The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1882-07-30

impression tnht even IN his llLie. W., uDOuJ
the beginning OF tho third century A. d..
Buddhism was still remote phenomenon.
While. therefore. DR.. Kucnen would not 20 so far
MS to deny tho possibility of tho Indian reform
cr's eNertIng some slight and indirect influence
upon Egypt or Palestine. lie refuses to assign
TO him tho smallest direct effect on the origin
of Christianity. He thinks the utmost that
can be maintained is thata few features In tho
evangelical tradition may have been borrowed
from Buddhism and oven this he considers
doubtful inasmuch as tho rescmbances upon
which the hypothesis Is built occur In some of
the stories which are dependent on the Old
Testament and in which, Of course the coin
cidcncu with certain features in the lifo of
Gautama cannot. by any possibility. be moro
than accidental. In short DR.. Kuenen will not
admit that historical research lends any sup
port TO the attractive hypothesis that brings
Jesus into connection with Buddhism.
In discussing the relation of buddhism to the
national religion Of India. DR.. Kuenen contro-
vcrts the opinions which are current among
many English students. and ayers that the
sharp contrast which was Mt first supposed to
exist between Brahmanism and Buddhism has
made way. on nearer inspection. for close and
manifold relationships. The opinion once uni
versally prevalent has boon recently echoed by
Prof lIonier Williams. who describes Gautama
as the deliverer OF "a priest-riddon. casto-rid-
den nation. the courageous reformer and inno-
vator who dared to attempt what doubtless
others have long folt was necessary. viz. tho
breaking down of an. intolerable eeclc-
siasticnl monopoly by proclaimng absolute
free trade in religious opinions and the
abolition OF all caste privileges" In somewhat
similar terms the well-known Indian scholar.
Weber. has spoken of Buddhism as being =" in
its origin one of the sublimest and most radi
cal Of all reactions. in favor Of tho common hui
man rights OF individuals against the grinding
tyranny of the So called divine rights Of birth
and rank" Dr. Kuenen. on the othor hand.
thinks ii scarcely possible to assert too strong
ly tho dependence of Buddhism upon Brah-
manism. He cites with approval the protest
against the current notion embodied by Mr..
Rhys Davids in the statement that Gautama
was not an enemy to Hinduism, nor did
his chief claim on the gratitude of his
couRtrymen lay In his having destroyed
u system of iniduity and Of opprcs-
sion and fraud This is not the case
Gautama was born and brought M. and lived
and died u Hindu" The author seems to concur
also in Max M1ler's declaration that the Buddh-
lists are. in many points, merely Brahmanists
in disguise" and in Kern's averment that
Buddhism has no originality. but in the ma
tural gonetic classification is merely variety
Of Hinduism" The grounds on which these
conclusions are based are set forth at some
length in DR.. Kucnens lecture. and strong in
clination is evnced to accept Kern's hypothesis
that Gautamn was not an historical person at
all, but legendary being. the Indian variety
Of the sun myth
In comparing Christianity with Buddhism. Dr.
Kuenen undertakes to answer the Oft mooted
x.yh,, ba fnit of In,
ton to that taught by Gautama. has so often
been promulgated by force. and. unlike
Buddhism, has failed TO characterize itself by
unlimited liberation. This difference in their
historical development is obviously owing to
tho fact that the Christians God was Israers
Yahweh, who. although long suffering and
plenteous in mercy is yet "a jealous God"
enduring no other Gods before his face"
and from time to timo "A consuming
fire." The author. of course. does not de-
fcnd the violence committed in the name
and to the glory of this God in
the course of tho ages. but he declines. never
thelcss. to regard tho combative character of
Christianity as exclusively Il defect and dis
astcr. He asks us TO reflect that Buddhism
could never have been as it was liberation it.
self had it been any less skepticnl and quic-
tistlc. The persecution of those who hold other
u the prosecutor that he is in possession OF alb
solute truth yet. at any rate, II prcsupposes
the belief in truth aud confirms the sense of it's
absolutely supreme Importance. This is what
buddhism does not possess, and there
fore cannot give. Apropos Of the indirect
benefits that may possibly result from
religious fnnaticism. DR.. Kucncn quotes
remarkable passage from Revil'o's
" Prolcgomc ma" We may reasonably ask"
says RGNille. " whether that passionate love of
the truth in everything which has created
modern science would have been posi-
bic. OF at all events would have become very
common. if Europe lad not trlyerscd ages Of
intolerance. 1t 10 certain that this noble pas
sion was much fOoblor and less widespread in
ancient times than in orr own. 1t Is" he in
ssts, " the orthodox Intolerance of the Church
during the middle ages which has impressed
upon Christian society that disposition 10 seek
the truth at any cost. OF which the modern sci
entinc spirit is only an application"
Summing up the results Of his inquiry. DR..
Kuenrn afflrpls that Of the three universal
religions, Islam and Buddhism alike fail TO
acluit themselves of their task beyond n ccr-
tain point. There they find line drawn which
they cannot pass. because their origin forbids
it. "Islam." for example. "roarcd by tho
genius Of one man. enters the world as n
rounded system: seems ut first to completely
answer tho wants of those To the Lowell Of whose
capacity IL was framed; shows itself, even af-
terward and up to the present time. suited TO
the peoules and individuals who have not risen
above The standpoint of icgalism: hut misses
the pOW"r 10 to transform itself as to NEE. the
requirements Of higher typc Of life" At a
given period it becomes Il hindranco to spirit
nal Development which it must actually choke
IL 1t be not strong enough to east on. Buddh-
ism seems, at the FIRST glance to possess, In
marked distinction from Islam. an astounding
power Of adaptation. What difference,
for instance. may he noted between the north
ern and the southern Bnddhists. and again
within tho groups themselves Which arc thus
designated. In the midst OF this variety, how
over. there is everywhere, says DR.. Kuenen.
the same monstrous one-sidGdness. tho In
cffuceHbe stamp Of an origin derived. not from
life but Tom speculation which has turned
away from life. and Is blind 10 its significance
and WORTH" He does not deny that they are
genuine and not imagined needs 10 which
Buddhism minister's, but he insists that there
are other and no less essential demands to
0l lab Na.t =. Il