Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-10-13
A TEACHER OF BUDDHISM.
Monipi Hohun Cbattorjse Coming u"
the United States.
New York SUM-

was attended BY strangers seeking
| the names Oi the officers and want
| ing information relative 10 the matter. The
meetings u this Society are open only To
members, and the strangers were unable 10
secure the desired particulars. The Sun
| stated that eastern teachers had been in-
| tsrrstod in the efforts OF those who ask Tor
| instruction in this country, and IN several
Instances western pupils had come IN direct
contact with the priests OF this religion IN
Europe and India. From private ad-
wees II Is learned that a IIindo)
graduate OF the University at Bonn
bay and high-ca>te Brahmin. Mohini Mo-
hun Chattcriee, Is TO come TO the United
States from London shortly. He has been
teaching in London and on the Continent
and i now 10 come here, where he will un'
dcrt1ke the active work " tho Guru on his
arrival He has the approval Ot the Brother
hood In Thibet, ana has worked with the
sanction OF th. body i'm Europe Tor The past
| two years. when he reaches here the
study Of Aryan literature will be under
| taken in earnest by the disciples.
The want OF a succinct explanation on
| the spread OF this most ancient OF all the
| religions and Oi an exposition of the be-
| hefs 81 Buddhists is felt. anh the sun glad
| " supplies the public with this iniorma-
| tion-diticult OF Obtalnment in this cOun.
| ,rv. Every genuine Buddhist is sworn 10
| obey certain mandates, and 10 bring no re-
| pronch upOn the doctrines Of Lord BuddhA
| hy any mistaken opinions or conclusions.
! Fer many years the study Of san
| ,krlt has bsen under way by English
| scholars. aud Max Nuler, IN England, and
| a number Of eminent professors in Ger
MANY, bave been opening mp the treasures
| of literature unknown before in the West.
! The people Of the United States have not
| been so much in the current Of this lterA-
| tute rs have Europeans, but Il is remarka-
| BILE fact that Americans more universally
and quickly appreciate the philosophy
| Of Buddhism than any western nation.
| Some years aco the cultivated class
| Of Hindoos could not be induced TO believe
| that the moncy-l0ying. energetic, practical
| American lad 4 rcDchant f0rthe mysticism
! Of the East, or cared for the religion THAI
| came down 70 them. m essence. from the
| ior,iathers Of the raCe-tbe Aryans. Bul
such has been proven 10 be the case, and
there are thousands of people to-day, where
| ten wears sgo there were but few dozens,
| anXlOu, 10 know the subject.
! Letters received hy Indian pundltS since
| the Iuhhcation - the Light OF Asa
! have amazed them. ard the demand for tn
standard works on Buddhism has lcd to The
| translation # many volumes. lnjHn
! scholars have been sent from Bombay AMI
Calcutta to Eueland to do III, work. att
| the ,.t.loau,, Of London publisher, STOW
ap iu.mu.c activity m this direction.
! Tie uI.ie school oi lro0ch Pu-iii; SIS
i.,. M.,... ra,uciiy uuddbi-l>, ant,l,
| German scientists. says the eminent Pro
fr,.or Ernst ll.cAel, are fully Of tie op'n-
ion fha; thc Euddhi,tic theory II the Dter-
nitv q matter and force aud other pat cl-
! lar, wDe Identical with the latest dc.uc-
/ tion. Of ,cionce.
NGYfw merely scientific men in Amrri-
"a ere Interested in o>oteric study, hut
| wien any individual among them ha'
tah,u up the investigation ~ e'otcric Budd-
| hl~m they have found 1t 10 represent 2
| true inGiy iduali,m utterly at war with the
! theory II miracle. and uulik" any other
spiritual teaching. in that il is identical
with the position Of modern science as ex-
! plaincd by the late Professor y. ". Draper
| and cthcre. The followers Oi Buddhism
clam that il Is, IS taught SIX centuries be-.
lore 'hc Christian era, a perfect code Of
/ morals and a pilo> lphy broad enough
% have anticipated the induction
of mOtTn research and speculation.
