The San Francisco call., 1897-05-15
An Answer to His Efforts
to Introduce Buddhism
Here.
His Comparison of the Indian
Greed and Chris.
tianlty.
He Wants the Hindoo Priests to
Leave Us in Our Own
Beliefs.
Rev. j. B. Warren sends the following
letter anent the mission of Dharmapala TO


letter anent the mission of Dharmapala TO
this country:
In THE GAIL recently appeared a engthy
mmunicatlon from II. Dnarmapala, general
secretary of the Maha- Bodhi Society, in which
he expresses the desire and intention 10 estab-
lish branch of the society in the United
States. He tries to show that this would be
an improvement on Christianity as now held
and taught, while at the same time he en-
deavors to show that there is little or no dif-
ference between the precepts OF the Christian
Bible and those of Buddhism, quoting extern
sively from the Old and New Testaments.
which he indorses as teaching the same truths
as those taught by Buddha.
AS Budd hism-in the form of theosophy and
by Indian teachers-has, within the last few
months, been made 10 figure very prOmi-
nently before the public, and as not a few
have been attracted by the sOphistries. gen.
eralities and beautiful Oriental embellish-
men,s with which it has been presented. de-
sire lit you will allow me to do SO through
your columns) to call attention to few plain
facts concerning Buddhism and compare it
with Chris tianity. l will d O SO in plain every
day language, without sentimentahsm or
philosophical sophistries, SO that any intelli-
gent reader can know just what 1t is that is
offered to us in place of Christianity.
1t is not denied that Buddhism ntairs
many moral and social precepts which are
most excellent and which are very similar to
many contained in Christianity, yet these are
bat the expressions of innate convictions of
right and wrong entertained By almost all
mankind who are appreciab.y advanced above
savagery. They are hela even by all who re-
ject Christianity and all other forms of re-
lgion. Surely we are not to swallow pill of
deadly su bstance because some one shows us
few grains of sugar adhering to the surface
Of it.
Christianity has its God-the infinite, eternal
and interchangeable Being, existing in ana of
him ELF from all eternlty-tbe Creator, Pre-
server, Sovereign and Redeemer of Men.
Buddhism has no God, but is essentially
atheistic. Buddha is not divine being who
took the form OF man, but Is, or was, man
who has been annthilat=d because he arrived
at state of perfection. There have been sew
eral Buidhas, and there will be at least one
more who will appear several thousand years
hence.
The doctrine is this: At long intervals of
time there have appeared men who, in many
ages of transmigrat ion from one form and
state of life to another, have SO increased in
knowledge and purity that they can rise no
higher, and so after the next death are born
no more, but pass into oannihilation-or, which
is the same thing, their individual existen ce
has been reabsorbed in the infinite su bstance.
at Is while he exists In this final state on
earth, previous TO ann.hilation, that this per-
son is Budh, and is worshipped as god, and
after his death continues TO be worshipped-
not as present god but as memory; and the
rules and precepts which he has left form the
rule of life, worship and religion Of the
people"
Buddha is. therefore, only supposed saint
exalted into god, and is an obj,ci of worship.
born about the year 626 B. {. DR.. Howard
Malcolm gathers the following Information
"He had previously lived in 400, OOO 600 of
worlds and passed through innumerable con-
ditions in each In this world he had been
almost every sort OF worm, fly, fish or animal l,
and almost every grade and condition of life.
Having in the course of these transmfgrations
attained immense merit, he was at length born
sou of the King mentioned" IA king in
born he jumped upon his feet, and
spreading out his arms exclaimed: Now
Am the noblest OF men! This is the last time
shall ever be born His height when grown
was nine cubits (about thirteen and half
feeO. His ears were so beautifully long as to
hang upon his shoulders; his hands reached
to his knees; his fingers were all of equal
length, and with his tongue he could touch
the end of his nose"
This (or the memory of him) is the god of
Buddhism at present, as described in plain
language divested of the antiquities OF
philosophy aud the embellishments of Oriental
speech. This is what Dharmapala and the
Bramacharin have come to offer to Americans
in place of Christianity's God.
The distinguishing popularity OF Chris
tianity is expressed in the Scripture state
ment, "He that is our Sod is the God of saliva
tiou." He saves men from SIN and death by
redeeming them and putting his spirit within
them. Men are sinners and need salvation,
and tn is our God fully and gloriously meets.
Buddhism has nothing whatever to saw on
this subject. 1t utterly ignores sin as affect
God and Is dumb regarding grace. forgive
ness, etc. 1t recognizes only inter-human re-
lations and religious forms and emoni les
Dharmapala speaks against priests theo-
logians and ceremonies of Christianity
Buddhism has more than a million priests,
numerous idols, and the essence of its religion
is in rites and ceremonies. What he says
about the ethical teachings of Buddhism is
only the sweet bait he puts al the entrance to
catch silly flies.
He quotes literally from the Christian
Scriptures, indorses the sentiments, and af-
firms that he has thus SHOWN that Christ and
Buddha are Zone in spirit" and doctrine. But
you will notice that he quotes only the moral
precepts-those relating to inter uman con-
ditions, personal and social He very care
fully avoids such quotations as these: "God
so loved the world that he gave his only be-.
gotten son, that whosoever lieveth in him
should not perish, but have everlasting llfe' !;
a ran som for many: II lay down my life
for the sheep"; "Who his own self bare our
sins in his own body on the tree; Christ
our Passover. Is sacIinced lot u.s., Unto
sins in his own tlood"; HE that believeth
on the Son hath life, but he that beIieveth
not snail NOT see iiie, .. but the s wrath Of God
blood there is no remission" and very m any
other such passages.
These are careful lily avoided by Dharmapala,
and these show h that en- CHRIST aud Bnddha,
as truth and error. II Buddhism is such o
grand religion, why are the hundreds OF mil
lions of Buddhists III India, China and other
Asiatic countries in so low state of civiliza-
tion a. measured by Chris tian civ lzation !?
II Buddha is one with Christ in doctrine and
spirit, why has Buddhism shacked men in
every way while Christianity has liberated,
enlarged and ennobled hem?
Dharmapala wants 10 induce Americans to
ADOPT Buddhism SO that they Will be kind to
animals and sop eating beef. But we have
our societies for prevention OF cruelty 10 ami
N, q Ia nd we like beef too well TO give IL m
But that seems to be the reason he wants to
convert us to Buddhism.
No, Mr.. Dnarmapala and Bramacharm, we
do not desire to dethrone Jehovah and sub
slitute Buddha; we are not ready 10 substitute
Buddh ism for Christianity; we are not ready
to give up the hope of personal salvation
through Christ for annihilation by reabsorp-
ton into "infnite sn distance"
please 90 back home and leave us to our
poor Christianity, while you rejoice in the
riches of Buddhism. j. b. WARREN.
Berkeley, Cal.
CAPpnTfiS FARO RAINY