The Essence of Buddhism

The Essence of Buddhism

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Title: The Essence of Buddhism
Author: Various
Editor: E. Haldeman-Julius
Release Date: April 21, 2006 [EBook #18223]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ASCII
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TEN CENT POCKET SERIES NO. 325
Edited by E. Haldeman-Julius

The Essence of Buddhism

HALDEMAN-JULIUS COMPANY GIRARD, KANSAS
Copyright, 1922.
Haldeman-Julius Company.

PREFACE.
I am glad to be permitted thus to say, in a few words of introduction to this
well-meditated little volume, how pleasant and how profitable an idea it must be
considered to have designed and compiled a Buddhist anthology. Selecting his cut and
uncut jewels from very various Buddhistic sources, Mr. Bowden has here supplied those
who buy and use the book with rubies and sapphires and emeralds of wisdom,
compassion, and human brotherhood, any one of which, worn on the heart, would be
sufficient to make the wearer rich beyond estimation for a day. The author disclaims any
attempt to set forth a corpus of Buddhistic morality and doctrine, nor, indeed, would
anything of the kind be possible within such narrow limits; but I rejoice to observe how
well and faithfully his manifold extracts from the Sacred Books of India and the East
exhibit that ever-pervading tenderness of the great Asiatic Teacher, which extended itself
to all alike that live. This compassionateness of Gautama, if nothing else had been
illustrated by the collection, would render it precious to possess and fruitful to employ;
but many another lofty tenet of the "Light" of Asia finds illumination in some brief verse
or maxim as day after day glides by; and he who should mark the passage of the months
with these simple pages must become, I think, a better man at the year's end than at its
beginning. I recommend this compilation without hesitation or reserve.
EDWIN ARNOLD.

COMPILER'S PROEM.
E. M. BOWDEN.
In this compilation no attempt has been made to present a general view of Buddhism as a
religious or philosophical system. The aim has rather been to turn Buddhism to account
as a moral force by bringing together a selection of its beautiful sentiments, and lofty
maxims, and particularly including some of those which inculcate mercy to the lower
animals.
On this point a far higher stand is taken by Buddhism than by Christianity--or at any rate
than by Christianity as understood and interpreted by those who ought to know. Not only
is the whole question of our duties to the lower animals commonly ignored in Christian
works as, for instance, in the famous Imitation of Christ, and scores of others; but, as if
this were not enough, a reasoned attempt has actually been made, on the strength of
Christian teaching, to explode the notion that animals have any right (e.g., in Moral
Philosophy, by Father Joseph Rickaby). Very different in this respect is the tone of the
average Buddhist treatise, with its earnest exhortations, recurring as a matter of course, to
show mercy on every living thing; and this difference alone is an adequate reason for
compiling a Buddhist anthology.
In regard to the sources quoted from, considerable latitude seemed allowable. They do
not all, by any means, possess canonical authority. But they are all distinctly Buddhist in

character. The supposed dates of the originals range from at least the third century B. C.
to medieval and later times.
Hence, it is clear that, should any one think to make use of quotations from this work for
controversial purposes, a certain degree of caution will be necessary. The context of the
passage, and the date and the authorship of the original work, may all need to be taken
into account; while it must also be borne in mind that the religious terms, such as
"heaven" and "sin," which have to be employed in English, do not always correspond
exactly to the Buddhist conception.
Of the numerous Buddhist works which have now been translated from some eight or ten
eastern languages, the greater number, when regarded purely as literature, occupy a very
low level. At times they are so remarkably dull and silly that the reader is inclined to ask
why they were ever translated. But the one redeeming feature in the voluminous
compositions of Buddhist writers is the boundless compassion which they consistently
inculcate.
The insertion of a passage in these pages