The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-08-12

Il " " - " AN-Ah ~ ~
was not an example Of ordinary tradition
There IL q great difference between stories o
sermons being handed on from one man .
another. without any special Importance be
ing attached % the form In which thel
we're related, and stories or sermons tn
very words NJ which. and Of the common
taries upon them, are regarded as sacred
being learnt by heart and transmitted word To-
word. There is evidence of the accuracy viii
which the early Buddhists transmitted theii
sacred books, first. in the fact that they have
preserved the exact words Of the oldest docu
ments 10 which reference was made above. ever
when those words expressed opinions which
were no longer accepted by the transmitters
and secondly, in the fact that the oldest docu'
ments extant contain no reference to the dis
putes, as important in the history OF Buddhism
as the Arian controversy in the history OF
Christianity. which arose about 300 y. c. Even
II no reliance be placed upon the accuracy OF
this verbal Transmission. and II the Pail
| scriptures consequently be accepted only as
evidence of Buddhist belief at the time when
these scriptures were actually committed
to writing. that is enough to show that there
can have been no borrowing on the part OF the
authors Of the Buddhist Scriptures from Mes
| torisn or other Christian people. For no one
supposes that the HISTORIANS had penetrated into
Ceylon before the year 80 A.. d. But was there
no borrowing on the part OF Christian writers
from Buddhist sources1 To this question also
Mr.. Rhys Davids returns a distinct negative.
He cannot believe that the Buddhist traditions
had any influence at all over Christian belief.
He deems IL much more likely that the later
Buddhist writers were Influenced by HISTORIAN
and other Christian missionaries. But Of this,
too, there Is no evidence as yet. The resem-
blances between the two Gospels are often very
lit - ID G-NN IaN NE.- 80 ah~,-n m
the slightest examination to rest on bases
OF belief quite contradictory. Thus the
Buddhists did not ascribe TO Gautama any divine
birth In the Christian sense. Before his descent
into his mothers womb he was a deva; that Is
one Of the innumerable spiritual beings who
were supposed to people the Tusita heavens. At
the time when Buddhism arose. the Hindoos be-
lieved In a great first cause, in whom and by
whom all things exist. The Buddhists estab-
lished no connection between their master and
this being. So again in miracles. The Pail SUIT
ts do not ascribe to the Buddha any such &C.
tons as arc designated in Christian writings by
tho word miracle. So. too, that exact identity of
phraseology which Is necessary TO support the
hypothesis of q borrowing either from one side
or the other is said by Mr.. Dayids to
fade quite away when the supposed coinci-
dences between Christian and Buddhist accounts
are examined. Take, for example. the state
ment: "Buddha came on earth to redeem the
world" Mr.. Davids can quite imagine q Chris
tian writer SO describing the Buddhist belief,
but, though the description is fair enough, the
expression cannot be found in any Pail Sutta.
The expression used In the Nalaka Sutta by the
devas, in their song of Joy at the birth Of the
child. comes near to 1t, but It is not the same.
They say. "The Bodisat. the Excellent Pearl.
the Incompatible is born for q good and for a
blessing in the world Of men," Now It is
only to tho Pail Suttas that ono can 90 for
any evidence Of Buddhist expressions actually
used before the Christian era to describe
events in Gautama's life. Asoka's edicts
have not . word about tho lifo of
Buddha. The bss-reliefs at Barhut are GER
tainly pre-Christian, but they give pictures, not
words. IL Is in the Chinese books, or rather in
the English phraseology OF the translators of
them. that the supposed Christian phrases are
usually found. Mr.. Davids, therefore, concurs
with DIR. Newman in r~epeling any conclusion
that might be drawn from the coincidence in
expression Of the later Buddhists with the
much older Christian writers. The general
conclusion based by Mr.. Lilly on the testimony
given by Mr.. Davids Is that no tenable objec-
tion can DO urged from Buddhism against the
claims OF Christianity as a universal ~religier.
HI.
Tho author turns to the other great religion of
the world which contests the claims Of Chris
tlanity to universally. II Is conceded at the
outset that Islam Is not, like Buddhism, q deca-
dent and moribund faith; upon the whole, IL is
still true to Its dominant idea, and the great
ness of its missionary work is by all well-in-
formed men acknowledged. It is well known
that, at q critical moment In the fortunes of
Europe, Islam narrowly failed to wrest from
Christianity the control OF Western ~civiliza-
ton; and Mr.. Lilly, for his part. can
SEQ nothing intrinsically irrational In the
superstition that IL may achieve In the
future the triumph which escaped il in
the past, Such q view. OF course, is unfamiliar
to Englishmen, but there are 5O,OOO.O 900 OF the!:
fellow subjects who hold it, and the latter have
recently found an effective spokesman in a
member of their own Church. We refer TO
Syed Amer Ais elaborate work on THE Life
and Teachings of Mohammed." which enables
us TO contemplate Christianity from without
and Islam from within. IL Is, in fact, an apol.
ogy for Islam which receives full and fair con-
sideration from the author OF this book, atten-
ton being at first directed TO the apology for
Mohammed's life. and then TO the claims put
forward for Mohammed's religion.
The career of Mohammed falls into three d.
visions. First his life to his fortieth year. the
year L u OuT era "Heu no tnIcrcu upon MS
public ministry. Next the twelve years ending
with 622. the date Of the Hegira, in which he de-
voted himself TO the peaceful propagation of his
doctrines. Lastly, his ten years as Chief. War
rior, Magistrate, and Lawgiver until his death in
032. With regard to the first OF these stages OF
MohAmmed's existence there is little difference
OF opinion among his biographers; all agree In
ascribing to his youth a correctness of deport-
ment and a purity Of manners rare among the
people OF Mecca. The second period OF his life
begins. as we have said, with his fortieth year,
In which the prophetic call came to aim. Perse-
cution arises as his doctrine spreads. and he
sends his disciples 10 Medina, which city he
himself reached after many ~perilous adven-
lures on the I'd Of July, GEE. With the Hegira or
flight 10 Medina, begins that last act in the
drama OF MohAmmed's existence. which ends
with his death in 632. IL is not disputed that
the net result OF his labOrs during that last dec
AIDE was TO cleanse Arabia from foul idolatry
and gross immortality, Mr. Lilly deems It equally
certain that, during this time OF triumph. plain
living and high thinking marked Mohammed's
~ Sam Il