouldlead to thegoaldesired.Secondly,thatgoalwasopento all. Therewasnoqualificationof caste. To -the humblest salvation was free.Buddhism,unlike Brah-manism,is intheoryat least a democraticcreed,and soonkingsandpaupers,therighteousBrahman and thepoorwanton of thecity,were numberedamongsthisdisciples.Thefive ascetics wereconvinced,andoncemorebecameThehis followers.Theyprayedto beadmittedto the Path;^glhneningandashortceremonyof initiationhavingbeenperformed,Sangha.therewerenowsixperfectones, Arahats,onearth. Thisceremony,therepetitionof the formula I takemyrefugein theBuddha;I takemyrefugein the Law;I takemyrefugein theSangha,is ofsurpassinginterest,for it wasthebeginningof theSangha,orcommunityof BuddhistBhikkhus,that famous order ofyellow-robedmendicantswhich hasoverspreadAsia for more than two thousandyears. Manyordershavearisen in theWest, TemplarandHospitaller,DominicanandFranciscan,but none rivals inextent and continuance theSanghafounded thatdayin?Isipatana; none,perhaps,is sopicturesque.Suchwas thebeginningoftheBuddhas careerasateacher,a career whichcarriedhim, duringmore thanforty years,backwards andforwardsoverthewholeofNorthern India.There is afascination about the itinerant life which allhave at some time felt. We feelit,forinstance,in thewonderfulpioneer journeysmadeduringlastcentury by30THE TEACHERmembersofthe ChinaInland MissionthroughtheeighteenprovincesofChina,or in DavidLivingstoneswanderingsthroughAfrica. Wefeel it as wereadJohnWesleysjournalof hiswanderings throughoutGreat Britainduringthecenturybefore that. Wefeel it most in the record of theLife of lives,the three fullyearswhenJesusknew nohome,becauseHebelongedto all theHolyLand. Suchfascination surrounds in markedmeasuretheministryoftheBuddha.ThedailyWhat do we know ofhim,of hisdailylife,and of thespecialincidentswhich filled thatforty years?Andwhatatlastwasthemannerofhispassingfrom theworld? Inthedayswhenhisreputationstood at itshighest point, daybydayonemightsee thatman,before whomkingsbowedthemselves,walking about,alms-bowl inhand, throughstreetsandalleys,from housetohouse,and,withoututteringanyrequest,with downcastlook standsilently waitinguntila morsel offoodwasthrowninto his bowl. When he hadreturnedfrom hisbeggingexcursionandhadeatenhisrepasttherefollowed,as the Indian climatedemanded,atime ifnot ofsleep,atanyrate ofpeacefulretirement.Restinginaquietchamber,orbetter still inthecool shadeofthe densefoliage,hepassedthesultry,close hoursofthe afternoon insolitarycontemplation,until theeveningcameon,anddrewhimoncemorefromholysilence to thebustlingconcourseof friendand foe. Toall alike hewouldgivehismessageofcomfortandhope.It is anidyllicscene,andwe shall do well togetatrueandsympatheticmentalpictureofthegreatteacher;forhewas oneof the mostgraciousand winsome andkindlyofall characters inhistory, curiously hopefuloverhopelessenoughpeople,andwonderfully patientwith dull minds .There is one well-knownstoryin the Buddhist bookswhich willhelpus to seehowgracious andserene,andwithalAND HISTEACHINGS31howhumorous,ateacher hewas,and will serve to introduceus to his moralteachings,which are so much morevital than thephilosophical conceptshe took over fromexisting systems.It is related thatonedayaBrahman farmerwasatwork,ploughinghis widefields,when the Buddha came withbegging-bowlin hand and stoodwaitingas thefarm-handswerebeingservedwith theirnoon-daymeal.The Brahman saw himstandingon one side and thusThe.j ,teacherasaccostedhim:farmer>I,Orecluse,have toploughand sowto earnmyfood. \_SuttaSoshouldstthou first toilandthereafter eat.Uravagga.]Towhomthe teacher madeanswer,Itoo,OBrahman,ploughandsow,andthenonlydo I eat.Naybut I see noyoke,norplough,nogoadnor oxenbelongingto thereverendGautama.Thenup spakethe Blessed Oneagain,Ialso,nonetheless,amafarmer, OBrahman;Iploughandsowandthereafter eat.TowhomtheBrahmanmadeanswerin these verses :OGautama,if farmerthou,As thou sobrazenlydeclarest,Where are thine oxen andthy plough?Come,idlebraggart,show us howThe field for harvest thoupreparest!Tohimthe BlessedOnemadeanswer :A FarmerI,goodsir,indeed.RightViewsmy veryfruitful seed;The rain that waters it isDiscipline ;Wisdom herselfmy yokeandplough.(Brahman,dost takemy meaning, now?)Thepoleis maidenModesty,And Mindfulness the axle-tree;Alertnessismy goadandploughsharekeen!32THE TEACHERGuarded inthoughtand act andspeech,With Truthfulness I weed theground;IngentleKindliness is foundThewayof Salvation Ipreach.Myox isEndeavour,Which beareth meever,Where Grief comethnever,ToNirvana,the Goal I shall reach.Such,goodBrahman,ismy farming,And it bears ambrosialcrops:Whoso follows outmy TeachingStraightfor him all Sorrowstops.Thenthe BrahmanKasibhavadragapouredrice-milkintoagoldenbowlandoffered it to the BlessedOne,saying:A Farmer thou inverysooth,Ambrosial isthy cropof Truth !Drink therice-milk,sir,Ipraythee;Gladlydo I nowobeythee !Some Herethen is aparable settingforthvery clearlythe chiefBuddhisvirtues.Buddhistvirtues faith that Gautamassystemistrue,dis-ciplinedobedience,wisdom inchoosingtherightandrejectingthefalse,modesty, zeal, self-control,gentleness;it is ablendingof the old Greek and Roman cardinalvirtues withthegracesofChristianity.LikeJesusChrist,the Buddha summeduphisteachingand hisexperiencein a set of Beatitudes adescriptionofthehappylife which isvery popularwithBuddhists,and islearntby every schoolboyin Burma. From this and theparableabove the studentmaylearn more of Buddhistethics thanfrommuchdiscussion ofthem, and itmayprovea useful exercise tocomparethem with the Beatitudes ofChrist,andtomakea list oftheirpointsofresemblanceandofdifference.TheseBuddhist Beatitudes are said to havebeen utteredwHQPIDPQwoxWAND HIS TEACHINGS33at therequestofacertaindevaorgodwhodrewnearto theTheteacherasnightfell,andaddressedhimthus :Beatitudes.\Maha-Whatmanymen anddeities,mangalaDesiringbliss,havesoughttofind,Sutta.~]Come tellme, Master,what itis,Whichbringsmostblessingto mankind?Towhomthesagemadeanswer:To shun thefool,to court thewise,This is thehighestParadise:Pay ye respectwhere it isdue,So will trueblessingwait onyou:Seek a fitplaceand thereremain,Striving self-knowledgeto attain :If inpastlivesyouve storedupmerit,The fruits thereofyoull now inherit :Letwisdom, skill,anddiscipline,Andgracious kindlywords be thine :Tendparents,cherish wife andchild,Pursue a blameless life and mild :Live thoudevout,give ample alms,Protectthykin from lifes alarms :Dogood,shunill,and still bewareOfthe red wines insidious snare:So do thoupersevereingood:This is the true Beatitude :Behumble,withthylotcontent,Grateful and ever reverent :Studythe Law ofRighteousness,This is thepaththat leads to Bliss :Bepatientthou,the Saintsfrequent,Andponderstill theirargument:34THE TEACHERThe NobleTruths,the life austereAnd chaste thatbringsNirvana here :The life fromeightfoldbondsecure,The life ofpeacethat crowns thepure:This is theHighestBliss tofind,This the chiefblessingof mankind.HighvalueSuch is theTeacherssummaryofhowto behappy.ethicsC^n^undoubtedlythe manwhopractisedsuchpreceptswould be lovable and beloved and thereforehappy.Tothis extent Buddhism is aGospel.1There is nohighermoral code saveone,and wemay surelylookupontheBuddha as aprophetwhobyholding upsoloftyan idealhasdonemuchtopreparethewayfortheKingdomofGod.Somefat.nl But there aregreatand even fatal flaws in hissystem.Thepoemswehavereadaresummariesofthe ideal for thelay-adherentofthereligion,andNirvana ispromisedtohimas well as to themonk. But inpracticethemonk,who isa celibateandmustbeghisfood,is on a farhigher planethan thelaity,who are notexpectedto reach Nirvana;married life isregardedassensuality,andall formsofattachmentarewrong.Thehighestmerit alaymancanattain isby giving giftsto theSangha,and thelofty systemofGautamas Ethicsdegeneratesin most cases to apettysystemofbook-keeping.Merithas,infact,become anobsession in Buddhistlands,and iskillingout the morespiritual conceptions.Thusthemotive togoodactions is madetoconsistin themeritacquired,and more merit results fromgiftsto theSanghathan fromanyact of benevolenceto asuffering layman. Thusgivingismadeofmuchmoreimportancethansocial service :charitytakes theplaceof love .In BuddhistIdeal* I haveattemptedacomparisonof Hnddhist midChristian ethics.AND HIS TEACHINGS35Again,thisemphasisontheunmarried state isunhealthyandcannotmakefor theupliftofnations. It hashad2200yearsoftrial underideal conditions inCeylonand at least1500yearsinBurma,andcannotbesaid to havestood thetestsatisfactorily.1For Buddhism is not agospelforsociety;it has