Indian Antiquary Vol 58

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Charles E A W Oldham, S Krishnaswami Aiyangar, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarka
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 252

238
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
(DECEMBER, 1929
structures-palaces, mosques and tombs-of architec. Kargyütpad, the Followers oi cilu Apostolic Succes. tural importance, which form the principal attraction ! sion (or Followers of the Successive Orders), of of the place. A map, ton plans and thirty-nine which Milarepa is the greatest of the Tibetan excellently reproduced views illustrate this part of Apostles." In fact Milarepa is the Tibetan Apostle the text, which is of special norit, each monument of Mysticista, and has followers to the present day or group of buildings being carefully and clearly in (p. 8): "hundreds of Kargyutpa Ascetics, living portrayed, with just sufficient detail to satisfy the in bleak solitudes of the Tibetan Himalaya," requirements of all ordinary visitors, for whom
and about Mt. Everest itself. Indeed, in considerthe work is intended and to whom it can be strongly ing the Kargyútpas we find ourselves launched on recommended. This volumo bours throughout # wide ses of mysticism. A. Dr. Evans-Wentz traces of the fascination which this old site and its ! (pp. 10 ff.) writes: "For comparative explanation Associations exercised upon the author. We con. of their system of mystical insights [if such a term gratulate the Dhar Darbar on its publication can really mean anything)," we may compare them to When a new edition is printed the opportunity "the Christian Gnostics (the Knowing Ones)," who, should be taken to correct the scale marked upon by the way, to all others only thought they knew. the map, and rectify a very few typographical alips.
After going into this comparison Dr. Evans-Wontz C. E. A. W.O.
comes on p. 12, to a remarkable conclusion: "The
Christian Gnostic seeks Roalization; and, like the TIBET'S GREAT YOGI MILAREPA, a Biography from the
Kargyútpas, and the Yogis among the Hindus, Tibetan, being the Jetsün.Kahbum, or Biographical
and the Sufis among the Moslems, rejects that History of Jetsün-Milarepa, according to the late
peculiar form of Occidental intellectualism favoured Lama Kazi Dawa-Samdup's English rendering.
by Church Councils, which leads to the formulation Edited by W. Y. Evans-WENTZ. Oxford University
of creeds beginning with 'I believe ' and of decrees Press : Humphrey Milford, 1928: 16 shillings.
of anathema for disbelieving and holds fast only The spirit in which this book is published can
to Realized or Realizable Knowledge. From their be gathered from a note on the first fly leaf : "I
point of view, the followers of Milareps are the cledicato this Biography of Milarepa to those
Gnostics ("Knowing Ones') among Buddhists, as who cling not to belief based upon books and
the followers of Valentinus and Marcion were tradition but who seek knowledge by realiza
among Christians; and like all the Christian Gnostics tion." Its object can be gauged froin the opening
they are the heretical opponents of every dogma words of the Preface : " In my Introduction
or creed intellectually based wholly upon Scriptures And Annotations to the present work, as in those
and Traditions, as Milarepa's teachings contained to The Tibetan Book of the Dead, I am attempting
herein show unmistakably." to convey to the Western World, and so place on
From Milarepa's sect there were inevitably many rocord, cortain aspects of Higher or Transcendent
disnentors from of old, but in spite of them, p. 29: al Mahayanic Teachings, which have been handed
"All Tibetans write in holding Jetsun.Milarepa on to me for that purpose by the Translator, the late
in the highest estoom..... The Soorates of Lama Kazi Dawa-Samdup, my Tibetan Guru."
Asis counted the world's intellectualism, its prizes In his Introduction, and indeed throughout his
and its pleasures, as naught : his supremo quest book, Dr. Evans.Wentz is inclined to make a super
was for that personal discovery of Truth, which, human horo of Milarepa, who flourished in the ele
as he teaches us, can be won only by introspection vanth and twelfth centuries of the Christian era. In
and self-analysis, through weighing life's values fact he commences in this strain : "The Biography
in the scale of the Bodhi-Illuminated mind," i.e., of one of the Great Religious Goniuses of the human
by Transcendental Mysticism. race," etc. Nevertheless, the historical part of the Jetsun-Kahbum beyond doubt, as Dr. Evans
Wo are next launched not on a son, but on a veriWontz says, "may be accepted as a faithful account table ocean of mystical assertion, just as we are in of the sayings and doings of Jetsün (Milaropa); every other form of religious belief that is based on with a due allowance for a certain amount of the mystical. Like every other soaroh after the Mysfolklore and popular mythology which has boon tery in any part of the world-old or now-it is very incorporated in it. As a Gospel of the Kargyútpa complioatod, very diffioult and very self-assertive, sect, it is one of the many Sacred Books of the and, to the philosophically inclined, of absorbing inEast and, as such, perhaps a historically accurate
torost. Milaropa, too, shows himself-like overy other as parts of the New Testament, if not moro BO."
independent philosophor-to have been more bound In reading this book, the student will do well to
the student will do well to by tradition than he or his followers seem to be aware. remember that Susred Boks are very many.
In this book tho Tibetan thinkor is shown to It is then explained that thoro aro throo chiof have been as wido in his thought as the Grook, the schools of Buddhist Philosophy in Tibet : the Roman, the Jow, the Hindu or any other ráo that Madhyamika or Middle Way, tho Mshamudråhas really got to work to think. Milaropa has also or the Great Symbol, and tho Adi-Yoga or Great been fortunato in the English scholar who has Porfection. Of these three great schools (p. 4): put his ideas before the European publio. "thp adherents of the Mahamudra School are the
R. C. TEMPLE