Moreover, Buddhism and other forms of rationalistic philosophy, after prolonged and thorough experiment, had also failed.  The Hindu race had found that as salvation could not be purchased with sacrifices, neither could it be reasoned out by philosophy, nor worked out by austerities.  It must come from a Divine helper.  Thus, when Narada had wearied himself with austerities—­so we read in the Narada Pancharata—­he heard a voice from heaven saying:  “If Krishna is worshipped, what is the use of austerities?  If Krishna is not worshipped, what is the use of austerities?  If Krishna is within and without, what is the use of austerities?  If Krishna is not within and without, what is the use of austerities?  Stop, O Brahman; why do you engage in austerities?  Go quickly and get matured faith in Krishna, as described by the sect of Vishnu who snaps the fetters of the world.”  “We are thus led,” says Professor Banergea, “to the very genesis of the doctrine of faith in connection with Hinduism.  And it was admittedly not an excogitation of the Brahmanical mind itself.  Narada had brought it from the land of ’the whites,’ where he got an insight into Vishnu as the Saviour which was not attainable elsewhere.”  And he then persuaded the author of one of the Puranas to recount the “Lord’s acts”—­in other words, the history of Krishna, with the enforcement of faith in his divinity:  “Change the name,” says Banergea, “and it is almost Christian doctrine."[183]

It is an interesting fact that Buddhism, in its progress through the centuries, has also wrought out a doctrine of faith by a similar process.  It began as a form of atheistic rationalism.  Its most salient feature was staunch and avowed independence of all help from gods or men.  It emphasized in every way the self-sufficiency of one’s own mind and will to work out emancipation.  But when Buddha died no enlightened counsellor was left, and another Buddha could not be expected for four thousand years.  The multitudes of his disciples felt that, theory or no theory, there was an awful void.  The bald and bleak system could not stand on such a basis.  The human heart cried out for some divine helper, some one to whom man could pray.  Fortunately there were supposed to be predestined Buddhas.—­“Bodisats”—­then living in some of the heavens, and as they were preparing themselves to become incarnate Buddhas, they must already be interested in human affairs, and especially the Maitreyeh, who would appear on earth next in order.

So Buddhism, in spite of its own most pronounced dogmas, began to pray to an unseen being, began to depend and trust, began to lay hold on divine sympathy, and look to heaven for help.  By the seventh century of our era the northern Buddhists, whether influenced in part by the contact of Christianity, or not, had subsidized more than one of these coming Buddhas.  They had a complete Trinity.  One person of this Trinity, the everywhere present Avolokitesvara, became