The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-07-23
KARMA AND "SCIENCE."
Teachings Of the Buddha and Mrs. Eddy
COMPARED by q Doctor OF Divinity.

To THE EDITOR or The SUS Sir: n we
compare the principles Of Karma with those
Of Christian Science We shall And a certain
similarity. The teachings Of Gautama we're
not final. and during the process Of centuries
the Buddhist has created a mystery regard
ing the transit Of the soul which IL is impoe-
sible for the human mind to ~unravel.
The Buddhist believes a continuance Of
conscious life a positive evil. Future life Ia
one OF the great evils, and love Of il Is one OF
the ten letters OF the soul. The true disci-
pleship is untsrnished by such a thing ss a
desire TO live forever. IL is here that Chris
tianity and Buddhism differ nightly. In
believing in the Immortality Of the soul there
il nothing in Christianity TO forbid one be-
ieving that the ego" has passed through
successive reincarnations But IL 10 the
beauty OF Christian belief that IL presents Q
self conscious future existence as one Of the
great rewards OF this life. For example, 81.
Paul says in Romans H., I: To them who by
patient continuance in well doing seek for
glory and honor and immortality lis granted,
eternal life" The same apostle writing to
Timothy q. Tim. vi, I6l presents Jesus Christ
as one who only hath immortality, dwelling
In light unapproachable- tsee the Creek
And the familiar chapter on the Resurrection
II. Cor, XVI seems to be eSplainable only by
believers in reincarnation or life after life.
But God giveth IL a body as II hath pleased
Him"
IL would therefore seem to be perfectly in
harmony with Christian faith to believe that
the soul passes through many reincarnations
before IL attains 10 life in Christ and that
this life in Christ" must be brought about
by living the Christian Karma. that In, by
recognizing cause and effect" in this present
life accepting its condit ion and striving
after a conscious Immortality such as Christ
promised when lie said. Il go to prepare a
place for you.
Otherwise, what does st. Paul mean when
he writes phil. ill.,, III: IF by any means /
might attain unto the rNsurreptinn IF fha
| dead? Reincarnation need not he a law
forever. There are individuals who live from
the highest centre where truth abides." Re-
incarnation for them would be needless 1t
is here, as | have said, that Christianity and
Buddhism part company. With the Bud
dhist "Nirvana" lie an endless extinction, with
the Christian II Ia what the Bible calls THE
power OF an endless life.
In my intercourse with Mrs. Eddy's follow
ers ] find that some OF them feel that they
are now actually living this -endless life"
This seems to he expressed in the text I. Cor
H., 9-iO (which refers to the present, not 10 the
futurel: Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard.
neither have entered into the heart OF man
the things which God hath prepared for them
that love Him., but God hath revealed them
unto us by His spirit: for the Spirit search
eth all things, yea. the deep things of God"
Remember, ] am not preaching Buddhism.
but the Christian theory OF reincarnation'
which believe throws considerable light on
the Bible. D.. D., LII, i.
BROOKLYN, July %.