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148 THE FOURFOLD ROOT. [CHAP. V.
moreover the production of the world is imputed as sin and
guilt 1
least of all with beguiled Saturn s voluptuous son,
to whom Prometheus, defiant, prophesies his downfall. But
if we finally direct our attention towards the religion which
numbers most followers, and in this respect may therefore
be said to rank foremost : that is, Buddhism, we can
no longer shut our eyes to the fact that it is as decidedly
and explicitly atheistic, as it is idealistic and ascetic ; and
this moreover to such a degree, that its priests express
the greatest abhorrence of the doctrine of pure Theism
whenever it is brought to their notice. Therefore, in a
treatise handed to a Catholic bishop by the High Priest
of the Buddhists at Ava, 2
the doctrine
"
that there is a
and who
Being who has created the world and all things,
alone is worthy of worship,"
is counted among the six
damnable heresies. 8
This is
entirely corroborated by
I. J. Schmidt, a most excellent and learned authority*
whom I consider as having undoubtedly the deepest know
ledge of Buddhism of any European savant, and who, in his
" work the connection between Gnostic doctrines and
Upon
Buddhism," p. 9, says :
" In the writings of the Buddhists not a trace is to be
found of any positive indication of a Supreme Being as the
principle of Creation. Whenever this subject presents
itself consistently in the course of argument, it seems,
indeed, to be intentionally evaded." And again :
"
The
system of Buddhism knows of no eternal, uncreated,
1
"If Brimha be unceasingly employed in the creation of worlds
how can tranquillity be obtained by inferior orders of being ?
"
Prabodh
Chandro Daya, translated by J. Taylor, p. 23. Brahma is also part of
the Trimurti, which is the personification of nature, as procreation,
preservation, and death : that is, he represents the first of these.
2 "
See Asiatic Researches," vol.
"
vi. p. 268, and Sangennano s De
scription of the Burmese Empire," p. 81.
3
See I. J. Schmidt,
"
Forschungen im Gebiete der alteren Bildungs-
geschichte Mittelasiens." St. Petersburg, 1824, pp. 276, and 180. %