littlenation-building power.Buddhistsdonotco-operatein nationalcauses,thoughthere is muchindividualphilanthropy.The Buddhist in fact conceivesthis worldas evil;thesooner it endsthebetter; whypatchitup?Thusthere is nogreat constrainingmotive formysakeandtheGospels,and nogreatenthusiasm for aKingdomof Godtobe setupuponearth.Thebesttest ofareligionis Does it work? Buddhismdoesnotsuccessfullymeetthis testwhenjudgedbythe lifeofitslaymen, thoughthereismuchkindlinessandacertainstoical self-controlwhichareadmirablequalities.Anothergoodtest is What is thesummumbonum,theThegoalideal to beaimedat? Is it aworthyidealofhappiness? IsNlrvana-it attainable?From theabovetwopoemsthegoalis seen to be Nirvana,awordfamiliarenoughin theWest,yettoo oftenmisunderstood.For the Hindu of Gautamasdayit meantescapefromthewearyroundofre-birthbyabsorptionintothebeingofBrahma;thedropmergingitself at last in the ocean fromwhich it came. Sowasthe soul at last set free fromitslongtravail.Nirvana meansbyderivation extinction,and hasbeenvariouslyinterpretedas extinctionof the illusionofseparatebeing ,as extinction of false desireand,as extinction ofconsciousness .1SeeChaptersVandVI.C 236THETEACHERWhenGautamaBuddhaadoptedit he alsoadaptedit tosuit hissystem.Hetaughtthat there is nosoulpassing,as the Brahmansheld,like acaterpillarfromleaftoleaf,butonlyanenergy,which,whenthecorporealconstituentsfallapart,is setfreetostart a new life. This is called Karma,or action thesummed-upenergiesof menscharacter,the resultant forceofwhattheyhavedoneandwhattheyare. This Karmavitalizes theovumandthe seed astheycometogether,andstarts anewindividual on hiscareer; yetthenewindividualisreallytheexpressionof the oldenergies.Thus thereis noTransmigrationin the Hindusense,but ratherReindividualization.Now Nirvana is freedom from thisprocess ;and thisinvolves :(1)Freedomfromthebody;(2)Freedom from desire;(3)Freedom from the other conditions that we knowhere.The Buddhist books describe Nirvanachieflyinnegatives. Yet it is notextinction,for theEgo,saysGautama,neverexisted : there never was a soul butonlya bundleofsensationsand faculties;andwhat never existed cannotbeextinguished.This is difficultteaching,and for the modern BuddhistNirvana comesasa rule tomean oneof threethings,or ablendingoftwoofthem :(1)Totalextinction;(2)Extinctionofevil;(3)AParadise ofbliss.All theseaspectscan be found in thedescriptions givenin the sacredbooks,and the Buddhist teachers themselvesare divided as to the truemeaningofthe Goal.Butwhateverit beit willmeanrest andpeace andfreedom,AND HIS TEACHINGS37and itundoubtedlyattracts the Buddhistvery powerfully,thoughhe hasgiven upall effort to attain it inanybutaveryremoterebirth.Whatthen did Gautamareallymeanbyit? Heseemsto have meantprimarilyan ethicalexperiencethatdeepcalm,coolhappinesswhich comes fromrighteous living,coupledwith a moremystical experienceof a trance-likenature which ispossibleto certainexceptionallyendowedminds.Therefore he laidgreatstressuponMeditation,and theBuddhistbooks contain elaborate directions and exercisesin this mostdifficultart,which is nowverylittlepractisedinCeylonorBurma,butseems to bekeptalivebyoneof theBuddhist sects inJapan. Bysuchdeepabstraction themind israptfromthethingsof sense and agreat quietisattained,which is so unlike otherexperiencethat it cannotbedescribed,and sodelightfulthat men have striven andagonizedin thousands toexperienceit. ReadersofHypatiawill findgooddescriptionsof similarpracticesin theEarlyChristianChurch,and it isopentoquestionwhetherin itsextremestagesmenhavenotproducedagreatdesolationandcalled itpeace. Thehappinessofagoodconscienceis onething,andthat ofasemi-swoon is another.Yettheemphasislaiduponthecontemplativelife is mostSomevaluable,and we all need topractisethatabsorptionandjthatfixityof attention to thethingswhich are unseenandeternal. It is mans hardestandmostfruitful exercise;andweofthemodernworldknowfar too little of the secret ofescapinginto thekingdomof themind,orofapplyingourselvestowaitinguponGod,whichistheChristiananalogueofBuddhist meditation.Can we learnanyother lessons at the feet of thisgreatTeacher? Weshall do well ifwe can catchsomethingofhis finecourtesy,of his broad-mindedtoleration,of his38THE TEACHERwonderfulcompassion,andofhis democraticspirit.Forhetreated all men asbrothers,and did more thananyotherIndian to break down thetyrannyofcaste,thoughit hadnot in htsdaydone its worst.Wemaylearn toconquerour innate curse ofrace-prejudice,whichdoes morethananythingelse tokeepus frombeingtruegentlemen,andwhich is thegreatest stumbling-block ofall in thewayoftheKingdomof Godin Indiaandthe East. Yetweshallneedahigherandmoreconstrainingmotive. Buddhism the imitation of Buddha is toocoldandreasonable : it isonlyaswe learn to see other men asbrothers forwhomChrist died that wereallylearn to lovethose whosewaysand colour are different from our own.But it is nosmallhelpto remember that the twograndestfiguresinhistorywere both brown men,and that onebelongedto theworking-classes!GautamasThelife ofGautamawaslongandeventful;yetsomuchltyislegend,and the orderof events is souncertain,that noconsecutiveaccountofhis life isreally possible.Forty-fiveyearshehadtoiled togive mennewaspirationsandnewcourage, walkingsometimesgreatdistances in theblazingsun,sleepingoften with no cover but hisyellowrobe,and no bed but the bare frozengroundof theseNorthern hills aserene, majesticandgracious figure,sowinsomethat he often wonmenbyasimple parableor achildishanalogy,so sure ofhimselfthat heneverfaltered orturnedback. Andhow humble he was ! Inspiteof theamazingclaims attributed tohim, yet humilityisstampeduponhis life.Hereturned,weread,to his fathershouse,amendicantcarryingabeggingbowl,for whichkingsshould onedaystrive. Youdisgraceourroyallinebybegging,said theoldking: It is the custom of that noblerline,the line oftheBuddhas,was the calmand meekreply.AND HIS TEACHINGS39Hiswife,theladyYasodhara,cametomeethim,andde-Twomandedpassionatelythe inheritancedueto Rahulaherson,^eu^s-:tandtheboyfollowedhimfrom street to street. hishome.Very meekly heofferedthem thebestgift preachingtheLaw,for noinheritanceisgreaterthantheTruth . Whereuponthe oldchief,theyoungwife,andtheboyRahula,allenteredthePath,andtherewasajoyousfamilyreunion.Veryhappytoo was hispassing awayhisentrance,asHishebelieved,into full andperfectNirvana. Hehad done480B.c.his workandhewasfree todepart.Attheageofeightyhewas stillpreaching,andhis worktookhimtoPava,where he madea halt in amango-grovebelongingtoKunda,the smith.With his usualcourtesyandsimplicityhe allowed thislow-castemantopreparehimameal,andwith his followersate it in allgoodfaith. But itbroughton a violentdysentery,andhesetout,shatteredandfeeble,forKusinara.Hisstrength failing,helaydown. Hisdiscipleswerefurious withKunda,thesmith,buthewouldallownowordofreproachtoreachthepoorman.They pushedon and came to the banks of the riverHiranyavatT,and there the venerable Teacherlaydowntodie. Ona flat slab of rockthey placedhim,beneath twosandal-woodtrees,and the faithfulAnanda,hispersonalattendant,stoodweepingat his head.TheMasterthankedhim for allhiskindnessandcourtesyandcomfortedhimwiththesewords :Peace,Ananda!Weep.not.HaveI nottold thee thatit is in thenatureofthingsthatwemust beseparatedfromall that is dearestandnearest to us? Must nofthatwhichis madeupofcomponentpartsdissolveandpassaway?Forlong years, OAnanda,thou hastbeenverynearme,andhast tended me with acts and words andthoughtsofkindliness andgoodwill.Well hast thouperformedthine40THE TEACHERoffice.Persevere,bevigilant,and soon thou too shalt befree from thegreatevils of sensualdesire,of individualexistence,ofillusionandignorance.Then,lyingmajesticandcalm in thelion-attitude, uponhisright side,his headrestingononearm,hespokehislastwords,anepitomeofall histeachings:Itmaybe,OAnanda,thatwhenI amgonethisthoughtwill arise inyourminds:"The wordof the Master is nomore. WehavenowaMasterno more." Thinknot thus.Thetruth,the law which I havetaught you,that shall beyourMasterwhen Iamgone.Listennow,Brethren,andfarewell.Everythingisperishingandproneto dissolution;it is the nature ofthings.Workwithoutceasingtoattain release. SohepassedintothegreatSilence,into that statewhichalone,hebelieved,ischangelessamidstthe flux ofthings.In thejungleatPolannaruwa,inCeylon,is a vast rock-hewnimageofthis masterofmen,andhisdiscipleAnandastandsweepingat his head. But the attitude and the expressionofthedyingmanarecalmandserene,andexpressverypowerfullythe stoicalstrengthofthewords :I am the master ofmy