Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1858-01-30

Of all their works there is none that
bears more proof of ancient origin than
the code Of Menu. He believes that it
is of an age not much later than Homer,
and Schlegel is confident that this book
was known to Alexander the Great very
little different from what it now is.
As a guide to modern Indian philos-
ophy, one of the best works Us called
the Bhogovotgita. Tt exhibits ten
dency to the overthrow Of what remains
Of ancient polytheism, teaching one
spiritual unity. This Oneness is known
under the name of Brahm. This being
is represented in state of eternal re-
pose, OF blissful, elaborate quiescence.
The tendency Of such belief is calcu-
lated to Teyive those superstitions that
are worn out and almost dead, by an
infusion of pautheism. Viewed or not
in connection with their mythology,
their belief in caste and the recluse
system, it is no worse than that panthe-
istic platonism which is 50 rapidly on
the increase in some parts Of our own
country.
Most of their works on law, philoso-
ply, astronomy, &C.. are regarded as of
divine origin. The Eighteen Puranas
of which only one or two have been
translated into English, called the Ba-
gavadam, contain half million of
stanzas. Lowrie states that the longest
life would be insufficient for the perusal
of their Shastras, or sacred books.
Five-sixths Of the population of India
are the followers Of Brahm; the balance
Mahometans and Budhists. There are
a few points of resemblance between
the Brahminic and Christian religion.
There is q three fold prize iple, which
constitutes the celebrated Hindoo Triad:
Brahma, the creating, Vlshnu, the pre-
serving, and silva, the destroying power.
These three are said to be evolved from
the impersonal essence Of Brahm. The
idea of uniting the destroying power
with the creating and preserving, to
form one being, is absurd. The Indian
divine will say to you that Brahm is the
All in All, therefore he is the cause of
evil as well as of good. He believes
that sin is an outrage against nature
and the uniyerse-that there is a uni
versal sympathy among all mankind.
He sees himself among beings who are
suffering for sin committed in former
state, which encourages him to long and
painful pilgrimages or the inhiction of
self torture. His view of regeneration
is simple, and separated from the super
stitions that surround it is nearly iden-
teal with the same doctrine embraced
in the Christian system. : 1t is thus de-
scribed by Schlegel: Gas soon as the
soul becomes touched with the love of
divine things, it is supposed to drop at
once its life contaminated by sin, and,
as the phoenix rises from its ashes, to
spring at once into the possession Of a
new and purified existence. So unlvcr-
sal is the prevalence Of this idea among
the Indians, that the soul so purified is
said by the Brahmins with the same
words and the same meaning familiar
to ourselves to be neW- born" rss
1.-The w:i'er proceeds to investigate The inquiry
whether v" the h'ndoos were ever acquainted with the
n", we ,, "0' '"U i"r
Of their religion in Same nsn7cts 10 the Christian
system, that they wers early acquainted with the
Mosaic record but eonies s hat there is no'hing
warrant this conclusion. lie consider It IDLE, how
ever, to compare the her. religions bset Of the II ndoos
Christi religion, there is much that is favorable
in 'lndoo character, and whsn r garSd by he ish
make few more extracts ON this n ere. ting
publication r
The Hlndoos give an account of the
creation OF man, and have traditions OF
that remote world OF which we know
nothing except from the sacred record.
In common with many other nations,
.hey nave ah account on tne nooo, winch
IN some respects is similar to that given
oy Moses. one OF the furanas treats
OF the Hood, and contains $4,000 STAN
za5 g.,
Inc Hlndoos 10 not agree among
themselves WIN regard TO the origin or
meaning or the word buddhu, nor 10
the onl4ese' Inc best attalnable sys-
tenn OF indian chronology Is lost In ia
Die ana aoounds IN statements SO in
creoioie' that we should suppose no re-
spectacle i1lnaoo could mention them
With serious face. For instance. it is