186 THE EEV. R. COLLINS, ON 



Professor Simon, D.D., writes : — 



So far as I bave enquired into the meaning of Nirvana, I am 

 inclined to think that the best definition is a very paradoxical one 

 given me by a very intelligent Christian Japanese — " Life that is 

 not life ; and death that is not death." In fact, it is the Eastern, 

 the Indian, equivalent to the doctrine taught by some of the 

 Christian mystics, men like Eckhart. The two differ of course, 

 because the antecedents and surroundings of the men differed ; 

 but the thing groped and felt after was probably in both cases 

 identical, or as nearly so as might be. 



S. W. Sutton, Esq., M.D., India, writes : — 



I should like to send a few MS. comments on Mr. Collins' paper, 

 chiefly for the sake of seeking information. Buddhism is a subject 

 that I know very little about. As a missionary to an essentially 

 Mahometan country, I rarely come in contact with it ; indeed I do 

 not know that I have ever seen an Asiatic Buddhist, though occa- 

 sionally I have come aci'oss a stray one amongst my own country- 

 men. 



1. " The question of external influences bearing on Buddha's 

 teaching " is briefly alluded to by Mr. Collins on p. 169, &c., and it 

 is a very important and interesting question. 



2. It is diflScult for an outsider like myself to arrive at a solu- 

 tion of the question. What does Buddhism teach about the exist- 

 ence or non-existence of the soul ? Mr. Collins's observations seem 

 to show conclusively that the Buddha himself did believe in the soul's 

 existence. Professor Kellogg (in The Light of Asia and the Light 

 of the World, pp. 187 seq.) seems equally convincing in the oppo- 

 site direction. It also appears that on this question Professor Max 

 Miiller agrees with Mr. Collins, and that Mr. Rhys Davids agrees 

 with Professor Kellogg ! Here we have, it seems, a battle of the 

 giants. But then I notice that Mr. Collins bases his opinion on 

 the Mahavagga of the Yinaya Pitaka ; while Professor Kellogg 

 bases his opinion on the Sutta Pitaka ; and so the question neces- 

 sarily arises, Is this really a battle of the giants, a disagreement 

 between the Professors ? or, is it a contradiction in the Buddhist 

 writings ? If it is a contradiction in the Buddhist writings, then 

 we begin to get an idea as to how far Buddhism is entitled to be 

 considered the Light of Asia. 