fate,I am thecaptainofmysoul.Such is hismessageto the world : Eachmanis hisownhelper: there is noneothertohelphim.Forhecameat atimewhenmenwereformingfalse conceptionsofGod,whentheywerereligiouswithoutbeingmoral. AndBuddhism is amightyrebellion,notagainstreligion,butagainsta falsereligiositywhichsaysthat salvationmaybeboughtby offeringsto thegods.Suchaviewmakesthegodmore immoral than hisworshipper,andtheBuddhabent all hispowersofbrainandheart to insist thatSalvation is character .AND HIS TEACHINGS41We who have known theFriendshipof God in Christrealize that this is asplendidhalf-truth,and we shouldsayrather that Salvation is thefriendshipof God;andthatnomanisreally captainof his soul until hehas surrendered itto Christ.Buddhism,in aword,teaches arigorousandstoicalself-mastery; Christianitydemandsapassionateself-surrender. Andthe freedom which Gautamasought maybemoreeasilyfound in the service of God!EARLYBUDDHISMANDCHRISTIANITYPoints ofSimilarity.1. Bothclaim to be universal and democraticreligions,opento all.2. Both claim togivemensalvation,andto make themhappy.3.Both connect this salvationvery intimatelywithrighteouscharacter.4.Thetwoethicalsystemshavemuchincommon,e.g.:Theemphasislaiduponsalvation;Thetransiencyofthings ;Theneedofrenunciationandself-sacrifice;Theresponsibilityoflife;Thebeautyofholinessandthepowerofgoodwill.Points of Difference.Buddhism:Christianity:1. Isagnostic: itsaysthat i. Is theistic : itsaysthatGodhasnothingto do with God and men haveevery-us,norwewithHim.thingto dowithoneanother.2. Does not involveany2.Involvesthe closestpersonalrelationshiptoGau-possible relationshipwithtamaBuddha: Buddhism is Christ :Christianityis thethe imitation ofBuddha.FriendshipofChrist.THETEACHER3.Salvation is for all whoare wiseenoughtokeeptheLaw;it canbeearned.4.Existence itself is evil.Man must seek toescapeexistenceasweknowit here.5.The world is withoutpurposeother than that ofexpiation.6. Nirvana is(and in the twelfthcenturyA.D.,ParakramaBa.hu,agreatTamilking,builtanewSacredCity78BUDDHISM IN THE SOUTHatPolannaruwathatviedinsplendourwiththe oldercapital.1Throughall these centuries theSanghacontinued toplayavery large partin the destinies.of thecountry,andlargemonasteriesgrew up,ruled overby powerfulabbots .Thesewere for themostparthomesoflearningandpiety,and theSanghawas muchhonoured,so thatto-day theyownone-third ofthearablelandofthe island.Transcrip- Ceylonhasthehonourofhavingfirst transcribedthePaliPTblbooks;thegreatcommentatorBuddhaghosa,in the fourthcenturyA.D.,rendered the current Sinhalese books backintoPali,theiroriginal tongue.Thus thepresentversionof the Sacred Books of Southern Buddhismbelongstoa date almost900 yearsafter thepassingof GautamaBuddha,and there is no doubt that later accretions havebeenincluded.Wefind,forinstance, pessimistic propheciesattributed totheBuddha,that hisreligionwouldgraduallydieawayprophecies, probably,of somekeen observer of a later datewhobythe fourthcenturyA. D.alreadysawtraces ofdecayanddeath.The scholastic lists and summaries found in the booksmayalsobelongto thisperiod,and are the dead bonesofwhatwasoncealiving system.TheMaka-ToCeylonBuddhismbelongsalso one of thegreatesthistorical chronicles in theworld,theMahawamsa,which,thoughit is written from thestandpointof theSangha,isafairlyreliablehistoryofCeylon;byits aid we canrepeopleher dead cities withsplendid throngsofyellow-robed abbots and monks,to whomkingsand courtiersbowdown.The7,774Bhikkhus whoto-day keepalive thereligionarc thus descendants in an unbroken succession of the/1See illustrativereadingat theend ofthechapter.CEYLON79greatMahindahimself,andinCeylonmonasticism hashadauniquechanceofprovingits worth.In orderthatwemaythe better realize thepresentstate Twoofthereligionin thislovelyisland,let us set overagainstsymbollcaloneanothertwotypicalscenes,whichwill serveto introduceustoanatmospheremorallyandintellectually strange.1SECTION II.Wepassbywindingpathsandsteep flightsof rock-hewnThestepsinto thepeaceful fragrant courtyardof a BuddhistVihara. At once we are in anatmosphereremote fromtheworld :hardlyasoundbreakstheheavystillness,exceptwhen the leaves of thegreatBo-tree rustle in thebreeze,or theplaintive other-worldly chantingof the BuddhistSlokas reaches us from thePansala,ordwelling-placeofthe Bhikkhus. Before us stretches awonderfulpanoramaofpaddy-fieldsandcoco-nutestates,greenin theforegroundandpassingintoopalescentbluesandgreysin thedistance,andbeyondare blue hills and thegreat peakofSripada,the sacred mountain ofBuddhism,where is a colossalfootprintof theBuddha,reverenced and evenworshippedbycountlessthousands,and visitedevery year by manya white-robedcompanyofpilgrims.Behind is the rock-hewnshrine,dark andmysterious,in whichreposesacolossalimageoftheBuddha,asymbolofcalm meditationand kindliness whichepitomizesthe Buddhist ideal ofcharacter. Ayellow-robedBhikkhucomesforwardgravelyandushers us into the shrine;and there isampletime tonotehis keenandstoical faceand hisbearingofconsciousdignity.Do the broad acres below notbelongto hisVihara,andis he not thespirituallordof all thecountry-1Partsofthefollowing chapterare taken froman article writtenbytheauthorfor TheInternationalReviewof Missions(April, 1914*.80 BUDDHISM IN THE SOUTHside and an able scholar of the Pali books? His companionisyoungerandstouter,heavy-jowledandstupidinexpression, clearlyavillagerwhohas taken theyellowroberather from force of circumstances than because ofanyvocation to the office ; and he knows little of the booksor ofthehistoryoftheplace.His But it is well worthstudy;andtheelder Bhikkhu is abletoexplainits frescoespicturesof thelegendarylives ofGautama,his former existences inmanyan animalform,his sacrifices of himself forothers,his incarnation asYVessantara,theprincewhogavewife and children toa hunchbackedBrahman,1his miraculous birth as theBuddha,his renunciation of home andwealth,his enlightenmentand his labours as apreacher,andlastlyhisattainment of Nirvana. All this is recorded in red andyellowmuralpaintings;andhere, too,isAnanda,hispersonalattendant,and Maitri or-Metteyya,thecomingBuddha,whoin the distant future shall revive thereligionandcarryon his work.Here, too,arepictureswhich have an even more vitalmeaningto thegreatbulk of thepilgrimswho visit theshrine;pictures,as theyoungermonksmilingly explains,ofthe torturesofthewicked in their next birth;andwhenthepeoplehave knelt before the Bo-tree and offered theircandles and their flowers at theshrine,theparentswillexplainthemto thechildren,notfailingtopointthe moral.Hereis a liar whosetongueisbeingtorn outwith red-hotpincers: herea low-casteman isbeingcrushedundergreatrocks forspeaking rudelyto a feudalsuperior: here theunfaithful wife isclimbinga tree ofjagged spikeswhilstdemon-torturers thrust herthroughwith tridents andspears.Bytheportalsofthe shrine standfiguresofHindugods,1Sec IllustrativeReadingI,at endofChapterVI.uIIc/2wBhikkhus,candles burntbeforetheBuddha-image,pilgrimagesmadeand thepoorfed in order that meritmaybeacquiredandthe offerermaybereborn in ahappiersphere.Heistaughtto restrain his natural instincttokill,andas he Not-returns flushed andhappyonedaycarryinga dead rock-killm -squirrel,frescoesuponthetemplewallsrebukehim,andhisfather shows him the tortures that await him in the nextworld,when it will be thesquirrels turn.Mayhe not berebornas amouse,andthesquirrelasacat? Heshrugshisshoulders,saying,It sworththe risk ! andhisfather wakesupto the fact that hisboyisgrowingupwithoutinstructionin the Buddhist books. So a fitfulattemptis made to Hesits atremedythe evil : he is sentdailyto theBhikkhu,andlearns?feetsomeof theJatakas(animal birth-stories),until the lessonsBhikkhu.86 BUDDHISM IN THE SOUTHThedawningof hero-worshipanderatitude.ASinhaleseNewYear.TheI erahera.ofKarmaandtransmigrationhave sunkdeepinto his soul.He alsobeginsto know some of the moralteachingsofGautama,to take the FivePrecepts daily,and to learnPali sentencesbyheart;and when he is about thirteen orfourteen his instinct forhero-worshipawakens,and centresin thefigureof GautamaBuddha,ofwhom he thinks asaprince giving upall for the sake of a sad and sinfulworld. Sogratitude perhapsthestrongestofreligiousmotives isborn,andloyalty,thestrongest thingin aboy,attaches itselfto the national hero.Thusin theboys consciousness Buddhism isbeginningtoplaya vitalpart,and wemaysumupsofarbysayingthatthedoctrineof Karma andtransmigration populari/.edasthe ideaof Merit the fact of GautamaBuddha,and thestrongsensuousappealto theimagination,are