Mr. B. H. Hodgson's Sketch of Buddhism. 237 



with respect to these points, Sakya expressed the following opinion : " Some 

 persons say that !ia7isdra is Swabhdva/id, some that it is Kdrmikd, and some 

 that it is Aiswarikd and A'tmakd ; for myself, I can tell you nothing of these 

 matters. Do you address your meditation to Buddha ; and when you have 

 attained Bvdhijnydna, you will know the truth yourselves." 



Question V. 

 What are the attributes of God ? 



Answer. 

 His distinctive attributes are many ; one of which is, that he is Panch- 

 jnydndtmaka (see note 16), or in his essence are five sorts ofjni/dna, possessed 

 by him alone, and which are as follows : first, Suvisuddha-Dharma-Dhdtuja ; 

 second, Adarsandja; tliird, Pratijavekshandja ; fourth, Samtdja ; fifth, 

 Aniishthdnaja. The first created beings, Vairochana, &c., were in number 

 five, owing to these ^vejtij/dnas ; and in each of these five Buddhas is one of 

 the jnydnas. Another of A'di-Buddiia's attributes is the faculty of indivi- 

 dualizing, and multiplying himself, and again individualizing himself at 

 pleasure: another is, possessing the qualities of passion and clemency. 



Question VI. 

 Is the pleasure of God derived from action or repose ? 



Answer. 



There are two modes of considering this subject : first, according to 

 n'mmtti ; and, secondly, according to pravrltti. 



Nirxritti (see note 17) is this : to know the world to be a mere semblance, 

 unreal, and an illusion ; and to know God to be one : and Pravrltti is the 

 opposite of this sublime science and is the practice and notions of ordinary 

 men. Therefore, according to nirvntti, A'di-Buddha is the author and creator 

 of all things, without whom nothing can be done ; whose care sustains tlie 

 world and its inhabitants ; and the moment he averts his face from them 

 they became annihilated, and nothing remains but Himself. But some 

 persons, who profess rdrvritti, contend that the world with all it containeth 

 is distinct from A'di-Buddha : yet the wise know this to be an error. (See 

 note 18.) 



A'di-Buddha, though he comprehends all living things, is yet one. He 

 is the soul, and tliey are but the limbs and outward members, of this monad. 

 Such is nirvritti, whicli, being deeply studied, is found to be unity ; but 



