“What shall I do to inherit eternal life?” says the Christian. “What shall I do to inherit the eternal extinction of life?” says the Buddhist.
Surely in this comprehensive list of contrasts the great scholar has shown that there is an immeasurable height of moral and spiritual philosophy, and revealed truth concerning God and man in the Christian religion that Buddhism never conceived. It has no excellence in moral precept that is not better stated by Christianity. Christianity sheds a broad, clear light on the way to find salvation from sin. Buddhism has no light, and no consolation. The human heart finds rest in the one, but the other can not bring a moment’s peace to any anxious or agonizing soul. Buddhism is a pessimistic, dark, and desolate system of philosophy, mistaken for religion.
CHAPTER XI
Ripened Fruit of Non-Christian Faiths
In setting before the reader the following account of painful scenes, most of which I have witnessed, in connection with religious rites, I am aware that some may say that these facts, though admitted to have taken place, are not characteristic of the religion in which they are found. Having given much attention to this pertinent question, I am convinced that they are some of the legitimate fruit of religious systems without Christ. This book is not written to theorize about religion, so much as to give an account of what a missionary sees living in Burma in direct contact with its varied people.
The theoretical teaching of Buddhism, Mohammedanism, or Hinduism may be one thing, while the practical religious usages may bear quite another character. A people may naturally be very agreeable and have many lovable traits, and yet their religious rites may degrade and not uplift the natural man. The saddest part of the following account is found in its degradation of the ordinary healthful sentiments of the people, in the name of religion.
Then, again, what is done openly in the name of any religion, is done that it may be seen and recognized as of that religion. Therefore, it is certainly characteristic. If the observance of this is repeated, or is related to that which is of frequent occurrence, it is certainly characteristic. That which is here recorded is the natural fruitage of the religions which cheat the natural hunger of the human heart for the favor of God, whom all have sinned against, but whose loving mercy is not known among these Christless millions.
Before giving an account of the cruelties still observed by devotees and fanatics, it is well to remember some terrible practices which have been abolished in recent years. These include suttee, or widow-burning, hook-swinging, the Juggernaut, and marriage of little girls. These were all religious practices, but they were abolished by the Government. Theoretically and practically, the English Government in India is neutral in religion. Only a Christian Government could be strictly neutral in religious matters, though other Governments at times have been tolerant of other faiths to some extent. By proclamation, the English rule in India is neutral in religion. This proclamation is adhered to literally, so that a Mohammedan, Hindu, or Buddhist has just as much protection under the law as a Christian, and neither has any powers above the other.
How, then, does it come to pass that the Government has interfered in religious rites? This was done only when such rites actually took life, or endangered life. The Government’s first duty is to protect the lives of its subjects, even against self-destruction, where that is possible. Many questionable deeds are yet done by devotees in which the Government has not interfered, though some of them are exceedingly cruel, because they have not actually endangered life.
But suttee, or widow-burning, has been prohibited by the Government, though still practiced among the Hindus beyond the English border. Bishop Thoburn gives an account of the burning of four widows in Nepal, a little more than a quarter of a century ago. The dead husband had been high in the service of the Indian Government, and had been honored with a title by Queen Victoria. He was a Hindu, and he died over the border in Nepal, and four of his widows were burned with his body. This shows the spirit of Hinduism where it is not restrained by a Christian law. You can not burn people on any pretext under the British flag.
Hook-swinging was another horrible practice, which was put down in the same way. Devotees were placed on hooks suspended on long ropes fastened high above, and the hooks fastened deep in the flesh of the devotees. The body was then swung from side to side till its momentum tore the hooks from the flesh, and the torn and bleeding body fell to the ground, perhaps to die, certainly to be permanently maimed. The law suppressed this practice, and it is no longer perpetuated except in remote regions and under great secrecy.