Wecome，then，tothesecondpoint。HastherebeenanyinfluenceatworktodifferentiateusinthisrespectfromFarOrientals？
　　Therehas。Twoseparatecauses，infact，haveconducedtothesameresult。Theoneisthedevelopmentofphysicalscience;theother，theextensionoftrade。Thesoleobjectofsciencebeingtodiscovertruth，truth—tellingisanecessityofitsexistence。
　　Professionally，scientistsareobligedtobetruthful。AliterofaJesuit。
　　Solongassciencewasofthecloset，itsinfluenceuponmankindgenerallywasindirectandslight;butsosoonasitproceededtostalkintothestreetandearnitsownliving，itsveraciouscharacterbegantotell。Whenoutofitstheoriesspranginventionsanddiscoveriesthatrevolutionizedevery—dayaffairsandchangedtheveryfaceofthings，societyinsensiblycaughtitsspirit。
　　Manawoketotheinestimablevalueofexactness。Fromscientistsproper，thespiritfiltereddownthrougheverystratumofeducation，tillto—daytheaveragemanisbornexacttoadegreewhichhisforefathersneverdreamedofbecoming。To—day，asarule，themoreintelligenttheindividual，themoretruthfulheis，becausethemoreinnatelyexactinthought，andthenceinwordandaction。
　　Withus，tolieisasignofawantofcleverness，notofanexcessofit。
　　Thesecondcause，theextensionoftrade，hasinculcatedthesameregardforveracitythroughthepocket。Forwiththeincreaseofbusinesstransactionsinbothtimeandspace，thetellingofthetruthhasbecomeafinancialnecessity。Withoutit，tradewouldcometoastandstillatonce。Ourwholemercantilesystem，amodernpieceofmechanismunknowntotheEasttillweimporteditthither，turnsonanimplicitbeliefinthewordofone’sneighbor。Ourlegalsafeguardswouldsnaplikeredtapewerethegreatbondofmutualtrustoncebroken。Westerncivilizationhastobetruthful，orperish。
　　Andnowforthespiritsofthetwobeliefs。
　　ThesoulofanyreligionrealizesinonerespecttheBrahmanideaoftheindividualsoulofman，namely，thatitexistsmuchafterthemannerofanonion，inmanyconcentricenvelopes。Man，theytellus，iscomposednotofasinglebodysimply，butofseverallayersofbody，eachshellasitwererespectivelyinclosinganother。Theoutermostisthemerelymaterialbody，ofwhichwearesodirectlycognizant。
　　Thisencasesasecond，morespiritual，butyetnotwhollyfreefromearthlyaffinities。Thiscontainsanother，stillmorerefined;tillfinally，insideofallisthatimmaterialsomethingwhichtheyconceivetoconstitutethesoul。ThiseventualresiduumexemplifiestheFranciscannotionofpuresubstance，foritisathingdelightfullydevoidofanyattributeswhatever。
　　Wemay，perhaps，notbeawareoftheexistenceofsuchanelaboratesetofencasingstoourownheartofhearts，norofasomethingsoveryindefinitewithin，butthemostcasualglanceatanyreligionwillrevealitstruthasregardsthesoulofabelief。Werecognizethefactoutwardlyinthebuildingserectedtocelebrateitsworship。
　　NotamongtheJewsalonewastheholyofholieskeptveiled，totemperthedivineradiancetoman’sbenightedunderstanding。Noristhechancel—railofChristianitythesolesurvivorofthemoreexclusivebarriersofoldentimes，evenintheWesternworld。
　　IntheEarEast，wheredifficultyofaccessisdeemedindispensabletodignity，thematerialapproachesarestillmanifoldandimposing。
