New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-02-05
LORE OF AN INDIAN SAGE.
A GNANAM INs1RUCrs A TRAVELLER.


The author of this interesting volume Of travel:
is an Fnslishman Wn0 evidently enierldlns
good many advanced" views lie is something
OF a Socialist, for instance. though not rabid
Une. lie daIco TO mold the opinion that the
English rule in India is not an unmiXed blessing,
He even goes 80 far as 10 consider a moot
point the question whether Western civilization
represents the best Of human development. But
what gives special interest and attraction TO
his book is tie fact that he went 10 Ceylon and
India to SEQ and if possible TO become acquainted
with the actual inhabitants OF those countries.
and that he evidently succeeded IL obtaining u
closer view OF OF them than any traveller
has been able TO effect for long time. lie is in
no way impressed with the prospects OF India.
lie secs that the situation there Is changing in
some ways radically that a serious movement
is on foot in the new native generation looking
TO the adoption OF modern and European ways
and modes of thought; that the old beliefs. and in
especial the old NEUROLOGICAL beliefs. are beng
discredited and abandoned, but-and this Is a
crucial point-that Christianity is not taking their
place.
What is dong so is Agnosticism Young lndla
Is PROFOUNDLY skcpticai and nOn-religOus IN Its
mental attitude. !; seCms about TO drop all its
ancient crceds. and at tho same time 10 reject
all the Western theosophies not more de-
serving Of crcdencc. Oh course the authors eN-
pcricnce could not have Been broad enough to
found very trustworthy conclusions upon. The
mental state or vast population as that of
India cannot he asccrtained by testing the ideas
Of scattered units hero and there. But it Is
evident that Mr. Carpenter really did get at tie
genuine attitude of those with whom he came IN
contact, and he las made a sincere endeavor to
represent as many phases as possible Of Indian
and Cin9ha!esc thought. In his remarks upon
what he saw in both countries he is shrewd
and often original, always seeking to look past
mere eXternaities and to get at the truth Of
things. What he says upon the causes OF tho
English Inability to win the confidence and
friendship of the natives is particularly deserving
OF study, though no doubt English oncial1om
in India will pooh-pooh it, until perhaps another
catacIysm like the mutiny of So shall come
aud tear away the veil once more.
Apart, however. from the authors account OF
what be saw, ms volume is given peculiar in
tcItst by reason of the strange experiences which
befeil him in CcylOn, and TO these experiences he
has devoted four chapters which offer quite
new sensation TO the curious For it was his
fortune 10 make the acquaintance in Ceylon Of
Gnam or Cinghalese occulst. and to take
down from the lips of this strange philosopher
doctrines anG theories which will probably appear
merely crazy to most readers That most of
these doctrines must seem irrational to the ma
jority is inevitable: il only for the reason that
the principles underlying them run counter TO
the whole methods Of the Western world As
Mr.. Carpenter says, moreover, it Is necessary TO
reuize all the tine, III speaking to such persons.
that they stand for views which nave permeated
the East for thousands Of years; which even now
60 TO the roots of tile national lie in Ccylon
and Inda which are accepted by scores OF
millions with tho most implicit iaitl and which
are not thought Ivy those who hold them TO stand
in any need " attestation.
Promising thus much we will let Mr. Car
penter do his own reporting, That Ire was deeply
impressed by the personality Of the Gnanl Is
very apparent lie describes him a man
venerable. yet physically hale and vigorous;
liyins upon the slightest regimen, yet strong and
enduring: wearing an aspect OF deep content and
great benevolence; fluent OF speech and fertile III
illustration, ever ready TO cXpOund Ills own views
but not addicted to controversy; very interesting
and highly intelligent iuterl6cutor, in short
This Lam was fro,l Southern India, and was only
sojourning for u time in Ceylon. Mr.. Carpenter
says:
tered all over the mainland OF India put thcy
ledu secluded existence, avoiding the currents
Of Western civilizatiOn-whch are OBNOXIOUS W
them and rarely come into contact with the Eng
lsh or appear on the surface oil Ordinary ne
They are divided into two great Schools ,he
Hjmalayan and the South indian-formed, prood
biz. even centuries back. by the gradual retire
ment of the Adopts into the mountains anu
forests of their respective districts before the
general Continent The IIimaayan school has
carried on the more democratic and progressive
Buddhistc tradition. while the south indian nag
kent TO caste and 10 the ancient Drahui''i;di
and later 1lintoO lines
When Mr.. Carpenter first saw his friend. the
Gnanam the latter was lodging in temple
lie thus describes his appearance:
We found ourselves in side-ehamber, where
eeated on simple couch his bed and day-sea
in one. was an elderly man s9me seventy y @'rs
OF age, though he did not look nearly 50 tnucl
as that, dressed only in white muslin wrapper
wound loosely around his 1.-the ana even active
dark brown form; his head and race snaVen d
day or two past. very gentle and spiritual IN
expression, like the best type of Roman Catholic
priest-a very BEAUTIFUL full, ana hncly iof dnrn
eyes, undoubtedly the eyes OF seer, uark1
trimmed eyelids, and powerful. prophetic ar; anu
wha ohde manner an e s0I for a hour or
Two with but few interruptions from his auditors
II is a pity that Mr.. Carpenter could not him.
self understand the Tamil language. but had 70
procure the services Of an Interpreter; pu' lie
remarks that it was easy 90 see what remark
able vieor and command or language the man
had, what power of concentration on INC SUI
ject in hand and what wealth OF reference
cspccialiy citations from ancient au'ioriice-
wherewith 10 illustrate his discourse" On the
character of tho teaching OF such Gurus the
author has some apt remarks. II does not at
all resemble Western teaching. for example
"The pupil is not expected TO ask questions OF
a sceptical nature or expressive of doubt. the
teacher does not go about to prove his thesis TO
the pupil, or support it with arguments drawn
from the plane Of the pupils intelligence; he
simply redelivcrs TO the pupil in certain order
and sequence, the doctrines which were delivered
to him in his time. which have since been verified
by his own experience and which he can illustrate
by phrases and metaphors and citations drawn
fror, the sacred books "Oreinality plays no
part in the teaching of the Indian sagcs. The