Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1892-03-25
BUDDHIST DOCTRINE.
A STATEMENT ABOUT SOME OF
ITS MYSTERIOUS PHASES.

~ w. - t-'iOOO thNOI-0s
The Teaching of Rebirth Explained-The
Fundamental Rules Upon Which f!le
Whole Religion of Buddha Is Built.
How Rebirth Is Obtained.
A deep Buddhistical vein is now going
through the modern world of western
tions, having become especially forceful
and penetrating since the period when
Schopenhauer erected his philosophical
system, more or less, on the very old teach
ings of Buddha Gautama
There is no want of comprehensive sci
entifc works in reference to Buddhism,
and poets also have been unable to resist
the great attraction of the doctrines of this
Indian sage, us is shown in the works of
Richard Wagner which are largely influ
enced by the ground thoughts of Bud
dhism. The Samsara and Nirvana have
become current expressions of many of our
modern poets, not only in their descrip-
tions of scenes relating to the world in
which we live. but also in their pictures of
salvation from this world of error, guilt.
suffering, birth and death. The doctrine
of Buddhism, of rebirth, that is, the con-
tinued reincorporation of our real spiritual
being. forms the fundamental principle of
the great Asiatic religions.
The doctrine of the rebirth is alone suf-
ficient to explain to the Buddhists the
mystery of existence, it explains why the
righteous man is often SO poor and de-
spised, while the evildoer enjoys riches
and honor, it replies to the despairing
question. addressed constantly, but vainly.
to heaven by millions of souls, why have
1vo to ffor md ,I,1r r
plains that indestructible as are the forces
of nature and matter, so likewise is the
innermost being of man. Death sno ami
hilation, but only the passing over from
one feeble form into another, whatsoever
takes pleasures in this world, there is none
to gainsay him, neither god nor devil
can rob him of them. but he must abide by
the consequences.
FOUR CARDINAL TRUTHS.
Mans real fate depends solely on his in
ward being, on his own will, and he has
the prospect of countless rebirths, in which
he will earn the fruits of both his good
and his evil deeds. But to him who is
weary of this increasingly renewed exist
ence, and will earnestly strive for freedom
and release, is opened way of redemp-
ton. The cause of suffering death and
rebrth is the will to live. which fills US
all, the desire of individual existence in
this or in some other world.
The will to live in Buddhistical sense is
not only the conscious will, but that I'M
conscious life force which dwells in all
creatures and organisms. in animals and
plants, as well as in man. Only by aban-
doning this will, and by totally suppress
ing the desire for an individual existence
in this or in some future world can man
ever be freed and redeemed and reach
eternal peace.
The road to this release, to Nirvana, we
can find through the recognition of four
healing truths, viz, the truth of suffering,
the truth of the cause of suffering, the
truth of the cessation of suffering and the
truth of the way which will lead to cessa-
tion from suffering
Buddha teaches that it is because of our
nonrecognition of these four cardinal
truths that we have to travel so long the
mournful and dreary road of rebirths But
when the truths are once fully recognized
and acted upon the will to live disappears,
the longing which leads to renewed exist
ence ceases, and the Samsara is thing of
the past There are two roads of error,
brethren. which he who is striving for
freedom from earth dominion may not
travel
The one, the longing to satisfy our pas
sions and sense desires of whatever kind,
is low, mean dishonorable and destructive;
it is the road on which travel the children
of this world. The other, the asceticism
and self torture is somber painful and
utterly useless.
THE N1RvANA
The middle road alone, which has been
found by the one who has attained perfec-
ton, avoids these two error roads, opens
the eyes, imparts self knowledge and leads
to peace. to truth. to enlightenment, to
Nirvana.
The Nirvana, according to the explana-
tion of the Buddhist scholar, is condition
of holy peace, accompanied by the indie
structible certainty of obtained freedom
and release. Nirvana means, literally, to
be extinguished. The will to live, the
longing for earthly joys, here or Somewhere
else, is extinguished. The false iaea that
material goods can have any value or be
lasting has evaporated. Gone is the flame
of sensuality and selfishness.
Although it is possible to reach Nirvana
already in this life. an extremely small
number are able to accomplish it. Our
mental and moral condition. through the
effect of deeds in former births, is gener-
ally SO QellCleuC tudC MANY f0DlrCQS are
needed before we can arrive at this haven
of peace. But to obtain rebirth under
favorable conditions is within the power of
every one who earnestly strives for it, 1t
solely depends on the wish to live which
dwells in all of US and forms the kernel of
our existence.
The nature of our rebirth depends en-
tirely on our deeds, and is regulated by
merit and guilt as exhibited in our former
lives. If our merit is greatest, we shall be
born again in higher state or world and
under favorable conditions. If, however,
we have subjected ourselves to heavy guilt
through evil deeds, rebirth in lower
place, and rich in sorrow and suffering, is
the necessary and inevitable result. The
depend on our Karma, the
moral law of the world, of which the phys
ca law, as seen by US, is only the sensual
and temporal appearance. Karma IS that
which other religions designate rs divine
purpose. providence or fate-Arena.
A GORGEOUS Piece of NeediewOrIx