New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-08-07

fnot IN fba ortbodox sensey however,, the whole Oh
the four principles pass into Devachan. winch is
state not place. which is purely subjective ana
in which the spirit enjoys the fruiion OF s nsnos.
aspirations during considerable period, ana unti.
| the time has arrived for its next lncarnaton' Az
| the close of the Devachanic period karma comes
into plav. and the conditions of the next incarna-
ton are dependent upon the balance OF good ana
evil in the preceding existence Attic end OF every
life or rather at the beginning of every new hie'
the spirit ceases to remember preceding existences'
but the Adopts teach that when at length the long
chain of lives has been lived through, and the
| summit of spiritual development has been feacheo,
| the memory of the Ego VIII be restored, ana IL
will recognize each OF its many transformations
from the beginning TO the end The metempsyehosis
of the Esoterc Buddhists is not that of Pythagoras
| nor that of Exoterc Buddhism. They do not allow
| that the spirit of man. having once reached the
human point of development, can revert 10 amman
forms; but they assert that before man was man 10
| was an animal and many animals; and lnls ooc.
| trine ranges curiously with that most modern OF
scientific hvpotneses the Darwinian theory. In
deed, the Occult teachers point to all that IS best
established in modern science especially IN geology
| and entomology as supporting their doctrines.
They saw for example, that the tradition OF the ost
continent of Atlantis is merely the lingering remi-
nscence of great historical fact ana they poipt
the soundings of the Challenger in continuation
| of their assertion. But one of the features OF
| Esoteric Buddhism which is sure to excite good
deal of controversy in certain quarter Is its atti-
| tude toward the phenomena of Spirtualism. The
Adopts say that human spirits cannot and do not
return to the earth, and they account forthe mani
festations of the seancs-room by alleging that the
| influences and appearances heard, felt ana seen
there are merely what they style shells" or feebly
L IS aoad
of the fourth aud fifth principles. vvi6ed for the
moment by the vitality Of the medium. Of course
such doctrine strikes at the very foundations OF
modern Spiritualism, for if the controls" aud
guides aud all the alleged spirit influences OF the
seance- are shadows or smulacra, possess
ing no separate intelligence and doomed to dissolve
shortly and PERISH 1t is plain that the believers in
the usefulness OF studying that kind of phenomena
will be compelled to review their faith in the most
destructive way Nor they fail to perceive that
the Adept theory affords an explanation OF many Oh
the most perpexing phases of Spiritualism, and In
particular clears up that long standing puzzle of
the chronic intellectual feebleness manifested SO
commonly BY alleged spirits. If they are shells
and not real spirits, it is possible to understand
their mbecility but the Spiritual hypothesis it
| is not ineligible at ALL
| Exoteric Buddhism hos boon charged with
atheistc tendencies Esoteric Buddhism can hardly
be 80 accused for while 1t knows nothing OF per-
sonal God itcleary recognizes the OF the
universe by laws whose maker must, OF necessity
be superior to bis phenomena It. however. processes
to have no knowledge of any higher spiritual beings
than the Dhyan Chohans, or Planetary Spirits, who
| are said to be perfected human beings. and who
exercise sort of regency over the planetary
| chain though under limitations imposed by the
| general cosmic laws which they cannot tran
scend The best proof that the Esoteric Buddhists
do not Nrvana snDihilation consists In the
fact that they regard these Planetary Spirits shaw
ing attained Nirvana. That state. indeed. Is an In
conceivable condition of felicity and practical ON
piscieuce and the aim Of the Dhyan Chohans who
have reached 1t. as the aim of Buddha was. is 10
help as many mortas as possible forward in the way
which leads TO it.
We have but glanced at some of the salient
topics of Mr. Sinnetts book, which. by the
way, he puts forth not on his own RESPONSE
bility but rather the mouthpicce of tho Mahat-
mas or Adopts, from whom all his information pur-
ports to be derived. BY the student of Buddhism
or of Oriental religions generally will at once be
seen that in this volume are gathered together
what may be styled revised statements Of many of
the doctrines which are found 10 Brahminism and
Hindooism, as well as in the religion Of Gautama.
The Adopts explain this by alleging that all the
great central truths of the Buddhism, how
ever they say has kept nearer to these truths than
any other and above all it has been above all rellg
ions first pnre and then peacesble" 1t has never
been stained by prosecutions. Intolerance is foreign
to it, II has suffered and has not sought revenge.
1t has cultivated humanity and gentle courtesy
the like of which have almost disappeared from the
Western world. The esoteric doctrines OF this
religion OF the larger partof the human race cannot
assuredly be dismissed with contempt or studied
without interest. Nor Is that interest likely TO be
diminished by the s;rangeness of the claims ad-
vanced in behalf of these new-old theories. To q
growing element in Europe and this country the
religion upon which modern civilization rests has
| ceased 10 offer assurance or consolation. The
| dogmatsm of physical science has superseded the
| dopmatism of theology, and the reaction threatens
| TO land the next generation In q materialism des
titute of all incentives TO progress oven OF the most
| sordid kind. While faith and spirituality seem
disappearing from the Western nations, the brood
| ing East once more TRUSTS upon us her antique
views of the problems of life. and compels u.s. by the
very contrast these offer newest theories to
| ask ourselves with some seriousness whether.
| indeed, we are right as we have thought our
selves II is not probable that either Christians or
Agnostics who are the products of purely Western
culture will be ready TO accept the claims made in
behalf of the truths of the Buddhistc doctrines,
But even those who refuse to admit the existence Of
the Adopts, or who regard them as charatans If
they do exist. will perhaps none the less appreciate
the breadth and loftness of the concepts which
now published as by their authority. Mr.. Sinnett
might have elaborated much which he has merely
outlined. He might have cleared up many points
which he has left obscure. But he has certainly
written book which is destined to be widely
read, and which, no matter how it is criticised,
must suggest many wholesome thoughts to its read
ers. 1t is moreover, fully in accord for the most
part with current of modern thought which has
been quietly strengthening during the last few