thechiefvitalforces ofBuddhism in thelifeofthisCeylon boy,asofmostofhispeople.AttheSinhaleseNewYear inApril,when the Buddhasbirthday,hisrenunciation,and hisenlightenmentare allcommemorated,hegoes uptoKandyor to Colombo andenjoysall the fun of the fair. Here arereligiousobservances,Wesakcarols in honouroftheBuddha,andtransparenciesin honourof theTripleGem(the Buddha,hisLawand hisOrder),and for the rest there areshooting-galleries,andlucky-dipsand fireworks andmucheating.Atsuch festivals as this he learns to think ofBuddhismasnotmerelythereligionof his home but as his nationalreligion ;thereligionwhich hasmadehiscountrygreat,andwhich is still abondofunionandgood fellowship.If onewishes to see the Sinhaleseschoolboyat hisbest,one should watch him at the annual Perahera inKandy,which is athingofpompandbeautywith itsslow-movingelephantsinscarletandgold,its weirdtorchlight,itsfantasticdances,andthe wildmelancholyofitsbarbaricmusic. TheCEYLON87Kandyan boywillgaze spell-bound,hiseye kindlingandhis chestswellingwithpridein thisepitomeofa civilizationwhich ispassing away,but is stillverydear. And tobecomeaChristianmeans togive upallpersonalshareinthisandmuchelse,to lose his feudalposition,to sacrificethe richperquisitesof thetemple trusteeship,hardest ofall,tobecalledrenegadeand traitorbyones nearest anddearest : . . .exceptamantakeuphis crossdaily.. . .YettheyoungKandyans,knowingallthis,arebeingcompelledbytheappealofahigherbeautyandadeeperallegiance. Let allwhopersevereso far in thischapter prayforamass-movementamongstthese sonsofthe hills inwhomaromanticandpassionatenaturepromisesrich soil for thefruits of the Christian character. Even as Iwrite,comesthe news of thebaptismof four of the mostpromisingofthem,andduringthepastfiveyearssome25have beenaddedto theChurch,all ofthempupilsatTrinity College,Kandy,whilst othercollegescan tell of similarexperiences.Thefact, then,that Buddhism is the nationalreligion,Patriotism,thereligionof over2,000 yearsin thecountryshistory,is another vital force inCeylonBuddhism. For it wasBuddhism which built their ancient cities andgavethemtheir literature.Conservatism, therefore,andprideofracearefightingon behalf ofBuddhism,and it remains forChristianpreachersandwriters toprovethat theGospelisthefulfilment ofthe LawofGautama,no less than ofthatofMoses,andthat their nationalaspirationswill find fullestandfreestexpressioninamodernstate suchasChristianityalonecanconstruct.Buttoreturnto ourBuddhistboy: his father finds heis Atapublicgettingtooold for thevillage school,andhe sends him tosch o1 -thebig missionary collegeorpublicschool where he willbetaught byEnglishmen,andimprovehis chances ofadvancement in Government service. Moreover there areBUDDHISM IN THE SOUTHThecorporatelife.Responsibility.Dormitoryprayers.signsthat theboyneedsdisciplineand moraltrainingandawider life.Henowpassesinto anewandstrangeworld,inwhichhefeels at first lostanddesperatelyhomesick. At timeshe ishappyplayingcrickut,at whichheshowsmarvellousaptitudewith hissupplewrist andquick eye;but at others awildyearningfor hisjunglehome,hiselephantsandbulls,comesoverhim. HisEuropeanclothes,severalsizestoobigforhim,areirksome andclumsy,andtheclass-room isnarrowanddull : helongsfor thefreedom of thelong sunnydaysat home.Moreoverat home he is a smallprince,with servants tofetchandcarryfor himandanassuredposition: herehe isone of acrowd,a humble member of it;andthoughhelikes his teacherstheyarestrangersandtaskmasters.But soon a sense of thecorporate spiritof theplacecomesoverhim: he isreadyforresponsibilityand helikesthewaymen trust him andgivehimthingsto do. Thegang-spiritin himrespondsto thedormitorylife,andsomehowthere is a friendlinessandsecurityabout it all which isnewandgood.Helikes theevening hour,whentherearegamesandyarns,followedbythequiet evening prayers ;andthese, thoughhe does not understandmuch,fill himwith a sense ofother-worldly peace,andhe fallsasleepnolongerafraid of Yakkhas orghosts.Then hejoinstheUnion for SocialService,and learns to findhappinessinsimpleacts ofkindliness to thepoorandsick,andahigherpatriotismawakensin him.Thereligious teaching, too,he likes(thoughhe feels thatBuddhism is better in itsstrongemphasisupontemperanceandnot-killing ),andsoon afigureofbeautyandstrengthseems to form in hissubconsciousness,and theappealofChristbeginsto assert itself in the schoolchapeland theBible class. He resists it at first, and hemay grow upCEYLON89resisting it, strengthened bythewarningsofparentsandBhikkhustohavenothingtodowith an alien faith;buthe feels he is at thepartingof theways.He sees thatthese Christians areunselfish,and thattheyworktogetherloyallyforacommoncause : he thinks he willtryandputsome ofthisspiritinto Buddhism. Butwhen he returnshomehe finds it is notthere,and there seems nowayoffosteringit. Hisfather, too,whom herespectsandloves,falls short inmanywayshe cannothelp noticing;and theBhikkhusdonotleadreallygoodor effective lives.He tells his elder brother he is half convinced thatChristianityistrue,and that he islearningthe secret ofprayer.The brother loses histemperand tells him thatChristianityis false andforeign,that it is immoral in itsteachingthat mencangoonsinningand beforgiven againandagain,andthat the Lawof Karma alone canexplainwhysomearerichandsomearepoor,someuglyandsomehandsome,somehealthyandotherssickly.So hegoesback tocollegedetermined to resist theChristianinfluence,and armed with someposersfor histeachers.Theiranswersdonotwholly satisfyhim forwhobuttheBuddhistcangiveamathematical reason for thesufferingsofmankind? Yethewouldliketobelieveina FatherGod:he finds thatprayeris agreat reality,and the Christianteachingofonelife onearthand a reunionofdead friendsin heavenappeals stronglyto his heart;andNirvana doesnotattract him.Moreoverhefinds that noonein hiscountrythat hehasheard ofisreally seekingtoattain Nirvana in thislife,andhe is toldbyall whomheasks that it cannotbedone.Soifhe is sincerehemusteitherbecomea Christianandfollow the Christ whosekingly figureso attractshim,orelse hemustbecomeaBhikkhu andsee if Nirvana cannot9o BUDDHISMIN THE SOUTHreallybe attained and meditationreally practisedas in thegoodolddays.I think of twopupilsofmyown,who werevery greatfriends. Bothbelongedtohighly-placedfamilies;bothranneckandneckforthree-quartersoftheirschoolcareer;bothwerestronglyinfluenced for Christ. Thencamethepartingof theways;and onegoesforth topreach Christ,one tobecomeaBhikkhu,until he realizes that Nirvana is not aliving hope,and either sinks into theapathyof thedailyroutine or forsakesthelifeoftherecluse. Fortheonethereispovertyandpersecution,butjoyandprogress;for theother agrand ceremonyas he takes theyellowrobe,andrespectand reverence all hisdays,atanyrate from thewomen-folk,but sadnessandapathyandstagnation.Fortheone isin aminority,buthehasGodon his side;the otherjoinsthemajority,buttheyareseparatedfromGod,andtherefore withouthopein the world.Buddhism,if thehopeof Nirvana begonefromit,is apessimisticreligion ;and itsonly hopeas it now exists inCeyloniscentredupontheComingOne,Maitri,the BuddhaofLove.Till heshallcome,CeylonBuddhists Bhikkhuandlaymanalike confess thattheyhave nospiritto liveupto thedifficult moral ideal set beforethem,still less to followthosemystical practicesofmeditationwhich aresaidto leadon to Nirvanaandwhichare theverykernelof Buddhism.AsoneofBishopCoplestonscorrespondentsputit,Thesethingsareverynon-existent . All would-be reformersacknowledgeandbewail thisfact,andeven the late Venerable SriSumangala,who was cremated with almostroyalhonours,washeldbyBuddhistsnotyetto haveenteredthepathtoemancipationSowan. TheBhikkhus oneand allmaintain that it isimpossiblenowto reachNirvana,for thereligionhasentereduponastageofdegenerationprophesied,astheybelieve,byGautama Buddhahimself,when suchCEYLON91attainment is nolonger possible.Wearewalkingin darkness,said a Buddhist leaderinCeylon,withoutseeingalight,aperson,or ahope.Nirvana,said a BurmanBhikkhu,is a fearsomethought! I have nohopeofattainingit.SECTION IV.Wecome then to thestrikingfact that whilstCeylonDecayatBuddhism has vital forces ofgreat power, yethere at thetbe core>veryheart ofit isdecayanddeath.Andin theconcludingVitalforcessectionwemayattemptto showhowthe vital forcesof theGospelmaytriumphwhereBuddhismhas failed.