　　Courtwithincourt，buildingafterbuilding，isolatetheshrineitselffromtheprofanefamiliarityofthepassers—by。Butthoughthematerialencasingsvaryinnumberandinexclusiveness，accordingtothetemperamentoftheparticularraceconcerned，thementalenvelopesexist，andmustexist，inbothhemispheresalike，solongassocietyresemblesthecrustoftheearthonwhichitdwells，——acrustcomposedofstratathatgrowdenserasonedescends。Whatiscleartothoseontopseemsobscuretothosebelow;whatareweightyargumentstothesecondhavenoforceatalluponthefirst。Theremustnecessarilybegradesofelevationinindividualbeliefs，suitedtotheneedsandcravingsofeachindividualsoul。Acreedthatfillstheshallowwithsatisfactionleavesbutanachingvoidinthedeep。Itisnotoftheslightestconsequencehowthebeliefstarts;differentiateditisboundtobecome。Thehighermindsalonecanrestcontentwithabstractimaginings;thelowermusthaveconcreterealitiesonwhichtopintheirfaith。Withthem，inevitably，idealsdegenerateintoidols。
　　Inallreligionsthisunavoidabledebasementhastakenplace。
　　TheRomanCatholicwhopraystoawoodenimageofChristisnotonewhitlessidolatrousthantheBuddhistwhoworshipsabronzestatueofAmidaButzu。Allthatthecommonpeoplearecapableofseeingisthesoul—envelope，forthesoulitselftheyareunabletoappreciate。Spirituallytheyareundiscerning，becauseimaginativelytheyareblind。
　　Nowthegrossersoul—envelopesofthetwogreatEuropeanandAsiaticfaiths，thoughdifferingindetail，areingeneralparallelinstructure。Eachboastsitsfullcomplementofsaints，whosecongruentcataloguesareequallywearisomeinlength。Eachtellsitscircleofbeadstohelpitkeepcountofsimilarlyendlessprayers。Forinboth，inthepopularestimation，quantityismoreeffectivetosalvationthanquality。Inboththebelieverpracticallypictureshisheavenforhimself，whileineachhishell，withavividnessthatdoeslikecredittoitsreligiousimagination，ispaintedforhimbythoseofthecultwhoarethemselvesconfidentofescapingit。Intothelapofeachmotherchurchthepiousbelieverdropshislittlevotiveofferingwiththesameaffectionatezeal，andinAsia，asinEurope，themitesofthemanymakethemightofthemass。
　　Butbehindallthisisthereligionofthefew，——ofthosetowhomsensuousformscannotsufficetorepresentsuper—sensuouscravings;
　　whosegodissomethingmorethanananthropomorphiccreation;towhomworshipmeansnotthecrampingofthebody，buttheexpansionofthesoul。
　　Theraysofthetruth，liketheraysofthesun，whichuniversallyseemstohavebeenman’sfirstadoration，havetwopropertiesequallyinherentintheiressence，warmthandlight。Andasforthelifeofallthingsonthisglobebothattributesofsunshinearenecessary，sotothedevelopmentofthatsomethingwhichconstitutestheegobothqualitiesofthetrutharevital。Wesometimesspeakofcharacterasifitwereathingwhollyapartfrommind;but，infact，thetwothingsaresointerwoventhattoperceivetherightcourseisthestrongestpossibleofincentivestopursueit。Intheendthetwoareone。Now，whileclearnessofheadisall—important，kindnessofheartisnonethelessso。Thefirst，perhaps，ismoreneededinourcommuningswithourselves，thesecondinourcommercewithothers。For，darkanddensebodiesthatweare，wecanradiateaffectionmuchmoreeffectivelythanwecanreflectviews。
　　ThatChristianityisareligionofloveneedsnomention;thatBuddhismisequallysuchisperhapsnotsogenerallyappreciated。
　　ButjustasthegospelofthedisciplewholovedandwaslovedthemostbeginsitsstorybytellingusoftheLightthatcameintotheworld，sononethelesssurelycouldtheLightofAsiabutbealsoitswarmth。HalfoftheteachingsofBuddhismarespentininculcatingcharity。Notonlytomenismanenjoinedtoshowkindliness，buttoallotheranimalsaswell。Thepeoplepractisewhattheirscripturespreach。Theeffectindirectlyontheconditionofthebrutesisalmostasmarkedasitsmoredirecteffectonthecharacterofmankind。Inheart，atleast，BuddhismandChristianityareveryclose。
