Page images
PDF
EPUB

CHAPTER X.

DETAILS CHARACTERISTIC OF THE RELIGION OF THE PEOPLE.

AMOUNT OF RELIGIOUS KNOWLEDGE.-GODS, GENII AND MALIGNANT SPIRITS. The spirits Lhamayin and Dudpos. The legends about Lhamo, Tsangpa, and Chakdor.-PRAYERS.

Amount of religious knowledge.

IT is evident that a religion containing so much of philosophical speculation and divided into many various systems, schools and sects, cannot be known in its full extent by the lower classes forming the bulk of the population, but only by those of a certain degree of education. Csoma, who paid great attention during his personal intercourse to the general amount of religious knowledge amongst the various classes, gives the following details in his "Notices:"1

"The systems Vaibhāshika, Sautrāntika, Yogacharya, and Madhyamika, are well known to many of the learned Journ. As. Soc. Beng., Vol. VII., p. 145.

in Tíbet; but there are, on the other hand, many who are acquainted with their names only. The works explanatory of the Yogacharya and Madhyamika theories can be understood only by the learned, because they deal with too many abstract terms and minute distinctions, while the generality of the religious persons (or the clergy) prefer reading Tantrika works, and of the Kanjur, the Dulva (or discipline), and some tracts of the Do (or Sūtra) class." He adds, that the Tibetans are tolerably familiar with the dogma of the "three vehicles" (Tib. Thegpasum, Sanskr. Triyāna). This dogma, which has been taken from the Mahayana schools, is explained in detail in the Tibetan compendiums entitled Lamrim, or the gradual way to perfection, of which the most celebrated was written by Tsonkhapa. The argumentations of these books are taken from the consideration, that the dogmas of the Buddha are intended alike for the lowest, the mean or middle, and the highest capacities; as they contain low, or vulgar, middle, and high principles; thus, from the knowledge of each of these classes a particular degree of perfection is deducible. They then describe what a man must believe according to his capacities, in the following terms:

1. "Men of vulgar capacities must believe, that there

is a God, that there is a future life, and that they shall earn the fruits of their works in this, their worldly life.

2. Those that are in a middle degree of intellectual. and moral capacity, besides admitting the former Compare p. 22.

AMOUNT OF RELIGIOUS KNOWLEDGE.

105

positions, must know, that every compound thing is perishable, that there is no reality in things; that every imperfection is pain, and that deliverance from pain, or bodily existence, is final happiness or beatitude.

3. Those of the highest capacities must know, in

addition to the above enumerated dogmas, that from the body, or last object, to the supreme soul, nothing is existent by itself; neither can it be said that it will continue always or cease absolutely, but that every thing exists by a dependent, or causal connexion (or concatenation).

5. With respect to practice, those of vulgar capacity are content with the exercise of the ten virtues. Those of a middle degree, besides fulfilling the ten virtues, endeavour to excel in morality, meditation, and ingenuity, or wisdom. Those of the highest capacities, besides the former virtues, will perfectly exercise the six transcendental virtues." Also with reference to the summum bonum of beatitude or perfection, three degrees are distinguished. Some are already content with a happy transmigration, and limit their wishes to be re-born as gods, men or Asuras. Others hope to be rewarded by a re-birth in Sukhavati, and to be delivered from pain and bodily existence. A third class wishes not only to attain Nirvana for themselves, but also to show others the paths leading to it in a future period as most perfect Buddhas.

Such a power, however, can only be gained by those

who enter the priesthood, or, as the Lamas say, who take the vows, Dom. There are many legends illustrating the merits to be acquired by entering the religious order and inculcating the necessity of doing so.1 The idea at last grew into an undisputable dogma, that laymen cannot gain the Bodhi in their present existence, but only in a future state; their actual religious occupations will secure the reward of re-birth in a happy condition, or in Amitabha's celestial region, but, with respect to the supreme rank of a Buddha, their attempts are nothing but preparations.

Clear and intelligible as these principles are, they have been found nevertheless, too learned for the lay followers of Buddhism; and for a more general diffusion, a code of eight specific duties was drawn up, forming a practical summary of the laws of the Buddhist faith. The contents of the popular code are given in Csoma's paper as follows:

1. To take refuge only with Buddha.

2. To form in one's mind the resolution to strive to attain the highest degree of perfection, in order to be united with the supreme intelligence.

3. To prostrate one'sself before the image of Buddha; to adore him.

4. To bring offerings before him, such as are pleasing to any of the six senses: as, lights, flowers, garlands, incenses, perfumes; all kinds of edible and trinkable things (whether raw, or prepared);

See p. 27, 38.-I cite as an example Schmidt, "Dsang-lun, der Weise und der Thor," p. 108.

GODS, GENII, AND MALIGNANT SPIRITS.

107

stuffs, cloths, &c. for garments and hanging ornaments.

5. To make music, sing hymns, and utter the praises of Buddha, respecting his person, doctrine, love or mercy, perfections or attributes; and his acts, or performances, for the benefit of all animal beings.

6. To confess one's sins with contrite heart; to ask forgiveness for them and to resolve sincerely not to commit the like hereafter.

7. To rejoice in the moral merits of all animal beings, and to wish that they may thereby obtain final emancipation or beatitude.

8. To pray and entreat all the Buddhas that are now in the world to turn the wheel of religion (or to teach their doctrines), and not to leave the world too soon, but to remain here for many ages, or Kalpas.

Gods, genii, and malignant spirits.

The Tibetan Buddhists believe well-being and misfortune alike to depend upon the action of gods, geni, and malignant spirits.' The gods are considered to exist in large numbers; they derive their divine nature from having received a particle of the supreme intelligence, which possesses such power and is of such

1 Many instances of this belief, common to all the Buddhist races of Asia (Schmidt, "Forschungen," p. 137; "Ssanang Ssetsen," p. 352; Marsden, "The travels of Marco Polo," pp. 159, 163), will be found in the writers on Tibet.

« EelmineJätka »