The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-09-01
MODERN BUDDHIST CEREMONIES.


As they have no worship. Bndlhsts also havo
no prayers tho nearest approach to praying
being pious meditation. and tho utterance of
the ejaculation: take refuge in Buddha. |
take refuge in Dhd,wta tthe law Of llfei. | take
refuge in sa"9ha THE congregation Of mendi-
cansl' In Thibet. also the formula. ON mani
padmi ON 20 the jewel in the Lotusl. is re.
peatcd in innumerable ways such rs by writing
II on paper and causing il 10 be turned over
and over by water power. and painting it on
nags every movement Of which in the wind
counts for one repetition; hut this is only q sort
Of magical incantaton. There are. also. in
Thibet temples in which a splendid ritual il
performed. hut this. likewise, Is a corruption of
pure Buddhism. and contrary 10 Gautama's
express teachings. In Ceyon splendid ddgdbds.
or shrincs. exist. erected over relics OF Buddha,
such rs his tooth. his neck ornament and things
Of that kind. to which tho faithful resort. and
which are kept NJ by tho mcndlcants u neigh
boring monasteros; and tho natives have also
stated seasons for hearing the Ptakds and
other holy books read Images OF Buddha are
likewise common, some Of them Of colossal
size. but they serve only to excite venoration for
the great retormer, and are not worshipped rs
Idols unless by the very ignorant.
SPREAD OF BUDDHISM.
Through the efforts OF Gautama and his dis
cpes, Buddhism spread throughout India. and
was for many years the rival OF the old Brah-
manism. its pure morality, its opposition TO the
caste systom. and the example Of its founder
securing 1t popular support. Its great patron
was king called Asoka. sort OF Hndoo Com
stantlne. who lived about $50 Is. c., and who
reigned over large extent OF Indian territory.
He made Buddhism tho state glon. built nu-
tanned many mendlcants. He also established
gardens and hospitals for beasts as well ms men,
and issued edicts enjoining on HIS subjects tho
observance Of Buddhist procepts--many OF
which, engraved on pillars and rocks at various
points in northern India have recently been
discovered. In the course Of time however, the
Increase OF tho mondicant order. and their cor
ruption. brought about a collision between them
and the BrahmRns finally resulting in the OK
pulsion Of tho mcndicants and by tho end OF
The twelfth century Buddhism had disappeared
entirely from India. A form OF It stil remains
among tho jams, who number about 100000.
Out OF India it has been immensely successful,
as wo have seen. though ii must be borne
in mind that tho multitudes who profess
to be its adherents are far from being pure
Buddhists. Most Of them have only added the
elements Of the Buddhist faith to their own ira
ditional superstitons. and combined 1t with
their native ritual. Thus tho Lamaism Of Thi-
bet is a system Of which Buddhist supplies only
the theology. SO to speak. tho whole ritual and
hierarchy being OF Thibetan origin. The jams
observe all tho practices Of Brahmanism. while
the Chinese reverence Confueius equally with
BuddhA and do not permit their faith in either
to interfere with their Tao worship. There are
also sects and heretics among the Buddhists as
there are among other rellgionists but the es-