BUDDHISM IN "THE LAND OF THE RISING SUN."

Patea Mail, Volume VIII, Issue 1045, 11 June 1883, Page 2

BUDDHISM IN "THE LAND OF THE RISING SUN."

(CONTRIBUTED.) It has been said that Buddhism promulgates the most daring and fascinating theory of religion ever presented to man, name!}', that by meditation he might'make himself so holy as to get that knowledge which God bestows only on the most holy and which raises man to the rank of God. Briefly, by continued goodness man becomes God. |

This extraordinary religion, which sways the thought of a greater number of human beings than any other faith existent, was founded about the 6th . century before Christ by one. Lakya Muni, who, having betaken himself to solitude and profound thought for the space of five years, be .came at the end of that time Buddha, that .is,. theV’Y^isp,ln | as the incarnation of deify, He visited the holy city Benares;- and; preached there, and throughout India tor 45 years. It is not the purpose of the present article to do more than touch on a few of the leading points of Buddhism, some of which appear to bear -a. striking resemblance to certain points in Western religions. It may be noted (hat Professor Max Muller, ganging the life of a creed by its activity, has classed Buddhism as one of the great religions that still has vitality, because it has not ceased to send forth missions. Buddhism declares that from meditation springs felicity,’and that man’s felicity increases according to his holiness. This is surely very like the teaching of Christianity.' Note also this of the creed inscribed over the temples. “All Things proceed -from cause. Their cause hath Buddha explained; ‘ Buddha hath also explained the . causes of the cessation of existence.’’ . Some Buddhists believe in a Supreme Being in everlasting repose while others declare that this is Nature. These variations-.of belief are said to be due, in this, - as iri'other* religions to the different interpretations of their holy books by subtle expounders. - The di plomatic ski 11 exhibited Jby one of these apostolic exponents of Buddhist scripture in introducing his faith to the Japanese, about the 6th century A.D., is particularly noteworthy. Where previous missionaries had : failed in gaining the favour of the powers of Church and State, he - succeeded to quote from Mossman, whose facts have largely contributed to this article, “by obviating objections, and shaping his doctrines to suit national prejudices.”, There is some- : thing charmingly suggestive in this quotation. It might be otherwise stated that die; sought out the religious demands of the people whose support he desired, and satisfied them by a supply in the shape of his own importation fitly altered to orders. Let us see how our priest proceeded.—To begin with, he declared that the mother of. the first Mikado, or ruler of Japan,. wasf. an incarnation of the\goddess Arriida ; and hence, the line of Mikados was of divine origin. In the next place, he caused his assistant priests to, proclaim that a son, born to the wife'of the then mikado’s heir, was begotten of a god, and 'so overjoyed were the parents at this delicate compliment that they sent incarnation to the, temple as his fil r abode. Filially this wily' missionary cbmpleted his scheme by taking the child* under his especial care and thoroughly 3 Tndo’ctrihating - him with 1 the tenets of Buddhism. Arrived at manhood’s estate, this r son of the gods by riiortal woman became a great high priest arid founder of several temples, but pru.dently retained,his secular, povyar ;also, antifassisted in the Goyernraenr of the country ;in the course,-of which it is just possible that he may Have deemed it for the spiritual, welfare of ..the people to deflect a portion of/.'riie ,national revenue to the support of the, foreign creed which, lie had ;so warmly espoused. 1 ’ Be this as it may, it is certain :that;frpm a the date, of his/dorribipation of spiritual and temporal rule, Buddhism throve apace, ~Ten thousand temples of varied magnificence have been/ built ; nobles, not a vfew, 'arid ‘ ! evefi imperial personages, have 1 swelled,tlie, ranks of. its priesthood ; and Government 1 aid was Only swept away at the 3 late 1 reformation, when the Church lands were absorbed by the Stab?. This plow haC so impoverished the priests and abbots that they have been compelled in many instances to sell the images and enormous bells for old n/etai in order*'to meet daily expenses; and it is well nigh pathetic to hekr of an instance of a sha'ven and be-gowned dignitary of the temple eking out Ins wretched pittance by producing from the interior recesses bf a gigantic image of ißuddha some: bottles of By s’ pale'i ale for sale to visitors! elf Buddhism has the vitality,: asserted by Max Muller, why should it thus pine on the withdrawal of State aid ? * As before stated, its teachings are 'fascinating ; it is also 'marvellous in its adaptability, having three grades or observances*,' so as to suit the' comprehensions 1 and tastes of worshippers from the lowest up to the highest classes ; arid; moreover, the bright colours, profuse gilding, and numberless images of its houses of worship, are such as to have iriade it more attractive to the masses than the 3 less showy State religion .called Sintoo. Is it possible that the increasing poverty, of the Buddhist.functionaries is due to the well-known fact that many of the wealthy dairiuos, or nobles, with others of the higher classes, have for a long time past professed no religion, as that term is commonly used, and have, therefore, withdrawn their voluntary support, but that the Tank of this did not become so evident till the Government ceased to subsidise the creed ? ‘ / * This may be so, '/arid since scepticism in' Japan seems :to be , <on the increase, it might ultimately produce the same effect in regard to Sintooism, if that faith were not so closely knit with the State power as to render its support by the Government, for the present, at any rate, essential. ,;■ ;/ ,/ Some curious points of likeness between Buddhism and more modern creeds will have been noticed during the course of this article, and others might be adduced; in conclusion it may be remarked that when travellers have entered a Buddhist; temple during ;the performance of service;;: and , havp found themselves surrounded, by the layish ornamentation before mentioned,'viewing priests in gorgeous robes going through an elaborate I ceremonial before an altar; brilliantly' illu- j minated with candles, while religious chant- I irig filled their ears, and costly censers poured forth sweet savours to their nostrils, they have, for the 'moment, forgotten that they were in far Japan, and have been transported in imagination to the aisles ;of some-old cathedral of Europe. / : W. L, W.