The emigrant aid journal of Minnesota. [volume] (Nininger City, Minn. Terr. [i.e. Minn.]) 1856-1858, 1858-02-24

Of the seven hundred and thirty millions of human
beings who inhabt the continent of Asia, nearly FIVE
hundred millions of them Buddhists, worship
pers Of gods who having passed through every form Of
existence, through millions of years, have become at
last purified from mortal faint and become fitted for the
heaven of eternal beattude.
The Buddhist, we'll as the Christian, has his Ten
Commandments The first prohibits killing any man
other animal the second third and fourth prohibit
stealing lying, and adultery the fifth, drinking any
all the remaining five binding only upon the priest
hood and they commanded not to look at speak
to female not to sleep anything than cuut
high, not to eat between the hours of and mid
night; not to visit any place Of public amusement as
gambling houses, theatres circus and such like. The
Buddhist clergy Was, doubtless merely for the nculca
ton of spirit Of humility and sefdenal but as
rupons have crept n the spirit has been lost and only
the letter of the law remains.
Buddhism cxerts boundless influence over the
minds Of all the nations of southern Asia. Even those
who have little regard for it in life, will send for Bud
dhist priest when DEATH and often leave immense
egacies the temples in order purchase merit which
they arc taught to regard the very ground work of
future bliss There collective worship the tenn
pies open all hours of day, but are closed ut
sunset Devotees resort to them just whenever they
can find it convenient to do So bringing with them such
offerings they wish to present. These they silently
deposit on the altar in front of the principal IDOL and
then prostrating themselves three four times token
of alteration, they audby repeat form of prayer
This concluded, they depart they came, without wait
ing for other worshppers finish their devotions,
perhaps, even seeing apries
Their sacred books numerous they locate their
heavens, in NUMBER around the sides Of the great
mountain Pra-su rurat, which, they suppose,
constitutes the centre Of the universe The beings in
thee regions rise successfully high in the social sea-
and when the topmost has been attained, the for
unate asprant may hoe, provided that fate will allow
him to accumulate sufficient degree merit, that
Nigban which is the highest possible point of happiness
"a contamination of bliss hoped for by ALL but, alas
attained by few-s not far off, In the first and second
heavens body, and soul united in ourseves in
the third fourt and 6th the body exists without any
admxture of mind, but perfect in its condition,
pendenty glorious in appearance and susceptible Of
the most exquisite cnjoymens while in the sixth and
seventh heavens, the soul is wholly unfetered from the
body, and roam free air whenever it lists throughout
the universe
Their hells are more numerous, there being eight
major and sixteen minor they located within
the base Of the mountain and the degrees Of punish
ment become aggravated the sinner sinks. The
torture endured is from fierce dogs, gnawing vul
lures, deadly sepents voracious reptiles, that
feed the vitas pcrpetually and the body is
pieces and renewed again and again The duration of
punishment is varied No being that has ever lived
not the gods themselves have been able to
from these terrible hells and there are none on the
other hand, who do not at some period othcr gain
admission to Of the heavens, the favorte
theory being that evil is not wholly evil good Who'll
ly uncontaminated until Myban be gained. Then the
happy possessor to sin and to suffer- to know to
feel to think, aud to desire his perfecncss consisting
in his entire inanition The temples for this worship
are costly aud magnificent. In the city Of Bangkok
alone, there hundred and twenty thousand priests
supported at the annual expense Of two to three million
dollars besides private contributions, of which esti
mate can be made