the soul of the far east(远东的灵魂)-第24章
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the street and earn its own living； its veracious character began to tell。
When out of its theories sprang inventions and discoveries that
revolutionized every…day affairs and changed the very face of things；
society insensibly caught its spirit。 Man awoke to the inestimable value of
exactness。 From scientists proper； the spirit filtered down through every
stratum of education； till to…day the average man is born exact to a degree
which his forefathers never dreamed of becoming。 To…day； as a rule； the
more intelligent the individual； the more truthful he is； because the more
innately exact in thought； and thence in word and action。 With us； to lie is
a sign of a want of cleverness； not of an excess of it。
The second cause； the extension of trade； has inculcated the same
regard for veracity through the pocket。 For with the increase of business
transactions in both time and space； the telling of the truth has become a
financial necessity。 Without it； trade would come to a standstill at once。
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Our whole mercantile system； a modern piece of mechanism unknown to
the East till we imported it thither； turns on an implicit belief in the word
of one's neighbor。 Our legal safeguards would snap like red tape were
the great bond of mutual trust once broken。 Western civilization has to
be truthful； or perish。
And now for the spirits of the two beliefs。
The soul of any religion realizes in one respect the Brahman idea of
the individual soul of man； namely； that it exists much after the manner of
an onion； in many concentric envelopes。 Man； they tell us； is composed
not of a single body simply； but of several layers of body； each shell as it
were respectively inclosing another。 The outermost is the merely
material body； of which we are so directly cognizant。 This encases a
second； more spiritual； but yet not wholly free from earthly affinities。
This contains another； still more refined； till finally； inside of all is that
immaterial something which they conceive to constitute the soul。 This
eventual residuum exemplifies the Franciscan notion of pure substance；
for it is a thing delightfully devoid of any attributes whatever。
We may； perhaps； not be aware of the existence of such an elaborate
set of encasings to our own heart of hearts； nor of a something so very
indefinite within； but the most casual glance at any religion will reveal its
truth as regards the soul of a belief。 We recognize the fact outwardly in
the buildings erected to celebrate its worship。 Not among the Jews alone
was the holy of holies kept veiled； to temper the divine radiance to man's
benighted understanding。 Nor is the chancel…rail of Christianity the sole
survivor of the more exclusive barriers of olden times； even in the Western
world。 In the Ear East； where difficulty of access is deemed indispensable
to dignity； the material approaches are still manifold and imposing。
Court within court； building after building； isolate the shrine itself from
the profane familiarity of the passers…by。 But though the material
encasings vary in number and in exclusiveness； according to the
temperament of the particular race concerned； the mental envelopes exist；
and must exist； in both hemispheres alike； so long as society resembles the
crust of the earth on which it dwells；a crust composed of strata that grow
denser as one descends。 What is clear to those on top seems obscure to
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those below； what are weighty arguments to the second have no force at
all upon the first。 There must necessarily be grades of elevation in
individual beliefs； suited to the needs and cravings of each individual soul。
A creed that fills the shallow with satisfaction leaves but an aching void in
the deep。 It is not of the slightest consequence how the belief starts；
differentiated it is bound to become。 The higher minds alone can rest
content with abstract imaginings； the lower must have concrete realities on
which to pin their faith。 With them； inevitably； ideals degenerate into
idols。 In all religions this unavoidable debasement has taken place。 The
Roman Catholic who prays to a wooden image of Christ is not one whit
less idolatrous than the Buddhist who worships a bronze statue of Amida
Butzu。 All that the common people are capable of seeing is the soul…
envelope； for the soul itself they are unable to appreciate。 Spiritually
they are undiscerning； because imaginatively they are blind。
Now the grosser soul…envelopes of the two great European and Asiatic
faiths； though differing in detail； are in general parallel in structure。 Each
boasts its full complement of saints； whose congruent catalogues are
equally wearisome in length。 Each tells its circle of beads to help it keep
count of similarly endless prayers。 For in both； in the popular estimation；
quantity is more effective to salvation than quality。 In both the believer
practically pictures his heaven for himself； while in each his hell； with a
vividness that does like credit to its religious imagination； is painted for
him by those of the cult who are themselves confident of escaping it。
Into the lap of each mother church the pious believer drops his little votive
offering with the same affectionate zeal； and in Asia； as in Europe； the
mites of the many make the might of the mass。
But behind all this is the religion of the few；of those to whom
sensuous forms cannot suffice to represent super…sensuous cravings；
whose god is something more than an anthropomorphic creation； to whom
worship means not the cramping of the body； but the expansion of the
soul。
The rays of the truth； like the rays of the sun； which universally seems
to have been man's first adoration； have two properties equally inherent in
their essence； warmth and light。 And as for the life of all things on this
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globe both attributes of sunshine are necessary； so to the development of
that something which constitutes the ego both qualities of the truth are
vital。 We sometimes speak of character as if it were a thing wholly apart
from mind； but； in fact； the two things are so interwoven that to perceive
the right course is the strongest possible of incentives to pursue it。 In the
end the two are one。 Now； while clearness of head is all…important；
kindness of heart is none the less so。 The first； perhaps； is more needed
in our communings with ourselves； the second in our commerce with
others。 For； dark and dense bodies that we are； we can radiate affection
much more effectively than we can reflect views。
That Christianity is a religion of love needs no mention； that
Buddhism is equally such is perhaps not so generally appreciated。 But just
as the gospel of the disciple who loved and was loved the most begins its
story by telling us of the Light that came into the world； so none the less
surely could the Light of Asia but be also its warmth。 Half of the
teachings of Buddhism are spent in inculcating charity。 Not only to men
is man enjoined to show kindliness； but to all other animals as well。 The
people practise what their scriptures preach。 The effect indirectly on the
condition of the brutes is almost as marked as its more direct effect on the
character of mankind。 In heart； at least； Buddhism and Christianity are
very close。
But here the two paths to a something beyond an earthly life diverge。
Up to this point the two religions are alike； but from this point on they are
so utterly unlike that the very similarity of all that went before only
suffices to make of the second the weird； life…counterfeiting shadow of the
first。 As in a silhouette； externally the contours are all there； but within is
one vast blank。 In relation to one's neighbor the two beliefs are kin； but as
regards one's self； as far apart as the West is from the East。 For here； at this
idea of self； we are suddenly aware of standing on the brink of a
fathomless abyss； gazing giddily down into that great gulf which divides
Buddhism from Christianity。 We cannot see the bottom。 It is a
separation more profound than death； it seems to necessitate annihilation。
To cross it we must bury in its depths all we know as ourselves。
Christianity is a personal religion； Buddhism； an impersonal one。 In
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this fundamental difference lies the world…wide opposition of the two
beliefs。 Christianity tells us to purify ourselves that we may enjoy
countless aeons of that bettered self hereafter； Buddhism would have us
purify ourselves that we may lose all sense of self for evermore。
For all that it preaches the essential vileness of the natural man；
Christianity is a gospel of optimism。 While it affirms that at present you
are bad； it also affirms that this depravity is no intrinsic part of yourself。
It unquestioningly asserts that it is something foreign to your true being。
It even believes that in a more or less spiritual manner your very body will
survive。 It essentially clings to the ego。 What it inculcates is really
present endeavor sanctio
