GREAT RELIGIONS OF THE WORLD

Evening Star, Issue 15099, 3 February 1913, Page 7

GREAT RELIGIONS OF THE WORLD

At the reopening of the Unitarian services in the Trades Hall tho Rev. IV. F. Kennedy commenced a series of lectures on ‘The Great Religions of the World.’ Jhe subject dealt with last evening was Buddhism.’ a faith which is professed by about one-third of tho people of the globe. Ihe lecturer said that one thing which struck people studying nil great religions, which all had in. common, was that their early history was lost in myth and legend. The real details were hidden in a vesture of poetry and romance. Mr Fielding Hall, in his book ‘ Die Soul of a People,’ told of the stories of tho great portents that foretold the coming of the Buddha—how the sun and stars knew of it, and wise men prophesied it. But although Buddhism might at first sight appear to be full of the supernatural, rpiracle was. never used as evidence of the truth of its dogmas or doctrines. Buddha never posed as a messenger from any power above the world revealing the laws of that power. He did not deny a Power greater than ourselves, but he would not define it. He breathed no threatenings of revenge for disobedience, nor of forgiveness for the penitent. He held out no eveilisting Hell to those who differed from him, nor no easily-gained Heaven to his followers. What h© did was to go out seeking wisdom and knowledge, and looking for the divine laws with a pure heart, and after much searching and suffering he found the truth at last. Even as Newton sought for the physical laws of God in the movement of the stirs, so Gaudama sought for the. laws of the spiritual world by looking deep into the heart of man. To understand both Brahmanism and Buddhism, it must bo remembered that in both religions the soul was immortal. The soul which was bom in each new babe was no new thing, but had come from everlasting. The present life was merely on© out of many_ which went to make up the soul's experiences. (Men were not born by chance wise or foolish, righteous or wicked', strong or feeble. Their condition was the result of the eternal law by which they leaped what they had sown. Perfection did not come ail at once. A man was not only the sum of his thought and actions now, but in his daily life he was determining the future. Happiness was to be won by ceasing to desire anything whatsoever. Tho world war. unhappy because it was striving after change and excitement, but men could only attain the great pence by being kind and compassionate, doing good to others, and, above all things, learning love and sympathy. Then, when a man learnt to bate struggle and fighting, he would so discipline his soul that, weary of the earth, be should at last enter "the haven where there were no more storms, where there was no more struggle, but where reigned unutterable peace.