The Religions of India eBook

Edward Washburn Hopkins
This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 825 pages of information about The Religions of India.

The Religions of India eBook

Edward Washburn Hopkins
This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 825 pages of information about The Religions of India.
8. 17 the Brahman that observes all the rules ‘does not fall from brahmaloka,’ i.e., the locality of Brahm[=a].  Further, in 10. 4:  “Let (an ascetic) do away with all (sacrificial) works; but let him not do away with one thing, the Veda; for from doing away with the Veda (one becomes) a C[=u]dra.”  But, in the same chapter:  “Let (the ascetic) live at the end of a village, in a temple (’god’s house’), in a deserted house, or at the root of a tree; there in his mind studying the knowledge (of the [=a]tm[=a]) ... so they cite (verses):  ’Sure is the freedom from re-birth in the case of one that lives in the wood with passions subdued ... and meditates on the supreme spirit’ ...  Let him not be confined to any custom ... and in regard to this (freedom from worldly pursuits) they cite these verses:  ’There is no salvation (literally ‘release’) for a philologist (na cabdac[=a]str[=a]bhiratasya mokshas), nor for one that delights in catching (men) in the world, nor for one addicted to food and dress, nor for one pleased with a fine house.  By means of prodigies, omens, astrology, palmistry, teaching, and talking let him not seek alms ... he best knows salvation who (cares for naught)’ ... (such are the verses).  Let him neither harm nor do good to anything....  Avoidance of disagreeable conduct, jealousy, presumption, selfishness, lack of belief, lack of uprightness, self-praise, blame of others, harm, greed, distraction, wrath, and envy, is a rule that applies to all the stadia of life.  The Brahman that is pure, and wears the girdle, and carries the gourd in his hand, and avoids the food of low castes fails not of obtaining the world of Brahm[=a]” (ib. 10. 18 ff.).  Yama, the Manes, and evil spirits (asuras) are referred to in the following chapter (20, 25); and hell in the same chapter is declared to be the portion of such ascetics as will not eat meat when requested to do so at a feast to the Manes or gods (11. 34),—­rather an interesting verse, for in Manu’s code the corresponding threat is that, instead of going to hell ‘for as long, i.e., as many years, as the beast has hairs,’ as here, one shall experience ‘twenty-one rebirths,’ i.e., the hell-doctrine in terms of sams[=a]ra; while the same image occurs in Manu in the form ’he that slaughters beasts unlawfully obtains as many rebirths as there are hairs on the beast’ (v. 35. 38).  The passive attitude sometimes ascribed to the Manes is denied; they rejoice over a virtuous descendant (11. 41); a bad one deprives them of the heaven they stand in (16. 36).  The authorities on morals are here, as elsewhere, Manu and other seers, the Vedas, and the Father-god, who with Yama gives directions to man in regard to lawful food, etc. (14. 30).  The moral side of the code, apart from ritual impurities, is given, as usual, by a list of good and bad qualities (above), while formal laws in regard to theft, murder (especially of a priest), adultery and drunkenness (20. 44; i. 20), with violation of caste-regulations by intercourse with outcasts, are ’great crimes.’  Though older than [=A]pastamba, who mentions the P[=u]rva-m[=i]m[=a]ms[=a], Vasistha, too, knows the Ved[=a]nta (3. 17), and the M[=i]m[=a]ms[=a] (vikalpin—­tarkin, 3. 20, M. XII. 111).

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The Religions of India from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.