(1)In the firstplace,it is clear that whilst Nirvana is aHeavenvagueand ill-defined and unattainableideal,the Christianheaven,if it beadequatelypreached,cannot fail to attracttheir heartsandtoappealtotheirreasons.Theyarealreadyconvinced that a life in a heaven is arealityattainablebythegoodman;andthey longto be assured of thepossibilityof reunionwith their dear ones.AccordingtoBuddhism,this isonlyabarepossibilityandcanatbestbebut atemporaryjoy: if theKarmaofthepersonsisidentical,theywill berebornunder similarconditions,possiblyinthesamefamily.(2)As withNirvana,sowiththe methodofattainingit.Prayer..Thepracticeofmeditation,which is theverykernel ofBuddhism,is almostadeadletterinCeylon;andthepeoplewantsomethingtoputin itsplace. Theydoin factpraywhethertheywillacknowledgeit or not and onemayseethemkneelingabstractedanddevoutin frontofthe Bo-tree.Theyprayfor material benefits in-this world(thoughthis is notorthodox),ortheypraytoberebornto see MaitriBuddhaandattain Nirvana.Buttheydo not claim that theirprayersare answered.92BUDDHISM IN THE SOUTHCommu-nionwithChrist.PerfectSocialservice.NowChristianityisessentiallythereligionofprayer,and itis oftenthe factofansweredprayerthatbringsBuddhiststoChrist. Forifprayerbeefficacious,then Karmamustgo:ifthingscanbegotbyasking,thenthe world is notmerelya closedsystemofrigidnatural law.(3)Connected withprayeris themysticismessential toChristianity.CommunionwiththelivingChrist thissurelyma7beofferedverydefinitelyinplaceofthe far-offhopeofthecomingBuddha. Buddhists listenreverentlyto suchpreaching,andthe wistfulness of someoftheir faces isverytouching:theyrealize that their ownrighteousnessis asfilthy rags.(4)Moreover,justasHefoundacceptanceinGalileeandn t^ieR manEmpireas the Saviour frompowersof darkness,so to the demon-hauntedvillagersofCeylonHemaybeprovedto havestill Hisancientpower.These fourpoints maybe summarizedby sayingthatChristianityis avitalreligioninproportionas it is miraculous;andonlyin so far as it is vital can ithopetoreplaceareligionasstrongas Buddhism. It is notamoralsystemthat Buddhistswant,for thattheyalready possess: it is aliving,vitalpowerforconquestandvictory victoryoverdeath andsin,and the fear of demons and thepowerofcircumstance. Suchare theimplicationsof thedoctrine ofthe FatherhoodofGod. Hiskingdomis thekingdomnotmerelyofLawbut ofGrace.(5)Again,ifChristianityis indeedalife,it will manifestitselfin social service : it mustproveitself to be not a denationalizinganddisintegratingforce butanation-buildingpower.Thegreatdoctrineof the Brotherhoodof Man isacceptedbyBuddhists,butnot muchpractised. Christianityalone has asufficiently constrainingmotive,for it sees intheleperand in the outcast a brother for whom Christdied . Worksofhealingarean essentialpartoftheGospelCEYLON93message,andyetCeylonhasatpresentnomedicalmission !The worklatelystarted for the deaf and blind isalreadyprovinga valuable bit ofapologetic,and thewonderfullycourageous puritycampaign latelycarried out inColombohasalsogiventhe Buddhistsfuriouslytothink;whilstsuchpracticalsocialChristianityas thecorporatelife of themission schoolsandof theYoungMens ChristianAssociation(whichisrapidly becoming indigenous)does muchtoconvince Buddhists thatChristianityhas forces ofcohesionwhich are not found in Buddhism. Thefact, moreover,that Christian efforts are sustained andprogressivemakesBuddhists realize thattheyarelackinginsomethingthatmakesfor united andlong-sustainedeffort. The ChristiancommunityofCeylonnumber tenpercent, of the totalpopulation,avery high proportion comparedwithIndia,and iftheybereally livingChristians,then thevictoryisassured;and to vitalize the Christiancommunityand tosendoutleaders with aliving experience-this mustbethefirst task oftheChurchinCeylon.WhilstthenCeylonhassplendidwork to offer toforeignmissionariesonthe staffs ofherpublicschools,andpioneerwork in the Maldive Islands and in the centre of theWesternProvince,wherea medicalmissionarycoulddountoldgood, yet,on thewhole,shecannotbecalledaneedyfield.Alreadysome270Europeanmissionaries(abouthalfof themRomanCatholics)are atwork,andthere is agrowingnationalspiritin the Christian Church. She isaskingthathernative Christianleadersbegiventhe bestpossibletraining,andmoneyisurgentlyneededtofound atrainingcolonyplannedbythePrincipalofTrinity College, Kandy,which shall sendout to thevillagesmentrained inagricultureandtherudimentsof medicine to be truepastorsoftheseneedypeople,and to free them from thebondageoffearanddiseaseanddebts.94BUDDHISM IN THE SOUTHSuch is the work of His Church who came that menmighthavemoreabundant life.Anothergreatandnobleworkthat iscallingfor ableanddevotedmenis theproductionofasound, liberal, andpositive Christianliterature,both for thebuilding upof theChristiancommunityand for thewinningof the non-ChristianpeopleofCeylon,who arebecoming every yearmoreeagerforsomethingworthreading,andtherefore moreaccessible to thespiritofChrist.ILLUSTRATIVE READINGSI. AGreat Reformer.I ariikramaBahu I.(Fromthe AJa/idivamsa.)Afterwards this chief of men erected in the middle ofthecityasquarehallfacingthe fourquarters,with diversrooms ofgreatsize,and established acharitywith all thethingsthat were needfulthereunto,so thatmanyhundredsofpiousmonksmightbe fed theredaily;and this ruler ofmen,whowaswellpleasedwiththem,failed notyearlytogiveunto themgarmentsand robesaccordingto theirstandingin the Order. Then in the fourquartersof thecityhe built fourAlms-halls, dulydefined andseparatedfromeachother,andfurnished withmanyvessels made ofmetal,andpillowsandcushions,andmats, coverlets,andbeds;and for the useof those halls hegavethousands ofcows thatyielded goodmilk. Then heplanted gardensnear them ofexceeding beauty, delightfullike those ofheaven,with fountains ofpurewater,andornamentedwithrows of treesbearingdivers flowers and fruit. He builtalsomanystorehouses nearthem,filled with muchgrain,andsuppliedwith candiedsugar,treacle, honey,and allthingsof that kind;and this wise and firm andspiritedCEYLON95kingstintednot, but,with a heart full ofjoy,causedagreatdistributionofalmsto bemadedailytomanythousands ofpiousanddevout monkswho came from thefourquartersof theland,and toBrahmans,and tobeggingminstrels,and toverymanyotherpoor beggars.And this ruler ofmenbuilt furtheralargehall that could containmanyhundreds of sickpersons,andprovidedit alsowith allthingsthatwereneedful. Toeverysickpersonheallowedamaleand a femaleservant,thattheymightminister to himbydayandbynight,andfurnish himwiththephysicthatwasnecessary,andwith divers kindsoffood. Andmanystorehousesalsodidhebuildtherein,filled withgrainandotherthings,andwith allthingsthatwere needful for medicine.Andhe also madeprovisionfor the maintenance of wiseand learnedphysicianswho wereversed in allknowledgeandskilled insearchingoutthenature ofdiseases. Andhetook care to discern the different wants of thesick,andcausedthephysiciansto ministertothem,asseemednecessary,bothby dayandnight.And it was hiscustom,onthe four Sabbaths(Uposathadays)ofeverymonth,to castoff hiskingsrobes, and,after that he hadsolemnlyundertakento observe theprecepts,topurifyhimself andputonacleangarment,andvisit that halltogetherwithhis ministers. Andbeingenduedwith aheart full ofkindness,hewould look at the sick with aneyeofpity,andbeingeminent in wisdom and skilled in the art ofhealing,hewould call before him thephysiciansthat wereemployedthere andinquire fullyof the manner of their treatment.Andif sobethat ithappenedthatthetreatment thattheyhadpursuedwaswrong,theking,who was the best ofteachers,wouldpointout whereintheyhaderred, and,givingreasontherefor,wouldmakeclear tothemthecoursethattheyshouldhavepursuedaccordingto science;alsotosomesickpersonshewouldgivephysicwith hisownhands.96BUDDHISM IN THE SOUTHLikewise also hewouldinquireof the health of all thosethat weresick,anduntosuchaswerecuredoftheirdiseaseshewould order raiment to begiven.And as he desiredgreatlytogainmerit,he wouldpartakeof merit at thehands ofphysicians,andimparthisownmerit tothem,andthen return to his ownpalace.In thismanner, indeed,didthis mercifulking,free fromdiseasehimself,curethe sick oftheir divers diseasesfromyeartoyear.But thereyetremainethanother marvel torelate,the likeof which had neither been seen nor heard of before. Acertain raven thatwasafflicted withacankerof his faceandwas ingreat pain,entered thehospitalof theking,whosestore ofgreat goodnesswas distributed to all alike. Andtheraven,as ifhehadbeenboundbythespellofthekingsgreatlove forsuffering creatures,quittednot thehospital,butremainedthere as ifhiswingswerebroken,cawingverypiteously. Thereuponthephysicians,aftertheyhad foundout what his true diseasewas,took him inbythekingscommandandtreatedhim;andafter hewas healed of hisdisease thekingcausedhim to becarriedon the