The sun., 1893-11-02
RUppHA,s TEACHINGS.
Explained by n Learned Priest Now
Visiting This Country.

-
Explained by a Learned Priest Now
Visiting This Country.
Wrapped in the flowing robes of
white India silk, which emphasized
markedly the spiritual outlines of his
delicate though swathy features, the
Buddhist priest, Dr.. III. Dharmapola,
made a striking picture yesterday in
the pulpit of the Second Unitarian
church at Twentieth and Capp streets.
The face of tn, spe eaker was thought
full and refined. He spoke earnestly
| and with enthusiasm, although he al
lowed himself to make no gestures,
save few nervous movements of the
hands.
The church had been specially deco
rated with flowers for the occasion,
and presented very attractive ap-
pearance. Long before $3.50 o'clock
every seat In the church was occupied,
and at last chairs were placed in the
aisles, extending from the pulpit to
| the very doors, which were thronged
with people, who stood patiently
through the entire discourse.
DR.. Dharmapola was introduced by
| Rev. Leslie Sprague. He spoke in
glowing terms of the Hberality exhibit
ed by the Christians at the congress of
religions, from which he was returning.
All faiths were represented. All
branches of Christianity had their
teachers present. And all received
him with equal warmth and listened to
his arguments in favor Of the religion
that reaches back six centuries farther
than Christianity.
There are many false ideas Of
| Buddhism" DR.. Dharmapola con-
tinued "Some claim it is agnotisti-
cism Yet Buddha himself expressly
denies any agnostic ideas. The state
ment that it is materialism has also
been exploded. Prof. Huxley, in one of
his latest books, says Buddhism is the
most advanced form of idealism. That
Buddha had gone deeper into that sys-
tenn than any other teacher, and that
his religion is purely idealistic.
"They are all wrong. Buddhism
comprehends all religions. 1t is the en-
Notification of all the good of all 'isms.
It's main teaching is purity. To the
materialist who can not believe in q
future life it says: Lead a life of pu=
rity.' One Brahmin will say: If you
follow my teachings you will at last
be in union with God Another teach
er says: My philosophy will unite you
with God Put to them the question:
What is God They will answer: He
is that which is holy, just, merciful,
compassionate, unselfsh and pure
:Fhen," the speaker continued, look
to the teachers and see which of them
approach nearest this idea of God.
The good man will be like him. Buddha
teaches us that his followers must pos
sess the qualities we attribute to the
Deity"
The speaker told of the rise Of Budd-
hism. Buddha was a prince. For
| twenty-nine years he had lived amid
the luxury of royalty, but found no
satisfaction. His mind was not content
with material pleasures. AT last he
left his wife and only sen and went in
to the world to seek the truth.
| During six years he devoted himself
| to study. There were sixty-two sys-
TENS and religions in India then. He
learned them all. Then he decided to
found a system of his own. He found
the priests and teachers were selfish
and impure and led lives of pleasure.
Their religion was of form and dogma
and not of soul. Then, just twenty
four centuries ago, he began to teach
| the Buddhism of to-day at BRnares to
the students searching after religious
| truths.
Buddha taught that the best life was
| that Of usefulness, unselfishness and
purity. There were two extremes
among the priests Of that day. There
were those who devoted themselves to
! the passionate pleasures of sensuality.
| There was anotheV class that Were con-
stantly suffering self-inflieted punish
ments and mortifying their bodies.
| Both courses were equally selfish and
improbable. The mind of the sensu-
alist was beclpuded by selfish pleasure.
That of the ascetic was obscured by
the selfishness that would allow him to
| forget others and suffer pain for the
salvation Of his soul. In either case
the men were so blinded they could not
see the truth.
"There is a middle path" said the
speaker, "that opens the eyes and leads
to enlightenment. Men fettered by dog.
mas and creeds can not think. The
main cause of suffering is ignorance,
for ignorance causes desire for that
unknown, and that desire causes suf-
fering."
Buddha, the speaker said, would not
consent to fetter himself by a creed.
His preachings were not sectarian, but
| merely urged a pure life and a pure
system Of God. The religion that comes
from pulpit or book is not satisfactory.
Everywhere is misery. Underneath
the glamour of the higher civilization
was sorrow. Buddhism would right
this by teaching that man must COM
menee to love his fellow man; that a
life Of sepsualisn did not mean pleas
ure, and that only in unselfishness
and purity could true happiness be
found
When the speaker retired Mr..
Sprague announced the hymn:
One holy church Of God appears
Through every church and race.
This he urged his hearers to sing as
IL they meant 1t. At its conclusion DIR.
Dharmaphola pronounced the benedic.
ton In the following words:
Associate with pure minded people,
lead pure lives and all blessings win
| be yours