The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1898-08-21

teaches, holds classes and meditations,
and the followers of her cult contribute
what they choose to her support.
"How is 1t, Swami Abhayananda,'
asked the worldly interviewer, that the
idea of equal rights came to percolate
into this ancient order? When were wo-
men first admitted to its mystic rites?"
"Ah, madame" replied the Swami, "in
the world of the spirit there is no sex.
Members of our order are neither men
nor women, but souls. Sex is but phe-
nomenon. a mere wave upon the surface,
while the soul is the deep, quiet. change
less ocean that exists from century to
century, now in one form, now in anoth-
er. You may be a man in one incarna-
ton and a woman in the next, according
to the nature of your development. Wo-
men, as such, have never been recognized
by this order; but any human creature
who has become dead to the world and
desires to live after the spirit has been
welcome to the brotherhood from its most
ancient days. There is no distinction in
the costume. We are all monks and wear
the ochre robe"
"Have many Indian women Joined the
organization?
DeileVe not a large HuInDeT.
docs your remuneration bring happi-
ness?"
I'VE at least attain peace and liberia
ton. Attaching ourselves to nothing, We
are never forced to detach ourselves from
anything, and the ordinary cares and
struggles of human life do not touch us.
Our life is so simple that 1t costs us next
to nothing. OF course, by the spirit of
our religion, we are vegetarians."
Meat is then forbidden"
1--WE are forbidden nothing. There Is
not thou shalt not in our whole code.
But we could not take upon ourselves
the vow of service to all living things,
animals included, and then use the latter
as FOOD
do you claim to preach Buddhism"
"Our order does not acknowledge race,
sex or creed. or, rather, it is the epitome
of all races and creeds. You will notice
there back of our altar pictures of the
Christ. saints of both the Episcopal and
Catholic churches, dark-hued prophets Of
the orient and Buddha. Here I preach
Jesus of Nazareth, as He is the mani
festation accepted in the western world,
and, indeed, the highest of all manifesto
tions; but among the Mohammedans
should teach the same spiritual truths
with Mohammed as their exponent. Our
faith is the synthesis of all religions,
moralities and PHILOSOPHERS. That which
exists is one; men call it variously'"
What progress is this most ancient or
der making in this most modern of Amer
lean cities?"
1.-THE thought is growing rapidly. The
women of New York were inclined to take
up the study of Buddhistic philosophy as
fad; but the women Of Chicago have
gone into the subject earnestly, and are
more ready to accept it as a religion"
The name Of the Swamis all terminate
in amanda" which signifies bliss-Ab-
hayananda, meaning freedom and bliss;
Shraddananda, the name of the new con-
vert, faith and bliss. Once having taken
orders. the previous name and environ
ment of the monk are supposed to have
passed into utter oblivion. Like her spr-
itual mother. the first American recruit
will preach and teach. The saving grace
of this, as Of all religions worthy the
name, is that 1t teaches unselfishness and
universal love as the highest law.-Den-
yer Republican.