backofanelephantround the wholecity,and then set him free.Verily,kindnesssuchasthis,even whenshownuntobeasts,isexceedinggreat.Who hath seen suchathing,or whereorwhenhath it beenheardbefore?ThereafterthekingParakramaBahu,whohadgainedthelove of allgoodmen,beganwithgreat vigourtoenlargeandadornthefamouscityofPulatthi,which(hadthen beenbroughtlowand)was acitybut inname,and could notshow forth theexceedinggreatnessandmajestyoftheking.Andfrom that timeforth theprotectorofthelandbegantosurround thecitywith fortifications;and outside the beltof thecity-wallof formerkingshe caused agreatchainoframpartsto bebuilt,exceeding high,andgreatlyembellished it withplasterwork, so that it was as white asTHE SHWE-DAGONPAGODA,RANGOONCEYLON97a cloud in autumn. Thence he built three lesserwalls,one behindanother,and caused divers streets to beformed around them.Likewise, also,he surrounded hisownpalaceand the chambersof thewomenof his householdwithacircle oflesser walls.Then thegreatestof allkingsbuilt apalaceofgreatsplendourcalledVejayanta,so that none could be compareduntoit,like untooneofthe creations of Vissakammathat have not beensurpassed.It had sevenstories,andcontained one thousandchamberssupportedbymanyhundredsofbeautifulpillars.Itwassurmountedwithhundredsofpinnacleslike thetopofKelasa,andadornedwith networksofdivers leavesandflowers. Itsgatesanddoorsandwindows were made ofgold,and its walls and staircasesweresoorderedthatthey gavepleasureinallthe seasons. Itwasalsoalwayswellsuppliedwiththousandsofbedsofdiverskinds,made ofgoldandivoryand other substances andwithcarpetsofgreatvalue. Andthesplendourthereofwasincreasedbythe addition of a bedchamber for theking,which sent forth at all times aperfumeof flowers andincense,andwhichwas made beautiful with rows oflargelampsofgold,andmadeexceedinglylovelybyreasonofthegarlandsofpearlsofgreatsizewhichwerehungat the fourcornersthereofpearlswhitelike theraysofthemoon,andwhich,astheywavedtoandfro,seemedto smilewithscornat the beautifulripplesof the river of heaven. And thenetwork oftinklingbells ofgoldthathunghere andtherein thepalaceand sent forth sounds like untothose ofthefive instruments ofmusic,seemedtoproclaimtheunlimitedgloryofthe merits oftheking.98BUDDHISM IN THESOUTHII. AMediaeval Picture of Church and State.(FromtheMahdwamsa.}KingParakramaBahuspeaks:In timespastthispeoplewasmuchoppressed byKings,whoplaced grievousburdensuponthem,so thatgreattroubles arose;and theKingswere ledastray bylust andhate, byfear andignorance, caringnot for the interests oftheSanghaand the Realm. . . . And thereligionof thePerfect Buddhahas forlongbeenshaken to its foundationsbyinnumerableheresies,and rentbythedisputesof itsThreeFactions,and its monksareshameless,lovingonlytofill theirbellies,. . . andtosupporttheir wivesandchildren.So it has come topassthat the Law of the Buddha hasdecayedbeforetheelapseof thefivethousandyears,towhichheforetold that it shouldendure.SomesignificantDates.250is. c. MahindatakesBuddhismtoCeylon.300-450A. i). TheDipawamsacompiled,400-500A. i). TheMahawamsacompleted.454A. inBnddhagoscPsCommentaries.Sacredtexts transcribed.for Tibetwhentheir rulecomestoan end. WhenGeneralYounghusbandsexpeditionreached theHoly CityofLhassa,where the Dalai Lama orPopeof Tibetan Buddhismhas hishead-quarters,he found10,000lamasbattening uponthepoorandignorant peoplein thatcity alone,andstrove tomakehonestcitizens ofthembyforcingthemto fetchandcarryfor histroops.The demon-masks shown in ourillustration aresamplesTheirof the methodstheyemploytokeepthepeopleinsubjec-methods-tion;theyused them also totryandfrightenourtroops;andhuman skulls turned into drums andapronsmade ofhumanbonesarealsopartoftheir stock-in-trade.Tibetan Buddhism islargelyareligionof fear fear of1From Buddhism as aReligion, byH.Hackmann,to whom thischapterisgreatlyindebted.n8 BUDDHISM IN THE NORTHthelamas,fear of thedemons,fearof themanygodswhocrowdthe lamaisticpantheon.The Letustryto reduce thisstrange medleyto some sort ofTibetanor(}er. First, thereis the whole series ofBuddhas,of whomPantheon.fiveGautama,his threepredecessors,and his successorMaitreyyaare ofspecial importance.Fortheyare believed to be emanations ofheavenlybeings;thus the historical Gautama ismerelythe incarnation of thegreatAmitabha(BoundlessLight);and behindall the fiveheavenlyBuddhasagainis oneSupremeBuddhaOriginandSource ofall Adi-Buddha.Butthegod-makingfancyofNorthernBuddhismdid notstophere. Besides Buddhas(ofwhom these Five Conquerorsareonlythechief),there are also Bodhisattvascorrespondingto them. Thusthere is aBodhisattva correspondingtoGautama, Avalokiteswara,and it is hewho isincarnate in theDalai Lama. Heis believed in as a saviourwhobearsmenalongbyhis irresistiblegrace,asacatcarriesher kittens in her mouth !Wemay putsome of this elaboratemyth-makingindiagrammaticform, showingthe Gautama series of incarnations :Adi-BuddhaFive^/T^\\ConquerorsAmitabha_JGautamaAvalokiteswaraDalai LamaThustwooftheseries,Gautamaand the DalaiLama,arehistoricalfigures,and the restmyths.Vet this is notquiteTIBET119a fair statement;for thewholeattemptisreally eloquentoftheneedof thehumanheart forasupremeGod,andoftheneedofa historic vindication ofthatGod.Moreover,TibetanBuddhism,inmakinggodsofEndlessLife,EndlessLight,ofPowerandWisdomandLove,is onemoreproofthat the heartof manneedsGod and that inJesusChrist it can find satisfactionandstrength.Is it nota furtherproofthathumannature is the same all over theworld?Tibetan Buddhism has also femaledeities,theTaras,one Tarabeing worshippedas the consortofAvalokiteswara,andhavingbeen incarnate in the two wives of the firstBuddhistKingofTibet.AnotherTara is a monstrousfigurewith three faces andeightarms one of the facesbeingthat of a sow;andMongoliansbelieve that still anotherof theTarasbecomesincarnateas theCzarofRussia.Next to thesebeingscome a kind of anti-demons,tutelary godswho arerepresentedasveryhideous andthereforeveryalarmingto thedemonsoverwhomtheyholdsway;and each has a consort asuglyas himself and asbloodthirsty.FourKingsrule the fourquartersoftheUniverse,andthese also must bepropitiated; they playapartalso inSouthernBuddhism,onebeingthe Princeofdemon-armies.Then there is the Lord ofHell,Yama,whojudgesthedead and rules theeighthot and theeightcold hells;hisconsort isLhamo,thetutelary deityof Lhassa;and withthemare countlessarmiesofdemonsandghouls.Last,there are the saints of Buddhism.-Beside theBuddhaimagein thetemplesstandfiguresofSariputtaandMoggallana,his chiefdisciples,and sometimes thegentleAnandais also there.Such is thepantheonof Buddhism in theNorth,and inBUDDHISM IN THE NORTHOtherpointsinwhichTibetanBuddhismdiffersfromthatintheSouth.Prayer-flagsandwheels.Hermits.otherstriking waysit differs from the moresoberBuddhismofthe South.Acommonfeatureofthelandscapearepoleswith fluttering flags suspendedfromthem,andonthese are theprayersandejaculationsofthe faithful.OmMani Padme Hum(Hail to theJewelin theLotus)is thecommonestform oftheseprayers,and will befamiliar to readers ofKim,thougheven the lamas haveforgottenitsmeaning.It is foundprintedathousandtimesover ingreat cylindrical prayer-drumswhich are workedsometimesbymachinery,sometimesbyhand,andwhichbyasinglerevolutionarebelievedtowinfortheownerentranceinto aHeaven,or at worstescapefroma Hell.Thus in Tibet onemayset onesprayer-wheel revolvingand thengo comfortablytosleep! For the Tibetan conceptionofprayerispurelymechanical,and the lamas arethemselvesalways turningsmall handprayer-wheelsortellingthe 108 beads of arosary.Here the doctrine ofMeritmaybe said to touch bottom !In addition to thelamas,who are of two sects theYellow-caporasceticsect,to whom Kims lamabelonged,andtheRed-caplamas,who maymarryTibetan Buddhismhasalargenumberofhermits,someof whomendureterribleprivations, dwellingincompletesolitude in holes in thegroundandstarvingthemselves almost to death.Surelywhere there issuch earnestness and such belief inprayer,however mistaken the forms ittakes,there ispromiseofa rich harvest for theChurchofChrist,thoughmissionscanatpresent onlyworkuponthebordersofTibet.Asmyfriend the late Mr.Sidney Longhasexpressedit,The incessantpursuitofsuperstitionand the lavishpaymentofmoneyto the lamas in theirpriestly capacity,1Ourcountrydoesnot suffer from lack ofprayers,said the MaharajaofSikkim tome :yettrueprayerishardlyto he found.TIBETAN LAMASTIBET 121showthedeeplongingof thepeopleforsomething, thoughtheyknownotwhat. Theterrible ascetic tortures that bothlaityandpriesthoodin some casesundergo,farexceedinganythingthatmanyof