　　Butherethetwopathstoasomethingbeyondanearthlylifediverge。Uptothispointthetworeligionsarealike，butfromthispointontheyaresoutterlyunlikethattheverysimilarityofallthatwentbeforeonlysufficestomakeofthesecondtheweird，life—counterfeitingshadowofthefirst。Asinasilhouette，externallythecontoursareallthere，butwithinisonevastblank。
　　Inrelationtoone’sneighborthetwobeliefsarekin，butasregardsone’sself，asfarapartastheWestisfromtheEast。
　　Forhere，atthisideaofself，wearesuddenlyawareofstandingonthebrinkofafathomlessabyss，gazinggiddilydownintothatgreatgulfwhichdividesBuddhismfromChristianity。Wecannotseethebottom。Itisaseparationmoreprofoundthandeath;itseemstonecessitateannihilation。Tocrossitwemustburyinitsdepthsallweknowasourselves。
　　Christianityisapersonalreligion;Buddhism，animpersonalone。
　　Inthisfundamentaldifferenceliestheworld—wideoppositionofthetwobeliefs。Christianitytellsustopurifyourselvesthatwemayenjoycountlessaeonsofthatbetteredselfhereafter;Buddhismwouldhaveuspurifyourselvesthatwemayloseallsenseofselfforevermore。
　　Forallthatitpreachestheessentialvilenessofthenaturalman，Christianityisagospelofoptimism。Whileitaffirmsthatatpresentyouarebad，italsoaffirmsthatthisdepravityisnointrinsicpartofyourself。Itunquestioninglyassertsthatitissomethingforeigntoyourtruebeing。Itevenbelievesthatinamoreorlessspiritualmanneryourverybodywillsurvive。
　　Itessentiallyclingstotheego。Whatitinculcatesisreallypresentendeavorsanctionedbytheprospectoffuturebliss。
　　Ittacitlytakesforgrantedthedesirabilityofpersonalexistence，andpromisesthecertaintyofpersonalimmortality，——aterrortoevildoers，andasustainingsenseofcomingunalloyedhappinesstothegood。Throughandthroughitsteachingsrunsthefeelingofthefullnessoflife，thatdesirewhichwillnotdie，thatwishofthesoulwhichbeatsitswingsagainstitsearthlycasementinitslongingforexpansionbeyondthenarrowconfinesofthreescoreyearsandten。
　　Buddhism，onthecontrary，isthecriducoeurofpessimism。
　　Thislife，itsays，isbutachainofsorrows。Tomultiplydaysisonlytomultiplyevil。Thesedesiresthaturgeusonarereallycauseofallourwoe。Wethinktheyareourselves。Wearemistaken。Theyareallillusion，andwearevictimsofamirage。
　　Thispersonality，thissenseofself，isacrueldeceptionandasnare。Realizeoncethetruesoulbehindit，devoidofattributes，thereforewithoutthiscapacityforsuffering，anindivisiblepartofthegreatimpersonalsoulofnature：then，andthenonly，willyouhavefoundhappinessintheblissfulquiescenceofNirvana。
　　Withacertainpoeticfitness，miseryandimpersonalitywerebothpresentintheoccasionthatgavethebeliefbirth。Manyhaveturnedtotheconsolationsofreligionbyreasonoftheirownwretchedness;Gautamasoughtitshelptouchedbythewoesofotherswhom，inhisownhappylifejourney，hechancedonedaytocomeacross。Shockedbythesightofhumandisease，oldage，anddeath，sadfactstowhichhithertohehadbeensedulouslykeptastranger，herenouncedtheworldthathemightfindforitanescapefromitsills。Butbliss，asheconceivedit，laynotinwantingtobesomethinghewasnot，butinactualwantofbeing。Hisquestformankindwasimmunityfromsuffering，nottheactiveenjoymentoflife。