The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1875-09-03
THINGS FROM NEWSPAPERS
TIRTOrS ANCIENT AND MODERN
RELIGIONS or ASA.
The sacred Scriptures OF the IIindoos, the
Per-ian-, the Chinese, aud the mussui-
ns-yoiumes Of Eastern Theology.

The Sacred Scriptures OF the Hindoor the
Prr-ian-, the Chinese, aud the MussuI-
mans-yoiumes Of Eastern Theology.
london Correspondence or The cincinnati Commercial
In all the great countries OF the Fast and
On some ANAL ones there Is an ancient religion,
medieval one, and a mOuetn one. In INDIA the
natives even use the same words rs we In Europe
Go express their parallel Developments, ana
spesk Of Catholics aud Prottstants as Rlibly As
N they were Christians the wOrls being APP
piled TO their own sects. Indeed, they nave
rattonalistic sects related to their Professionalism
much as the Unitarans are to ordinary denOmi-
nations among ourselves. Consequently, thc
Bibles; secondly their more recent prophetic
and apostolic writings; thirdly, their commeh-
taries, controversial works, and general philoso-
Takins India, then. we begin with what Is
essential to acdualntance with its Oldest scru-
lures, the Nedas. Though the whole OF these
have not been translated, there are nve volumes
which may be obtained as translated 1y S ddi
Muller and by Prof. COwell, for about three uOl-
lars each, and which are quite as much 40 any
general reader can require. They VIII De even
have with them the Ave splendid volumes of
Muif's "Sanskrt Texts about 2,4OO octave
pages. costing in all about gu. r,.
When turn to the ancient Persian Bible
we nnd things in a much less satisfactory shape.
DR.. Martin Haue Of Munich has translated
trian Hymns. and has written still more on the
ancient Persian religion. some of his works
have been translated into English, and some
have not. do not know that England can do
more than has been done 10y James Freeman
Clarke in his SUMMARY Of Z9roasiriann a wfltnes
which should be supplemented by Max
Muller's transations IN his " Science OF
fsrsfisn" evolution every student should
get hold OF. namely, " The Book OF Ard
Niraf," which will cost him about five dollars.
aud The Book OF the Maino--khard" spirit
of Wisdom, which Will cost about hair as much.
Arda Viraf was contemporary Of Dante, whose
visions are nearly paraiieied, although the two
oould nave had no knowledge of each other
Complete aud excellent TRANSACTIONS Of the
eli aud Wi Of hnf n utg.
futzeel and Meucius (Mung.tzcel have been re-
sently issued by Dr. Samuel Legge, some time
amissionary In China. tie works being In a very
cheap form. since those writers. Buddhism has
become the religion OF China. and there has
ature quite distinct from the productions Of the
same religion In other countries. There are few
more important and interesting books than Mr.
Samuel Beals new work, The ROMANTIC Le-
gend Of Sakya-Buddha from the Chinese Sans
krit," which costs about $3.50. This, with the
"Catena OF buddhist scriptures from the
Chinese" by the same author price 1929, will
supply all that one needs in that direction.
Buddhist writings have, however, to be con-
sidered apart from any clinical or national
boundaries. In Buddhs's native country undia)
there il no buddhism but outside OF II that re-
ligion embraces one-third Of the human race,
and 1t represents the Professionalism OF the East
II has had a distinct development in each conn
paratively studied IN all these varities he
translation ana exposition Of these. varieties
has been the most recent specially OF Oriental
research In London and much has been con-
tributed TO II by the Young Professor II Pail in
"Khuddaks PatIo.' Notes on n'' the pbsms
mapada," "Orcin Of the Buddhist Artha-
kathas small works, costing a shilling or two
arc full Of interest. One Of the most valuable
OF Buddhist works is that entitled :" Buddha-
gosha,s PARALLELS translated from burmese by
Capt. II +. Rogers. X. T.. with an Introduction
containing Buddhas Dhanimapada. or Path Of
Virtue translated from Pail by +. Max Muller"
g. 30. TO these must 6e added " he Wheel Of
the Law" by Henry Alabaster, price about 50.
The charming work exhibits the unique de-
pf in Han and Ia
especially important as indicating what the re-
iigon means morally and reliEiously TO those
who at the present. time believe in II. Ii also
contains very interesting account OF the Phra-
bat or holy footprint Of Buddba, which is vene-
rated in siam, as other sacred footprints are on
Mt. Ollvet, and on which are traced nearly ali
the sacred symbols Of the East.
with regard TO the Mussulman religion and
writings. 1t may be said first Of all that the right
translation of the Koran to read Is not that
which is found III most libraries that OF George
Sale, though the Introduction to that treatise of
the history of Arabic religion previous to Mo-
BANNED cannot be dispensed with. 1t almost
Impossible to underst, nd the Koran without a
knowledge OF Arabic mythology and OF the lie
brew Bible But the Koran Itself is made very
prosaic by Sale. whereas nothing Is more remark
able about the book than the Tythmic measure
which pervades IL. The SuTas gradually rise in
emotion until they break out INTO poetry These
characteristics as well as the exact sense have
been brought out In hut one European version,
that Of kodwell.
OF the substantial. boiled down character
even with no others general reader would be
hulc 10 reach eouuu knoNlfdgt on tire m lst I'M
= rtant ch.ractersiics OF La-tern thought, and
he would know much more about the natural
education OF the world, and about his own opin-
Ions, than lie VIII ever know without them.
And Yet md THAI have left below the hum
dred dollars predicted oh-hand as q probable
outlay, considerable margin for such I'M
portant little books a. those containing tho
sacred writings Of me Egyptians and the Assy-
rians such as " ! he Book OF the Dead" &c.-of
which three half crown volumes have been pub
lished; or Fausbolls Two Jat lkas," one sui
ling; Tor Sir Mutu Coomara Swamvs "Sutta
II ~ nj f-Ik "a ltf
dred years old, I've shlllings; for Dowsun's
"lkhwdnu Safa.' or Brothers Of Purity. an old
Hindustani book describing contention be
tween men aud beasts about the superiority OF
The human race ; 80