us who are Christianswould dreamof,are astretchingforth to the utmost of "faith s lamehands",andevidenceofearnestseekingin somepoorblindfashion,whichHesurelynoteswhosaid,"Seek,andyeshallfind".Atouchinglittle illustration of faith andhope,even inthese darklands,isgivenin the fact that in the miniatureclay imagesof Buddha and Buddhistsaints,which arethrownbythousandsupon gravesandintoemptycavesasameritoriousact,is a little seedofcorn,buriedandhiddenin theclay,an emblem of thehopethat in someway,faroff,lifemayyet springout ofdeath.Anothertouchingcustom is foundamongstthewomen.Theyweargreatconch-shellsuponwrist orneck,believingthat here arelampswhich willlightthemthroughthevalleyoftheshadow, verymuchas in Burma thedeadareburied withacoin between theirteeth,presumablytopaytheferrymanwho shallcarrythem across thedark riverbeyondthegrave.Here are indications once more that the human heartwith itspassionate longingfor a resurrection-life findsNirvana anemptydream and the doctrine oftransmigration intolerable.Yet the lamas arestronglyconvinced of itstruth,andtheir wholesystemis builtuponit. The DalaiLama,forinstance,is chosenfromall the children born nine monthsafter hispredecessordied,for then the BodhisattvaAvalo-kiteswara,beingset free from his formerbody,is believedtobecomeincarnate inanewone.Themethodofselection isveryinteresting.All the stolid littleoblique-eyedbabies areplacedini22BUDDHISM IN THE NORTHurow,and thepossessionsof the dead lama areplacedbeforethem,with imitations mixed withthem ;clearlytheBodhisattva willrecognizehis favouritepossessions! Ifthechild seizes thegenuinearticles,this isproof positivethathe is the new incarnation.Subjectto theapprovalofChineseofficials,the child isduly appointedto hishighoffice,and entersupona career whichusuallyterminatesin a violent death : for Chinadoes notlove thePapacy!Next indignitytothe Dalai Lamacomesthe GrandLamaofTashiLumpo,andthen a numberofotherGrandLamasandanAbbess all of themregardedas reincarnations ofBodhisattvas. Belowtheseagainare a wholehierarchyoflesserlamas,and their numberislegion.Tibet boastsover3,000monasteries.To what do the lamas owe theirextraordinary power?Tartlyto theteachingsofBuddhism,whichinevitablyfosterpriestcraftandset the celibateonapedestal bymakinghimthe chiefmeans ofacquiringmerit; partlyto the belief inthe reincarnation of Bodhisattvas as lamas;butchieflytothesuperstitiousfears of thepeopleand the claims of thelamasthemselves to stand between thegodsand thepeopleon the onehand,and the devils and thepeopleon theother.Priestcraft.Priestcraft isalwaysabar toprogress,and never has itproveda more terribledragon a nation than in Tibet.Theyhave barred thewaytoever}form of commerce.Theyaredoctors, chemists,painters,tradesmen,moneylenders,andbeggarswho take norefusal,besidesbeingpriests, prophets,and wizards. Whatthey maynot themselvesundertake,such as thesuperintendenceoftheirlargepropertiesand all sorts ofhandicrafts,they compel laymentodoforthem,and these become little else than serfs tothem. Inevery respect theyareon an elevated and moreshelteredplanethan others. WhoeverstealsanythingfromTIBET123alama,or murdersone,incurs apenaltyfive or tenfoldgreaterthan is exacted in other cases. Nevertheless thepeoplenotonlyendure thisextraordinaryand burdensomeyoke,but itgainsevernewascendancyfromthem,and hasits roots inthem,in the obscuredepthof the soul of theindividual,which no scientificinvestigationwill everfullyexplain.Such is the Buddhism of Tibet : astrange medleyof Amedleymagicandmystery-mongeringwith thephilosophicalandandTphilo-ethicalteachingsofGautama. Andwhenwe recollect thatsophy.a wheel of life,such as thatreproducedin our frontispiece,whichoncehungintheDalai LamaspalaceinLhassa,is found in almosteverytempleinTibet,we shall realizethat with all itsperversionsthereligionof Tibet isundoubtedlyBuddhism.Howuglyand vile some of theseperversionsareonlythosewhohave been in Tibet canimagine: howdreadfulis thetyrannyofthelamasonlyaTibetancansay!Howgreatadayit will be in thehistoryof Tibet whentheLightof the Worlddispelsthedarkness thisanysensibleman can understand. And theGospelof the Love of aFather-God isgoodtidingsindeed to thesedemon-hauntedsouls.B. IN CHINA.There is alegendthat Buddhism entered China in the BuddhismsecondcenturyB.c.,but it madeits first seriousattemptto^DniconvertChina about the middle of the firstcenturyA.D., 50-100).when theEmperor Ming Ti,in obedience to a vision inwhichagreat goldenimageappearedtohim,sent emissariestobringteachers ofthe Buddhistreligioninto hisEmpire.ButBuddhism,thoughinvited and fosteredbytheEmperor,hadamore formidable task in China than else-124BUDDHISM IN THK NORTHKindsTaoismandConfucianismalreadyinthe field.Yet itbecomesstronglyestablishedin thefourth centuryA.D.PilgrimagestoIndia.BuddhismmeetsChristianity.where ; ;md it was not till300 yearshadelapsedthat theChinesewereallowed to becomemonks.ForChinaalreadyhadhighly developed religionsof herown,which stillpersistsidebyside with Buddhism andare to averyconsiderable extent fused with it. TheseareTaoism and the statereligion,the first associated with theteacher Laotze andthesecondwithhisyoungercontemporaryConfucius.Taoism issufficientlyakin to Buddhism to make termswith it on itsmagicorsupernatural side,and Confucianismhaspointsofcontact with it on its ethical side;but therehasalwaysbeencompetitionandrivalry,and the Chinesefelt from the first that their ownreligionswere asgoodasthatimportedfromIndia,and in somepointsbetterthan it.Yet about the thirdcenturyA.D.,in thereignofWu-ti,thenewreligion beganto exert astronginfluence,and inthe fourthcentury,in thereignoftheHunFmperorShe-hu,beganthe ordination of Chinesemonks,and with it thenaturalizationoftheimported religion.DuringthisperiodChinesepilgrims beganto visitIndia,and tostudyBuddhism in the land of its birth. Themostfamousof thesepilgrimsare Fa Hsian of the fifthcentury,HuanSangof thesixth,and ITsingof theseventh,whohave left us valuableaccountsoftheirimpressionsofIndianBuddhism.Theyare writtenentirelyfrom theMahayana standpoint,and it isquiteclear that Chinese Buddhism from the startbelongedto this school.Veryearlyin itshistory,about A. D.636,Chinese Buddhism must have come into contact withChristianity,forcertainhereticalChristians,theNestorians,establishedstrongmissions inChina,andchurches ortemplesofhappinesswere builtbysome of theemperors,one of whom evenZoH>"2. j *TU^4 oOCHINA125kepttheChristmasfestival : andevenaslateasthe thirteenthcenturythe travellerMarcoPolofoundChineseChristianityin afairly thrivingstate. ButbythefourteenthcenturytheNestorians had submitted toRome,and those in Chinacameunderthe directionof the FranciscanMission,whichhadarrived in1293.AnotherChristian missionsentoutbythegreatDominicanorder,then in itsprime, gota firm hold in theEmperorsCourtduringthefourteenthcentury,and it seemsclearthatChineseandJapaneseBuddhismhavebeentosome extentinfluencedbyChristianity.It is sometimessaidthatJohnChinamanwill call himselfThe China-in one breath aConfucianist,aTaoist,aBuddhist,and^1^"aChristian,and there is undoubtedtruth in this. For theChineseareeclectics,andgetsomethingoutof eachreligion ;yetthereligionsarereally incompatible.Buddhism andConfucianismareagnostic;Christianityisprimarilythegoodnewsof Gods love;Taoism is asystemofastrologyandscience,falselysocalled,whichChristianityrepudiates,andtherecanbenoquestionofcompromise.Yetoncertain moralduties,especiallythat of filialpiety,all areone,and the Christian Chinaman isrightin notutterlyrepudiating thesegoodlessonswhichtheoldreligionsof thepasthavetaughthim(especiallyConfucianism,towhich he owesasensitive moralconsciousness),whilst herecognizesthat Chinaoweshergreatawakening andhernewlife to Christ. But the Buddhism of China is astrangemedleyofgoodandevil,and the evilpredominates.Letus seewherein it differs fromthat ofTibet.In the firstplacethere are fewergods,thoughthesePointsinbelongto the same fourgreatclassesBuddhas,Bodhi-^|^Lsattvas, Saints,andtutelarydeities. BuddhismSecondly,thecomingBuddha,Metteyya,occupiesaquitesubordinateplaceasatutelarygod;afatjollyfigure holdingTibet.126BUDDHISM IN THE NORTHahag containing good fortune,and not to be taken tooseriously.Thirdly,the Bhikkhusareadespisedclass,mostlycorrupt,with little of thepowerof thelamas,and there is nohierarchy.Monasti-The monks in China areignorantandlazy,and theircismand,,,.., , ,asceticism.moral standard is said to be much lower than that of thelaity.Yettheyare indeadlyearnest if wemayjudge