Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-07-11
BUDDHISM.


The Great Rival of ChristianIty-SOme
Account Of the Religion which is In
VsdiDg ms from China and Japan.
From the Philadelphia Press.
The sixth century before the
Christian era seems to have been a
period of unwonted mental and
moral activity. Perhaps at no time
in the history of the world has there
appeared such a brilliant eonstella,
ton of great names-sueh a marked
group of men who have not died.
About that time, within the space of
hundred years, Greece produced
Pythagoras and Zenophanes-China
her Cenfucius-Persia her Zoroas.
ter, and India Sakyamouni or Bud
dhs. Each Of this great leaders of
thought in due course had their
Platos and St. Pauls, preaching with
the fervor of apostles, and stirring
the intellect and conscience of both
the East and the West to degree
and extent possibly never since
equalled.
Sakyamouni, whose fame and
philosophy have outlived all his
contemporaries, and more deeply
impressed themselves CD the human
mind and history, appeared, as is
now generally received, about $50
" Sir William Jones settled
the date at 1000 Be, and some
Eastern traditions even earlier, but
by common consent the middle of
the sixth century has been fixed on
as the evidence of history. Some
sects of Chinese and Hindoo trans
cendentalists even go so far as to
deny a personal existence to Bud
dha, but it matters little. Certain
it is that at that time there took
place a marked religious reform
a great impulse of thought, whose
Overwhelming waves, yet rolling,
have covered third of the human
race, and are now impinging on
our shores and civilization.
1t is of the life of the historical
leader of this great movement, as
recorded by history and in the
carefully-guarde sacred traditions
of the numerically strongest rehg-
ion on the globe, that we speak to-
day, reserving to another time an
attempted analysis or sketch of the
doctrines of the faith which has
proved so acceptable TO and taken
such firm root on the intellect and
moral nature of the greater part of
our race. r.. n ....
Sakyamouni is the historical
name of the great Hindostan re-
former. Buddha, which signifies
"to know" being rather a theology
cal appellation given in after time,
when he became revered and looked
back to as the Incarnation of Su-
preme Intelligence" AS symbolic
of this, on the Nepalese pictures of
Buddha a vast luminous circle
always surrounded his head
Buddha was a kings son. OPP
pressed with a sense of the utter
vanity and nothingness of all earth,
he early began to preach the living
for something better, which he
found in the dreamless and eternal
rest of Niryana. Although claim
ing to be nothing more than man,
his birth was something more than
mortal. The womb that bore him
had done its duty, and conceived nc
more. His mother, Mackamaya
while repOsing on her divine couch,
was visited by Bodhisat, who came
to her "like a cloud in the moon.
light holding in his hand lotus
and coming from the North.
In accordance with the genera
bent of Oriental imagination, his
birth was attended with signs anC
wonders. Stars appeared in tn,
heavens and marvels on the earth
the Ten Thousand Systems of tn,
worlds trembled; pr@ternatura
light shOne over all the world; tn
rivers stopped the flowers ceased
their blow; the birds were silent
the fires of all the bells were cooled
and the bodies of all therein becam
as ice.
AT an early age he revealed hi
supernatural powers and knowledge
as a child teaching the masters i
school.
At the outset Of his career he wa
tempted by the demon Mara. Abor
to leave the palace of his earthl
and royal father, Mara met hin
saving, "Be entreated to stay, tbs
you may possess the honors tha
are within your reach. Go not
90 mott But Buddha answered
"A thousand or a hundred thou!
and hOnors such as those you nam
have not power to tempt me nov
seek the Buddhaship. / want NJ
the seven treasures of the Chakri
Warti. Begone! hinder me not
Then Mara assembled into the al
and crashing his teeth, said FRO
this time forth shall tempt TIT
with all the devices l can imagin
Until thou attain the Buddhaship
will follow thy very shadow, ar
on the day of its attainment, l W
bring mighty army to oppo
thee.
Buddha renowned his wife al
l.
family, denying himself even a Is
embrace Of his infant son, cour
ing that a man must leave all
nerfect himself for the endless re
of humiliation.
During his life and journeyln
on this earth, Buddha sent 1or
his disciples and made misslona