Nor what light shines beyond their broken lamps,
Nor lifeless, timeless bliss.”
In concluding, it might be opportune to observe, that the Werthurtheile,[48] known amongst modern theologians as characterising the teaching of Albrecht Ritschl—sounds, upon intimate acquaintance, merely as a faint echo of the logic of Sakyamuni Buddha. Ritschl might apply his Werthurtheile to the presumed interpretation of a “miracle,” etc. Buddha suggested by his “method,” that what is ordinarily referred to as a “miracle,” is not in reality a “miracle,” therefore it is merely defined as a “miracle.” So, also, with the various dogmas which distinguish every religious creed. By many Chinese it is regarded as an evidence of Divinity, that in the mind of Sakyamuni Buddha there was conceived this incisive logical method; and amongst the learned monks, profound homage is rendered, and much wonder expressed, because the Lord Buddha[49] did not hesitate to apply its principles to every doctrine synonymous with his own accredited “Law.”
[1] “The Sutra of firm establishment in all doctrine, describing clearly the secret merit and attainments in the religious life of Tathagata.” (Compare Edkins’ Chinese Buddhism.)
[2] See the preface to The Vagrakkhedika.
[3] “A native of Western India who lived as a hermit under an Arguna tree, whence he derived his name. Converted by Kapimala, he laboured in Southern India as the fourteenth patriarch.... He is the chief representative, if not originator, of the Mahayana school, the greatest philosopher of the Buddhists, and as such styled ‘one of the four suns which illuminate the world.’ His own peculiar tenets have been perpetuated by a distinct metaphysical school called Madhyamika (Lit. Juste Milieu), the characteristics of which are a sophistic nihilism which dissolves every proposition into a thesis and its antithesis, and denies both. ‘The soul,’ said Nagarjuna, ‘has neither existence nor non-existence, it is neither eternal nor non-eternal, neither annihilated by death nor non-annihilated.’ The tenets of this school are condensed in Nagardjuna’s commentary on the Mahaprajna Paramita S’astra. He spent the later part of his life in a monastery at Kosala ... (correct date probably a.d. 194). After his death he received the title Bodhisattva. He is the author of many S’atras.” (Compare Eitel’s Handbook of Chinese Buddhism.)
[4] See the preface to The Vagrakkhedika.
[5] Kumarajiva was referred to as “one of the four suns of Buddhism” (Tchatvara Suryas). He laboured in China as a most active and judicious translator, and is credited with having introduced a new alphabet. One of Kumarajiva’s Chinese designations—Tung-Sheo—meant that, although young in years, he was ripe in the wisdom and virtues of old age. (Compare Eitel’s Handbook of Chinese Buddhism.)
[6] Beal stated in his preface to the Kin-Kong-King, that “it was translated first into the Chinese by Kumara-Jiva (a.d. 405), who was brought into China from Thibet.”
[7] Other translations, worthy of recognition, are those attributed respectively to Bodhiruki (a.d. 509), Paramartha (a.d. 562), Dharmagupa, of the Sui dynasty (a.d. 589–618), and I-Tsing (a.d. 703). (Compare the preface to The Vagrakkhedika.)