bytheirasceticism.Thoughquiteagainsttheteachingof theBuddha,whocalled it anabomination,asceticism of arevolting typeispractisedaspartoftheordinationceremony:lumpsof charcoalaregluedto theshavenheadof the candidate and thenignited,whilst the sufferer withupliftedhandscalls alouduponAmitabha(OmitoFo).Somegosofaras to burn offafinger,andothershaveevenbeenknownto allow themselvesto beburntalive onsomefuneralpyre.All this isstrongly opposedto Chinese ideals oflife,formonasticism tends to weakenfamilyties,andthefamilyisthe basis ofChinese civilization.Moreover,amongstanindustriouspeoplesuch as the Chinesethe monastic life isfelt to be idle andunproductive,andacommon taunt isthat themonkis not so useful as the silkworm .He isdespised, moreover,asbeingeither illiterateor,ifliterate,notknowing anythingoutside the Buddhistbooks.TheYetthe services ofthese monksplayanimportantpartinservicesofChineselife,for it isthey whoadvise thepeopleas towhichthemonks. . . Tofthegods theyshallpropitiate,and it istheywho recitethe sacred texts. In times of sickness orperilthegodsmustbeconsultedor lotsdrawn,and these are inchargeofthemonks,who fostersuperstitiousbeliefs and teach thelaitythat thedestinyof thesoul,evenafterdeath,maybeinfluencedbyofferingsin thetemples.But itmayfairlybearguedthat thelaityofChinaare notCHINA127Buddhists at all;theyhavetodoonlywiththeceremonialThelaitynotBuddhists.aspectsofBuddhism,andonlyin so far as Buddhismbyitsnotdoctrineoftransmigrationfits in withancestor-worshipwilltheChineselaityhaveanythingtodowith it. Theirancestral tablets areamain feature oftheBuddhisttemples,andancestor-worshipisprobablytherealreligionofthepeople.It is true that Buddhismhascolouredtheirart,formanyoftheirleadingartists havebeenmonks,andtheirliterature-is interwoven with the Buddhistlegends. Moreover,theideaofMerithasgota firmholdhereas in all landswhitherBuddhismhascome.But Buddhism cannot beregardedasagreat powerin BuddhismChina,and it hascertainlynot laid China under sogreatnotag?68adebtas Burma andCeylon: rather is it aburden which China,advancingcivilization andthegrowingnationalsentimentofChinawill castoff,for it hasalwaysbeensomethingof analienreligionto theChinese,andexceptfor theirworshipofoneoftheBodhisattvas,Kwanyin,Goddess ofMercy,ithas laid novery greatholduponthe affections of thepeople.As anindicationofhumanitysneedofaSaviour,KwanyinKwanyin,is astrikingandarresting figure;forshe,mostnearlyofalloc!dess ofthegodsof the Chinesepantheon, approachesthefigureofChristinProtestantism,andofthe BlessedVirginin RomanCatholicism : She isgentleness andhelpfulnesspersonified,especially watchingoverthoseengagedinperilous callings,such as sailors;thepatronessof women in all their concerns,especiallyinvoked in cases of childlessness anddangerat birth,and theonly pityis that she is apurelymythical figure.Noscholareverclaimedthat-she hasanyhistorical basis.1Thustheoft-repeatedstatementthat thereare500millionBuddhistsis mostmisleading:thediagramat the end ofthechapterillustratestherelativenumericalstrengthof Buddhism,1Finduism,andChristianity.T28 BUDDHISM IN THE NORTHChina,then,likeTibet,has found Buddhismwanting,andhasonly acceptedit in an un-Buddhisticform,andbygivingherallegianceto thesemythical gods,Amitabha andKwanyin,hasshownherneed fortheknowledgeof GodtheFather,and of the Divine Son : it wassurelytheHolySpiritwhoguUd th .-=greatpeoplein ti"T.rih ibrlight.In theJudoan n^cts,whicharose ii./u>whichwe shallstudyii. ^anesedevelopmbeseenthestrivingsot nththe Chinese.Theyarefeelingaftt.haplythey mayhi.andupontheirknowingm.Te is seemstodependvery largemeasurethefuture01 .. orld. Forthe YellowPeril is a menaceindeed if theChinese,who are one-fifthoftheworldspopulation,become materialistic andatheist.But with theirsplendid patience,theirindustry,theirintegrity,theirstrong familylife,andtheir readiness tosuffer,theteemingmillionsof Chinaare alsofullofpromiseof agloriousdestiny;the Yellow Peril hasbecomethegolden opportunityofChrist .Never,surely,was richerfreightderelicton thegreatwaters oftime !C. INJAPAN.BuddhismwasbroughttoJapanin A. D.552 bymissionaries fromKorea,whohad received thenewreligionin thefourthcenturyfrom China.As inChina,so inJapanBuddhism foundstrongrivalsalreadyin the fieldShintoism,which is a combinationofnature-worshipandancestor-worshipwith thestrangecultofthe Mikado;andConfucianism,which ischieflya moralcode.The LiketheChinamanthe modernJapaneseis an eclectic :Japanesej u,.108.JAPAN133claim ofSupreme Deity,and both arethoughtofbytheirfollowers asAlmighty,Eternal,andCreatorGods;theseareCelestialDainichi(Vairochana)and Amida(Amitabha).Of theBuddhab-BodhisattvasKwannonis the mostpopular,andis identicalwith the ChineseKwanyin;she shares with Amida thesovereigntyof thegreatParadise intowhich her followerslongto enter. Forhere,as in the rest of the Buddhistworld,it is a HeavenandnotNirvanathat men areseeking;andthe beliefin atransmigratingsoul is commonamongstJapaneseBuddhists.To thesegods maybe added the usualmultitude oflessergods,demons,andsaints.JapaneseBuddhism is forthe mostpartfranklypolytheistic,uponabasisofpantheism.It isgenerallyagreedthat the commonpeopleofJapando not concern themselves with thephilosophicalandreligiousideasofBuddhism;andeventhe educatedclassesaremostlyindifferent. AskaneducatedJapaneseaquestionaboutBuddhism,saysProfessorChamberlain,andten toonehewill smile inyourface. Ahundredto oneheknowsnothingofthesubjectandgloriesin hisignorance.Forthere is nosatisfactorylife of Gautama Buddha andno manual of Buddhist ethics inJapanese,and even thesacredbookshaveneverbeentranslated intothevernacular,butremainin Chinese.Norhas Buddhism done much forJapanin the moralsphere, greatas its services have been in other directions. Buddhism, saysBaronKato/ex-President of theImperial UniversityBuddhism is worthless because thevastmajorityofthepriestsare socorrupt.As ProfessorGeorgeKnoxsays,Buddhism has hada fair field inJapan, anditsoutcomehasnotbeenelevating:its influence has been aesthetic and not ethical . ForBuddhism hasundoubtedly playedto thegallery,and1Whois anardent Buddhist.r3 4BUDDHISM IN THE NORTHpromisesthepeoplewhattheywant rather thanwhattheyneed a sensuousParadise,andman}-short-cuts into it !The heart,saysProfessorHarada,revives faith inimmortalityfaster than the intellectdestroysit.Yet,strangelyenough,it is theheadrather than the heartofJapanwhichto-dayis dissatisfied with Buddhism asa whole :2unsatisfyingas it is tohumaninstincts,its holduponthe bulk oftheJapanesemustnotbeunder-estimated.There are over70,000Buddhisttemples,andover100,000monks. The farmers areBuddhists,so are theshopkeepers,soare the rankand file ofthepeople.. . . Onehasbut to learn theJapaneselanguage,andstudythe literatureofto-daysdaily life,to understandwhata hold Buddhismhasonthethoughtsandaffections ofthepeople.Sowrites Mr.ArthurLloyd,and he closes hisbook,77/6CreedofHalfJapan,with an earnestpleafor the carefulandsympatheticstudyof Buddhism : Buddhismneeds itsspecial preachersmen ofsympathyandpatience;menwho,whilebeing proudofbeingChristians,areyet willingfor Christs sake to be followers of Sakyamuniin allthingslawful and honest;men who cansayto theBuddhist,"I will walkwithyou,andtogetherwe willgoto Him towhomyou saySakyamunihimselfborewitness ".Thetask ofthe ChristianChurch inJapanissurelya fascinatingone;for Buddhism was as alamp shiningfora season in the darkness ofAsia,but the SunofRighteousnesshasarisen,and it isday.SurelytheSpiritof Christ has brooded overJapan,andincallingmento faith in Amida haspreparedthem for thefullness ofHisownRevelation ofGod.1TheFaithofJapan, p. 147.2Thus Mr. SherwoodEddytells us that a careful estimate showsthat ofthestudents oftheImperial UniversityofTokyo450are reckonedas BuddhistsandShintoists,1,550.,,. Atheists,and3,000 ,, ,. Agnostics.TIBET, CHINA,ANDJAPAN 135ILLUSTRATIVE READINGSThe Western Paradise ofthe Chinese Amida.(FromtheTsing-tu-Shii;translatedbyDr.J. Edkins.)There,each from the world that hegoverns,are foundAssembled in conferencelongandprofound,The tensupremeBuddhas who cease not to tellThepraiseof the land where thegreat sagesdwell.For there is noregionsohappyandblest,As the haven ofgreatAmida far in the west.On the moment ofreachingitbya newbirth,The materialbodyof men while on earthIsexchangedfor another ethereal andbright,That is seen from afar to beglowingwithlight.Happy theywho to thatjoyful regionhavegone!In numberlesskalpastheir time floweth on.Around aregreenwoods,and above them clearskies,The sun neverscorches