Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1881-05-28
NAMES YNoRNEG, ,MN2s NO
NO. 1875.

ing little stracgler from the internal re-
gions. ''How were these big idols brought
here?" asked little hov one day and the
ready reply was, why, they came down from
the sky" Passing through this hall We en-
ter a large court with massive stone work
and broad steps on each side from which open
small rooms and shrines and passages lead
ing on almost indefinitely. Parallel to the
entrance hall is the main temple in which ar,
three large images of the different Buddhas
past, present and future. Incense is burning
and lamps lighted, and variety OF offerings
are placed before the gods.
IL is the hour for evening service. Let us
watch the priests As they come in. Each
head is closely shaved, and on the top are
rows of from three to fifteen scars. These
are part of the in tst ., ite and are made
by setting lighted tapers on the head and let.
ting them burn slowly down, II truly dis
c:ple of Buddha the priest is supposed TO feel
no pain. Their dress is peculiar. A long.
loose garr!cnt of drab cotton is crossed in
front in true Quaker fashion, and over this
sort of yellow sheet passes under the right
arm and over the lett shoulder, the corners
being fastened in front by large ring. Mats
are spread on the tile-paved floor, and here
they kneel, prostrating themselves many
times before the idols. Then they march
slowly round and round the room, in and out
among the rows of mats chanting the evening
service. keeping time To rude accompaniment
Sometimes it is only the name of Buddha,
Omi 10 HHk. Omi 10 Huk repeated over and
| over in wierd, unearthly tones. And Buddha
will surely answer if we call on him 5000
times, says one of the priests, land You can
understand what he says
The service is ended and the 'dim, relig-
ious light fades into darkness. We spread
our bedding in quiet room little apart and
lie down to rest without a fear of the mvrad
deities whose uncouth forms are all about
us. but through the night watches, ever and
anon. we hear the tones of the bell, the sound
of whose vibrations is said to never cease. II
may be that on this particular night the bell
man might be caught mapping, and who could
blame him. for it must be monotonons to al
ways sit beside the bell-rope. 'Why do you
do it?" we asked one day. but the poor man
either failed to understand our broken Chi
nese. or did not choose to give us any infor-
nation. Down in rocky gorge not far
away is a wayside shrine or pavilion, within
which stream of pure. cold water runs
from the mouth of stone dog and turns
wheel which, at each revolution, strikes n
bell.
The legend is that long ago pious monk
was meditating near by, ard the sound of
running water from n neighboring spring
disturbed him: = therefore, he commanded it
to cease. Its voice was hushed at once, but
it burst out in another place. a living spring.
and So it has been harnessed to the bell that
nature may unite with man in one unceasing
song of praise to Buddha. The upper TEN
pie is very beautiful. the ceiling of painted
woodwork reminding one of fine frescoing
The deities represented here are legion, the
Goddess of Mercy ard all her attendants. the
Thousand Armed Goddess Uhough literally
she has far less than that number), superior
and inferior, high and low, almost without
end. Well might the Chinese, like the Athe
mans of old, erect an altar to the unknown
God. lest in their worship some one had been
neglected.
The &C ntral idea of Buddhism seems to be
that of buying merit or gaining the favor
| of the gods by meritorious deeds and suffer
| ing for their sake. and those who torture their
bodies or suffer special privations hope by
| so doing to store up large quantities of mer-
| it or even to he deiied in the future world.
| Their devices to accomplish this are various.
One monk has fulfilled three years vow Of
hermitage in lowly hut at some distance
| from the temple Another sits cross-legged
| in a tiny-cell. coming gut only for his meals.
| Thay say that he has not spoken for three
years and probably never will again. the vow
| of perpetual silence being especially pleas
| ing to Buddha. Still another, even more
willing to suffer than his fellows, has offered
one of his fingers a sacrifice. and propos-
es to offer more we are told. The process is
described as follows: The finger is wound
with flax which has been soaked in kerosene
oil. and on the end is placed lighted taper
which burns slowly down. consuming the fin
ger. and the stump is finally cut off with
| pair of shears.
The Buddhists do not eat flesh, milk or
spgs. and consider it a sin to take the life of
an animal, consequently people who do not
care to seclude themselves in monastery,
can buy to themselves merit by sending ami
mails here and paying for their support TO the
end of their natural lives. In one enclosure
is large flock Of geese and hens while we'll
kept pigs dream out lazy existence in n lux
urous apartment on the other side. The cows
| and goats are out on the hillside at pasture.
and the little pond near by is swarming with
fish which are carefully fed by the keeper
One can scarcely realize how deeply laid are
the foundations OF superstition and beatben-
ism in the hearts Of this people. They feel it
a disgrace to forsake the faith of their fathers
even when they know it is false, but under
the pressure of Christianity these old foun-
dations are crumbling. and already the cor
ner stones are laid on which noble super
structure shall rise in truth and righteous
ness, even redeemed, evangelical, Christian
lied China.