1840.] Historical Geography of Hindustan, &^c. 855 



yet more distinctly marked in the hymn from the Sama Veda ; where Brah- 

 ma is characterized as the light of the moon, of the sun, of the fire, of 

 the lightning, and all that shines.* 



It may be well doubted if such a thing as Sabeism ever existed, without 

 being mingled with that species of idolatry called Pantheism ; and w^hich 

 teaches that the divine nature, penetrating every thing, makes itself 

 known by its operations. Such, indeed, is the Sabeism of the Vedas ; 

 where the Supreme Being, in his works of creation, preservation, and de- 

 struction, is celebrated under the names of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. 



The founders of this system, reasoning on the nature of the deity, 

 and the world's physical energies, disseminated their hypothesis on the 

 origin of the universe ; and thus founded the six philosophical schools, 

 or Darshanas of the Hindus, that were, certainly in existence prior to the 

 composition of the Mahahharat, Their names are the Voishesika, the 

 Niyaya, the Mimansa, the Sdnkhya, the Patangala, and the Vedanta, This 

 last, which is the school of Viyasa, who compiled the Vedas, is generally 

 considered to be the most recent in its origin; but was, I think, the 

 first in natural order and in practice ; being a commentary on the theology 

 of these books, written to support their somewhat ambiguous theism 

 against the attacks of the Sankhya School, which had advocated Material- 

 ism. Its doctrines, which incline to pure Idealism, maintain that spirit is 

 all in all, made manifest through its union with allusion, or gross 

 matter; and by supposing that the Supreme Being is disguised in many 

 forms, divine, human and animal, they introduce what has been called 

 Theomorphism. This blended with Sabeism and Pantheism forms the 

 systematic Polytheism of the Brahmans. 



The Sankhya, which appears connected with the religion of the younger 

 Buddha, or Gautama, is atheistical, and inculcates Materialism. It declares 

 that Mahat is the principle which is named the reasoning faculty, 

 and springs from matter ; and that its synonyms are Vishnu, the all-per- 

 vading ; and Buddhi, the understanding. It is hostile to the Veda and the 

 Smritis, or law books ; asserting, " that he, who in the body has obtained 

 emancipation, is of no caste, of no sect, of no order, attends to no duties, 

 adheres to no Shasters, to no formulas, and to no works of merit. "f 



Opinions such as these were adopted by the followers of Buddha ; who 

 soon became so numerous and powerful as to be more than a match for 

 those who adhered to the ancient religion. The two hostile sects of Bud- 

 dha and Brahma were evidently cognate, and of contemporary origin : 



* Ward on the Hindus, vol. iv. p. 82. 



t See Ward's Translation of the Sankhya Sara, vol. iv. 



5q 



