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THE INDIAN ANTIQUABY.
[FEBRUARY, 1884.
instance, the Nykya; we find its inquiries arranged explorable by the mortal adepta of Esoterio scienos. in a sevenfold analysis, e. g.-(1) substance; (2) Within those limits they know all that takes place, quality: (9) act; (4) generality; (5) partioularity;(6) and how it takes place, and they know that every 00-inherence; (7) non-existence. Sevenfold classi- thing is accounted for by the constructive will of fications are anything but rare. No doubt all the collective host of the Planetary Spirits operatthat Mr. Sinnett has related came to himself as a ing under the law of Evolution that pervades all revelation, but the merest tyro in Oriental philo- nature." sophy could have disillusioned him concerning Here the secret of Esoteric Buddhism is out. the novelty of it had he been anxious to enquiro. God is dethroned, and Oloott, Blavatsky, Sinnett,
It appears to us that all the statements made in and Kathumi Singh are placed in His stead. the book may be placed under three heads, viz. They learn from the planetary spirita. They (1) the Eternity of matter, (2) Evolution of life beoome omniscient within the range of the solar from it; (3) Transmigration of souls.
system. Hence the confidence of those occult According to Mr. Sinnett Buddha comes from gods. They know everything, and therefore are time to time into this world. He came as Gau. the fit instructors of an ignorant world. tams and again reappeared as Sankaracharya, and We are no longer at a loss to know why the to those who can read between the lines he is in book has assumed the oracular form. Here we the body again. The strange thing, however, is that have the gods over again, but this time speaking in each incarnation he contradicts what he did in in a new tongue and to a new class of people. his previous one. As Gautama he was an atheist, We fear they will yet have to descend to the
Sankaricharya he is a believer in God, and in position of ordinary mortals and submit to be this 19th century one of the most credulous of criticised instead of worshipped. The inducement incarnations. Consistency, however, is not a doc- held out for falling down at the feet of those new trine of Esoteric Buddhism. God, according to deities is not a material world and the rule over Sankaracharya-the re-incarnation of Buddharisit,- for they cannot say that that has been given the "Supreme Soul of the universe. He is to them,--but the promise of rank among the omniscient; from him every soul is evolved: to him planetary spirits to those who fail not to cross every soul returns. He is light Gyótis). He is the fifth round. Mr. Sinnett's apples of Sodom the lite and breath of life (prdna). He to the will not tempt many thinking Englishmen. external world is what yarn is to the cloth, what It does not require much thought to peroei milk is to curds. He is both creator and creation, the greatness of the revelation vouchsafed to actor and act. He is existence, knowledge and joy, I the world by this occult prophet. The novelty, without parta, unbound by qualities, without if there is any novelty in it, is not in the main action, emotion or consciousness." The supreme principles of the book. These are as old as being, according to this same authority, existed at Oriental speculation. It is not a new thing to the beginning, one without a second. In another assert that there is no God. We read something place he says the lifeless world can proceed from about this in a Book which claims the respect Brahma, just as a lifeless hair can spring from a of million. The fool bath said in his heart living man. Now this is the opposite of Buddhism, there is no God." The doctrine of metempeychowhich denies the existence of God and evokes sis, which is its main foundation, its Dévachan spirit from matter. Surely we have here good and Avichi, are no new discoveries. These belong news for Tyndall, who has, without anything to the old mythology of the East. The only more to do in the way of experiment, only to apparently new thing is the adoption by an Engapply to Mr. Sinnett, and he will show him how lishman of the wild theories of Oriental philosolife originated. Here is the discovery. "The phy, and the hardihood with which he has ventured original nebula (wherever it came from) arranges to parade them as secreta disembowelled from itself (rather clever for nebula) in planetary the haunts of the Planetary Spirits in the Himgvortices of evolution and develops worlds in layas. It is possible that some shallow minds, of which the universal spirit (wherever it came from) which there is no want in the present day, may reverberating through matter, produces form and be imposed on by the flowing sentences and bold life." (p. 181.)
oracular assertions of the author : thinking men The planetary spirit is a wonderful fellow. But will not give the book a second thought. though it is not a god, yet" it is oonoerned with It need hardly be added that of Mr. Sinnett's the working of nature in an immeasurable space, Buddhism, neither ancient nor modern Buddhista from an immensurable past, and all through an knew almost anything; Gautama Buddha never immeasurable future. The enormous areas of time contemplated such a system. and space in which our solar system operates is!
W. B.