Inthisnegativewayoflookingathappiness，heactedinstrictconformitywiththespiritofhisworld。Forthedoctrineofpessimismhadalreadybeenpreached。ItunderlaythewholeBrahmanphilosophy，andeverybodybelieveditimplicitly。AlreadytheEastlookedatthislifeasanevil，andhadaffirmedfortheindividualspiritextinctiontobehappierthanexistence。Thewishforanendtotheego，thehopetobeeventuallynothing，GautamaacceptedforatruismasundeniablyastheBrahmansdid。WhathepronouncedfalsewastheBrahmanprospectusofthewaytoreachthisdesirableimpersonalstate。Theirroad，besaid，couldnotpossiblylandthetravellerwhereitprofessed，sinceitbeganwrong，andendednowhere。Theway，heasserted，iswithinaman。Hehasbuttorealizethetruth，andfromthatmomenthewillseehisgoalandtheroadthatleadsthere。Thereisnopanaceaforhumanills，ofexternalapplication。TheBrahmanhomoeopathictreatmentofsinisfolly。Theslaughteringofmenandbullscannotpossiblybringlifetothesoul。Tomortifythebodyforthesinsofthefleshispalpablyfutile，forindesirealoneliesalltheill。Quenchthedesire，andthedeedswilldieofinanition。Manhimselfissolecauseofhisownmisery。Getrid，then，saidtheBuddha，ofthesepassions，thesestrivingsforthesakeofself，thatholdthetruesoulaprisoner。Theyhavetodowiththingswhichweknowaretransitory：howcantheybeimmortalthemselves？Werecognizethemassubjecttoourwill;theyare，then，nottheI。
　　Asaman，hetaught，becomesconsciousthathehimselfissomethingdistinctfromhisbody，so，ifhereflectandponder，hewillcometoseethatinlikemannerhisappetites，ambitions，hopes，arereallyextrinsictothespiritproper。Neitherheartnorheadistrulytheman，forheisconsciousofsomethingthatstandsbehindboth。Behinddesire，behindeventhewill，liesthesoul，thesameforallmen，onewiththesouloftheuniverse。Whenhehasoncerealizedthiseternaltruth，themanhasenteredNirvana。ForNirvanaisnotanabsorptionoftheindividualsoulintothesoulofallthings，sincetheonehasalwaysbeenapartoftheother。
　　Stilllessisitutterannihilation。Itissimplytherecognitionoftheeternalonenessofthetwo，backthroughaneverlastingpastonthroughaneverlastingfuture。
　　SuchisthebeliefwhichtheJapaneseadopted，andwhichtheyprofessto—day。Suchtothemistobethedawnofdeath’sto—morrow;ablessedimpersonalimmortality，inwhichallsenseofself，illusionthatitis，shallitselfhaveceasedtobe;alongdreamlesssleep，abeatifiedrest，whichnoawakeningshalleverdisturb。
　　AmongsuchapeoplepersonalChristianityconvertsbutfew。
　　Theyacceptourmaterialcivilization，buttheyrejectourcreeds。
　　Topreachaprolongationoflifeappearstothemlikepreachinganextensionofsorrow。Atmost，Christianitysucceedsonlyinmakingthemdoubtersofwhatliesbeyondthislife。Butthoughprofessingagnosticismwhiletheylive，theyturn，whentheshadowsofdeath’snightcomeon，tothebosomofthatfaithwhichteachesthat，whatevermayhavebeenone’searthlyshareofhappiness，"’tissomethingbetternottobe。"
　　Strangeitseemsatfirstthatthosewhohavelookedsolongtotherisingsunforinspirationshouldbetheywholiveonlyinasortoflethargyoflife，whilethosewhoforsomanycenturieshaveturnedtheirfacessteadilytothefadinggloryofthesunsetshouldbetheoneswhohaveembodiedthespiritofprogressoftheworld。Perhapsthelight，byitsveryrising，checksthedesiretopursue;initssettingitluresoneontofollow。
