The San Francisco call., 1897-03-21

ciples their opinion about him, and when
Sartfeutta, the Simon Peter of Buddha's dis
ecstasy in praise of Buddha, the compassion
ale teacher stopped him, saying Enough,
Ssrifutta; the Buddhas greatness cannot be
measured. because there is no comparison to
be made" He asked not his discip es to pray
and he was never in agony and never prayed
and never wept. The Buddha is not like the
other teachers who want the help OF their
disciples at critical moments of their lives.
When King Ajata Sofia set the royal &ele-
phant at Buddha TO have him crushed the
Buddha smiled and when the beast came be-
fore him he sent rays of love and conquered
him by his overpowering love. Never was
Buddha driven out by the inhabitants of q
village. II they scolded him he would argue
with them quietly and by homely parables
show their errors. When Alavaka. the demon,
was terrorizing the people, the Buddha visited
him, and by gen tleness and firmness he con-
Quered him.
The perfect man never weeps, never resents,
never destroys, never curses. never allows to
be conquered, killed, or crucifed or beaten.
he saves, he comforts, he rejoices, he shows
Buddha, addressing the Brahman sela, says:
II am king, Sela, the incompatible King
OF righteousness; with justice | turn the
wheel, a wheel that is irresistl BILE.
Suboue thy doubt about me; have faith in
| me, . BTahman; difficult to obtain is the sight
| OF Buddhas repeatedly.
"of those whose manifestations is difficult
| TO obtain in the world repeatedly, l am, U
Brabmana, perfectly enlight ened-an incom-
parable physician, most EN- inent matchless, a
crusher of Mara's army; having ubjected all
enemies, lreJo;ce. secure on every side.
"a religious life is we'll taught by mean
instantaneous. immediate life, in which 1t
| is not in vain to become an ascetic to one
who learns in earnest" T"Sela Sutta," Sacred
| Books OF the East, Vol. X.l
| Buddha's religious teaching is to be found
| in his glorifed life and that of his immediate
| disciples. Religion, according to Buddha, is
not tacit acceptance of certain dogmas or
metaphysical theories aDouta soul, or god
| or speculations whe ther the individual ceases
\ to exist or not.
! Buddhism rejects the superstitions of the
anlmistic creeds, which teaches creation OF
souls by creator deity. 1t rejects the fatalis-
tic idea of mans enslavement in the absolute
theory of the annihilationists that life ceases
| to continue after this existence.
| The teachings OF the Buddha are based on q
| monistic philosophy, an ethical code and an
| 1dealistic psychology. A unitary conception
OF natures laws, the permanency OF the law OF
cause and effect, continuous change in the
| universe caused by perpe etual motion. the in
| finite nature of consciousness, the immortal
| ity ofevery living being, the eternal condition
! of the mind WREN it is freed from Ignorance,
| lust and hatred, the attainment of this state
| trines of Buddha. The Nirvana of Buddhism
| is the unconditional condition of the per-
| fected mind. The perfect being realizes that
| his consciousness has attained com plete per-
| lection and he is sure he has attained imm or.
tallty never again 10 enter the realms OF SUI
| fering. This immortality could only be real
lied by the destruction OF ignorance and self.
ishness and by leading com passionate life o1
perfect unselfishness guided by wisdom.