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THE SIDDHANTA.
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fixed and fast, but only an incitation to experience it in one's own self; it is 'a raft, designed for escape ; not designed for retention.”
But we must give Buddhism an opportunity of being fairly heard. Let us see how the founder of this system justifies himself, in this particular. He says, “I am,' monks, is a believing. 'Such am I,' is a believing. 'I shall be,' is a believing. 'I shall not be,' is a believing. 'I shall have a form,' is a believing. 'I shall be formless,' is a believing. 'I shall have perception,' is a .believing. 'I shall be devoid of perception,' is a believing. To entertain believings is to be ill. To entertain believings is to be infirm. To entertain believings is to be sick. When, however, all entertaining of believings is overcome, then is one called a right thinker."
Wisdom, then, consists in refusing to believe! Very good, we too refuse to believe what Buddha said, on Buddha's own authority! Thus, believing in him, we are ill, infirm and sick ; not believing in him, we are, at least, wise!
The beautiful simile of the flame of a lamp, employed by Buddha to illustrate the impermanence of all nature, would hardly hearc riticism. To compare Living Actuality, or Rhythm, as we have called it, to a manifestation of matter, is scarcely permissible in philosophy. A flame does not and cannot exist by itself; but Spirit, Actuality, or Rhythm, is a self-subsisting principle, and, therefore, free from death and decay.
Moreover, as an emancipated spirit can never be without some sort of knowledge or belief, being pure consciousness in essence, the question is: 'what would be the belief
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