　　Thoughthisreligionofimpersonalityisnottheirchild，itistheirchoice。TheyembraceditwiththerestthatIndiataughtthem，centuriesago。ButthoughjustaseagertolearnofusnowasofIndiathen，Christianityfailstocommenditself。ThisisnotduetothefactthattheBuddhistmissionariescamebyinvitation，andoursdonot。Norisitduetoanywantofpersonalcharacterintheselatter，butsimplytoanexcessofitintheirdoctrines。
　　Forto—daytheFarEastisevenmoreimpersonalinitsreligionthanarethosefromwhomthatreligionoriginallycame。IndiahasreturnedagaintoitsworshipofBrahma，which，thoughimpersonalenough，islesssothanisthegospelofGautama。Foritispassivelyinsteadofactivelyimpersonal。
　　BuddhismbearstoBrahmanismsomethingliketherelationthatProtestantismdoestoRomanCatholicism。BothbishopsandBrahmansundertaketosaveallwhoshallblindlycommitthemselvestoprofessionalguidance，whileBuddhistsandProtestantsalikebelievethataman’ssalvationmustbebroughtaboutbytheactionofthemanhimself。Theresultis，thatinthematterofindividualitythetworeformedbeliefsarefurtherapartthanthoseagainstwhichtheyseverallyprotested。Forbythechangethepersonalbecamemorepersonal，andtheimpersonalmoreimpersonalthanbefore。
　　TheProtestant，fromhavingtamelyallowedhimselftobeled，begantotakealivelyinterestinhisownself—improvement;whiletheBuddhist，fromaformerapatheticacquiescenceinthedoctrineoftheuniversallyillusive，settoworkenergeticallytowardsself—extinction。Curiouslaborforamind，thatofdevotingallitsstrengthtothethinkingitselfoutofexistence！Notcontentwithbeingbornimpersonal，aFarOrientalisconstantlystrivingtomakehimselfmoreso。
　　Wehaveseen，then，howintryingtounderstandthesepeopleswearebroughtfacetofacewithimpersonalityineachofthosethreeexpressionsofthehumansoul，speech，thought，yearning。Wehavelookedatthemfirstfromasocialstandpoint。Wehaveseenhowsingularlylittleregardispaidtheindividualfromhisbirthtohisdeath。Howheliveshislifelongtheslaveofpatriarchalcustomsofsopuerileatendencyastobepracticallyimpossibletoapeoplereallygrownup。Howhepractisesawholesalesystemofadoptionsufficientofitselftodestroyanysurvivingregardfortheegohisotherrelationsmighthaveleft。Howinhisdailylifehegivestheminimumofthoughttothebetteringhimselfinanyworldlysense，andthemaximumofpoliteconsiderationtohisneighbor。How，inshort，heactstowardhimselfasmuchaspossibleasifhewereanother，andtothatotherasifhewerehimself。
　　Then，notcontentwithstandingstrangerlikeuponthethreshold，wehavesoughttoseethesouloftheircivilizationinitsintrinsicmanifestations。Wehavepushedourinquiry，asitwere，onestepneareritshome。Andthesametraitthatwasapparentsociologicallyhasbeenexposedinthisourantipodalphaseofpsychicalresearch。Wehaveseenhowimpersonalishislanguage，theprincipalmediumofcommunicationbetweenonesoulandanother;howimpersonalarethecommuningsofhissoulwithitself。Howthemanturnstonatureinsteadoftohisfellowmaninsilentsympathy。
　　Andhow，whenhespeculatesuponhiscomingcastlesintheair，hismostroseatedesireistobebutanindistinguishableparticleofthesunsetcloudsandvanishinvisibleastheyintothestarrystillnessofall—embracingspace。
　　Nowwhatdoesthisstrangeimpersonalitybetoken？Whyarethesepeoplessodifferentfromusinthismostfundamentalofconsiderationstoanypeople，theconsiderationofthemselves？
　　Theanswer...剩余内容请长按扫描二维码或下载丁香书院APP继续免费看：

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