The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-05-21

1t meant originally no moro than tho blowing
after the storm. tie mai Emancipation and
eternal bliss. reunion with the supreme Spirit
schools. though by no means in ali. il was
h%ilAtion. Whatever iSIrvana may have come
ton Of tho IRE Of the passions. But that. he
] it is still within the old domain Of Brahmnnism.
oh rsnn", give a better sxnlanatiop Of The
BY stating that Buddhism was the highest
h Bsnihmanlsm P"Gulnrized; Sverythine e@soterie
~ Uy' MONKS ssV ana these ,H Monks E.,s ssins ii th hsR!i tfSs
Of the enlightened jewellers in the forest OF
there may hive bo-n in other religions. there
was none In the religion of Buddha.. What
Budlha's teaching: whatever was Buhhha's
Teaching was iDso .fnCtO not %esotrric. Buddha
himself; though lie knows we'll that there is.
ana that in every ronost religion there always
must be. u distinction between the few andthe
many. would arprny" Of no barriers between
selves. He speaks with open scorn OF kccping
any portion of the truth secret. Thus he says
In one OF his short sermons:
od!s"ip'os. there nre three to whom secrecy belongs
and not oponness. Who are they Secrecy belongs {,
women. not openness; secrecy belong. TO pliestiy Wis.
dom. not opcnness: secrecy to false doctrine. no. open.
ness To these ;hree belong secrecy. not op.nuess.
But there are thrco things that shine be.o:e all the
VIZ " anu NV III htCEtt W Nicn i tney n ulkk
OF the moon. q disciples. shines before all tho world.
and not In secret: the disk u the sun shines before all
Tho world. ani not in secret: the doctrines and rules
proclaimed by tho perfec. luddha shine before all the
world. not in secret. These three things shine before
all the world. and not In secret.
And this is by no means o solitary occasion
on which, Buddha condemns, ANYTHING like
~esoterie buddhism. There is n memorable
shortly before his death. in which lie condemns
not 2niy mS sntTor In religion; BIT any arneal
thing but tie voice within. We read in the
"Mahdpnrinibbanu Suttn" tp. 80:
.G g, 1 Wss'' m ,nin; A" msHn de a serl'S%!, hayc preached
A ), . y n Tsthss. Ga:a" ..sS trS!"s asfhe sio'.i
Then he inveighs against the idea TINT after
his death his disciples SHOULD be guided by
anything butth Spirit OF Truth within them.
surely amanda, he says; should there be any ons who
n"aaot Or ' he 'n"d%TIis ia deTsn4 snp upon POI 's ms. III /. i +. Mno
should Jay down 'hstr1o,ion. IN any mater o1nce.nin!
that h .0inu he should SaT lead the bI":iesio"d "" Or lie: '9 the ur aeI
sir Sshenasm IN any m n,ut. conce ruin . the nld sr ,e"ys ,l im'
. amanda am now grown old and fall Of years; my
Of days am turning eighty years q age, and jys. asa
care BE- made % move along. 80: ]ms,hint.; the BODY q
the Inth!yA'. can only be Kept going with much add.
aa Therefore, o amanda be ys lamp. unto yourselves.
es,ofnai rsIase. lIi"la fast asa rsfuro 10 tic truth TO-
Lees no, for rstaSs to sny on beside yoSr..lys. -.
dead. shall be a lamp unto Themselves, and a refuve
unto themselves. snail betake themselves 10 no exier.
nal refuge, but holding fast To the irnth as their lamn
and holding fast as their refu,e 70 the Truth shall not
look for refuge TO any one besides th-mselves-it il
they, o Amanda. among my Buikkhus. who shall r.nc,
the highest height. provided they ara wiling 10 learn |
Can ANYTHING be more outspoken. more deter
m!ned?. No one Is to be intrusted with priyats !
or secret instruction rs to the future rule Of
the Church. no one is to, claim any -xcertionni
authority. But the highest seat Of AUTHORITY
Il :i,yayS n be with the man himself and with
the voice OF truth within. '
And this Is the religion. Of all others. chosen
by Nine. Bliratsky as an esotrfic reli,ion
who would. have no secrets. whcther
for the laity or. for his own beloved disciples.
Is represented as Withholding: the double.
nopulaco and Keeping tina innermost
corner OF tho sanctuary in the profoundest
and moro homogeneous than this mia
representation OF the character OF Buddha and
his doctrine.