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The Seventh Lesson: Buddhism.1257
being read out of the fold, or excommunication. No matter how bold the
speculation, or how startling the doctrine, it is not opposed or considered
nonorthodox, providing always that the teachers recognize the inspiration
of the Vedas and providing still more strongly that they recognize the caste
system of India, particularly the high-nature of the Brahmin, or priestly caste,
the members of which are considered to be “twice-born” and almost sacred,
and who take precedence of even Kings and Rulers, who are generally of
the Kshatriya or warrior caste. The Brahmins were considered as little less
than gods. Some of the old works contain sentences like this: “There be
two classes of gods—the real gods, and the Brahmins who expound the
Vedas”; “The Brahmins are even more than gods, for do they not protect
and supply with sacrifices the gods themselves?” etc. And so it may be
seen why adherence to the doctrine of the semi-divine priesthood, and
the inspiration of the Vedas was considered a requisite to even this broad
“orthodoxy.” It is as if the Christian Church of the Middle-Ages (or even
later) were to have said, “Teach any philosophy that you wish, providing
you always assert the inspiration of the Holy Scriptures, and the Virtue and
Infallibility of the Church and Priesthood.”
Now, while the teachers of the “Six Systems” taught doctrines in direct
variance with the orthodox teachings to the masses, still they never disputed
the virtue of the Vedas, and were free with the texts from the same—in
fact they built up their systems on the teachings of the Upanishads, as
interpreted by themselves. And they always bowed to the Caste System,
and the Virtue of the Brahmins, and so were considered “orthodox.” It was
more of an acknowledgment of the authority of the Brahmins than any
agreement to the teachings of the Church. But Buddha would have none of
this. He taught Universal Brotherhood, and did much to weaken the hold
of the Caste System. He neither denied nor affirmed the infallibility of the
Vedas—but largely ignored them, and built up his system on human reason
aided by Transcendental Illumination. Gautama opposed the system of
sacrifices, and denounced the ceremonies and the ritual as of no avail. He