Buddhism teaches ri-ht belief. RANT
thought, right speech. right doctrine. right
mean, n livelihood night endc1yOr. ri-ll
memory. right meditation. T." who h,cp
these Q,DJ0S ia mind and follows them
SAWS a teacher. VIII De- free from .orrJ IS
and may reach salvation from the mi.ci ie-
+ existence. Buddhism teaches rem ir'
ration or rcbrihs and tir doctrine OF
karma. Without thorough understand
ing Of these two points. il is u>,ic-, 10
try to master the philosophy. II Is no.
I'm the province oi an article lih" thl-
, to outline religion, belief; bat il
i mav be- - interest 10 state that
the EXPLANATION ~ the r,iuclruati1n theory
is this That the Un-lti-fad ue.irc fOr
things that bclongt0 the stIie Of personal
existence in thc material world is the
! cause Of rcIcatCd TohlT'n>. This unGuenc1'
,d thirst Tor phylcd cNi'ten'e l. force,
/ and la, q creative power in itsoli - strong
that il draws the being back into e,r,h-,ie,
. The doctrine /, iu reconciliation with
science ina-much a, it T. t.c doctrine oi
cause and effect. Science teaches that %
man j. the result u 4 llW Of developments.
from the imperfect and lower, % higher
and perfect condition. I'm other word. j.
j. the doctrine Of evolution.
The Stumbling block 10 Wc-t'rn students,
who have been reared in the hcliciihit thi'
! hfc s the only one that exists for action,
and that succeeding 1t j. heaven or hell, /, the
doctrine of repeated lives. each one bein (
/ the result ~ previous ones. BudJhi>t'
. rspudiale the iGca of a personal God. They
| consider such a belief - utterly absurd.
, The philosophy teichu' toe highest
goodness without God. cOntin-
u,d existence without what goes
bv the name OF " soul" ! hap
( pinCs, without an objective heaven. re-
/ dcWption hy oneself A. the Redccmcr, and
I without rites, prayers. ptum'cS. priests, or
! inter IccS>ory saints. In a word, buddhism
/ is pure, moral philosophy, which assume,
| thr uniN,I.sl operation Of the law Il motion
and change, 10y which all things, the worlds
! and all forms, animate ana lnanlmaic.
uVon them are governed. Man. m the
words Of the eastern doctrine, must work
/ out hl. OWE salvation, without fclr Og ilI0r,
| and rtincarnatcss often IS bI, ktmI nccc--
sitstcs il. When The desire 10 repeat him
self has ended he reaches Nirvtna. the
| highest estate, whore rrbirtAS are un-
| known. The religion oi Buddhism. Sly ~
| followers, is one ~ noble tolerance, OF
| universal brotherhood. of righteousness
and justice. II inculc1teS obedience Ia
! PARENTS, kindness TO children and friends,
| mercv toward the brute creation, lndul-
gence to interiors, reverence toward Brah-
| MINIS, and members OF the order, suppress
SION Of anger, passion, cruelty, or extraNs-
| gsuce. ana tolerance and charity.
In countries where Buddhism prevails
there are temples for the followers OF
| BuGdh,, and il has been thought best by
! the older BuddhiSts in this country % have
a meeting. place where the more learned
nav teach the younger members and giye
aid o all who ask il. There are no con-
verts to Buddhism, because IL is not re-
ligion IN the sense that westtrners apply
this term. IL is moral philosophy, and
one that must be grasped by the intellect
and accepted by the intuition. II
is remote from the emotional, and
has no such props for it, students as are
offered by orthodox religions. The Ameri'
can Buddhist feels 4 natural rtticence III
discussing bis reasons for embracing The
doctrines OF Buidha. and II il with great
reserve that any 4 tn,m give intorma'ion.
Recognizing a growing demand on To-
pant Of the public Tor better understands
ing OF the matter, one OF Two have spoken
The interest awakened Will hc more mel
during the winter bY the llnd'O inlcheE
who has announced his intention OF
making a stay in the United States
and nil be 6r,t IN New York, II J.
likely ai.O that \. +. >nEctt, the author o