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366 THE WILL IN NATURE.
souls are universally adopted, are accused of Atheism."
In the "Asiatic Kesearches" (vol. vi. p. 255) we find:
"The religion of the Birmans (Buddhism) shows them to
be a nation far advanced beyond the barbarism of a
wild state and greatly influenced by religious opinions,
but which nevertheless has no knowledge of a Supreme
Being, Creator and Preserver of the world. Yet the sys
tem of morality recommended in their fables is perhaps
as good as any other taught by the religious doctrines
which prevail among mankind. And again, p. 258 :
" The
followers of Gotama (i.e. of Buddha) are strictly speaking
Atheists." Ibid., p. 258 :
" Gotama s sect consider the
belief in a divine Being, Creator of the world, to be highly
impious." Ibid., p. 268, Buchanan relates, that Atuli, the
Zarado or High-Priest of the Buddhists at Ava, in an
article upon his religion which he presented to a Catholic
"
counted the doctrine, that there is a Being who
bishop,
has created the world and all things in it and is alone
worthy of adoration, among the six damnable heresies."
Sangennano relates precisely the same thing, 1
and closes
the list of the six grave heresies with the words :
" The last
of these impostors taught, that there is a Supreme Being,
the Creator of the world and of all things in it, and that he
8
alone is worthy of adoration." Colebrooke too says:
" The sects of Jaina and Buddha are really atheistic, for
they acknowledge no Creator of the world, nor any
Supreme ruling Providence." I. J. Schmidt 3 likewise
says :
" The
system of Buddhism knows no eternal, un
created, single, divine Being, having existed before all
Time, who has created all that is visible and invisible.
"
"
1 "
Description of the Burman Empire," Eome, 1833, p. 81.
2 "
Colebrooke, Transactions of the Eoyal Asiatic Society," vol. i. j
Essay on the Philosophy of the Hindoos," published also among his
Miscellaneous Essays," p. 236.
* "
Investigations concerning the Tibetans and Mongols," p. 180.