El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-02-05

ignored, so that they exist to this day
in CeylOn, the great southern strong
hold of PJddhism.
Fhe book of Manu-, which the Hin
docs regard as their Oldest and the
standard of their social and public law,
dated from about the fourth century
3. c., lays down the rules which are
TO guide persons of various castles IN
their behavior toward each other Inc
Vedic books divide the entire Indian
population into four castles, but TINS
number is really in comparison as
much below the mark as the 80 gous
have been found to be- ManuS Dook
Of laws states that there are 16 mixed
castles besides the four principal ones
Encyclopedia Quoted.
In its article on India. the American
CyclOpedia says:
Though the superior castles may en-
gage in the pursuits properly DeIohs-
ing to the lower, the latter are not per
mitted to usurp the functions OF the
former. But whatever their
position they try not to transgress the
rules and ObserYances anclently pre-
scribed for them They avoid, Tor e1-
ample, trafficking with certain com
mOdities, such as leather, contact Win
which is regarded as polluttng; they
do not eat or touch certain KINDS OF
food, nor eat with or in the presence
of one of an inferior caste There are
GLdoSGo 50 QGE LdlGu LAAeAN
shadows falling on a man or hlgner
caste causes pollution In Malaoae
when under native rule II was not uH-
common for a man OF hlgn caste 10
strike dead on the spot a man OF low
caste for having touched him. even II
accidentally. the act was regarded as
justifiabIe homicide, and was not pun
ished by the authorities. The condl-
ton of the lowest castles under nauEe
rule was one of the most abject sub
thew
sidered. both socially and spiritually
that il was a crime for Branrnln 70
read the sacred writings in their pres
ence. or to give them any religious IN
struction or counsel whatever.
A loss Of caste involved forfeiture
of all civil rights and Of all properly
So much for the exterpation OF ~
iron rule of castles" from the Hlnooos
bv Ruddha. More could be given II
needed.
A strange salvation
Our essayist says:
aBuddha proclaimed that salvation
and redemption have come for all even
the lowest and most abJect classes.
Again. That Buddha's cruclIlXlon "es
designed as a sin atoning oIIerlnS Is
evident from the following declara-
ton" etc.
Further on he adds: "Buddhists do
not believe in any pardon for their
punishment for each evils deed or
thought, in this or a future incarna-
ton, and a prOpOruonate comp ehsd-
ton to the parties injured AGAIN
He taught his followers that all sin
is Inevitably punished, either IN THIS
or a future life" etc
Now, I do not object to the doctrine
Of the punishment OF sin, but there
are two things 1 do most earnestly Cd
ject to- One is, comparing the Bud
dhaistic conception OF the treatment OF
sin and the sinner with that taught
by Christ, and the other is, an en-
dorsesnent Of Buddha's notion OF the
future life, or in other words, the
transmig grafton of souls
Buddha taught or rather the So
called Buddha Sakyamuni taught, that
each sin had to be atoned for by the
sinner, either in this life, or in the
innumerable. uncOunted and unknOw-
able states into which the SHINING soul
would have to pass in the future.
What the Bible Says.
The Bible teaches that Christ has
made an atOnement for sin, and that