“If the Buddha was not a materialist, in the sense of believing in the eternal existence of material atoms, neither could he in any sense be called a ‘spiritualist,’ or believer in the external existence of abstract spirit. With him creation did not proceed from an omnipotent spirit or mind evolving phenomena out of itself by the exercise of will, nor from an eternal self-existing, self-evolving germ of any kind. As to the existence in the universe of any spiritual substance which was not matter and was imperceptible to the senses, it could not be proved.”—Buddhism. Sir Monier Williams.
“Subhuti, all these countless particles of dust Tathagata declares are no real particles; it is but an empty name by which they are known. Tathagata declares that all these systems of worlds composing the great chiliocosm are no real worlds; they are but empty names.”—Kin-Kong-King. Beal.
[4] “Characteristic physiological marks by which every Buddha may be recognised.”—Handbook of Chinese Buddhism. Eitel.
“Can Tathagata be known by the thirty-two signs (of a hero)?”—The Vagrakkhedika. Max Müller.
“The King saluted, and Queen Maya made
To lay her babe before such holy feet;
But when he saw the prince the old man cried
‘Ah, Queen not so!’ and thereupon he touched
Eight times the dust, laid his waste visage there,
Saying, ‘O Babe! I worship! Thou art He!