1845.] du Buddhism Indien, par E. Burnouf. 807 



This is the origin of expiation, which holds such prominent place 

 in the Brahminical law. This theory is passed by in Buddhism, which 

 takes it as a fact with so many other elements of Indian society ; but 

 here it assumes a particular form, by which its practical application is 

 considerably modified. The Buddhist believes with the Brahman, that 

 bad actions may be compensated by good ones ; but as he does not 

 believe any more in the moral efficacy of tortures and punishments, the 

 expiation has returned to its principle, that is to say, to the feeling 

 of repentance, and the only form which it receives in practice, is 

 confession. 



Among the principal duties of the ascetic were the obligation to take 

 his meal together with those who lived in the same monastery, and the 

 commandment, never to refuse his guest any assistance he required. 

 The latter commandment, though based on the beautiful idea of the 

 Orientals, as regards hospitality, had taken a peculiar application with 

 the Buddhists. By a predilection for moral sentiments, they introduced 

 these ideas into the religious life, which they always represent as the 

 ideal of the life of man in this world. Hence appears the real charac- 

 ter of Buddhism as a doctrine, where the practice of morality is the 

 supreme law, and distinguishes it from Brahminism, where on the one 

 hand philosophical speculation, and on the other, mythology, occupies so 

 conspicuous a place. Hence Buddhism also bears witness to its being 

 posterior to Brahminism. If moral systems are indeed subsequent to 

 ontological theories, which is positively proved by the history of Greek 

 philosophy, Buddhism is necessarily, and to say so genetically, posterior 

 to Brahminism. 



The worship of Buddhism is most simple. A religion, says the author, 

 without many dogmas has only a simple form of worship, and nothing 

 in fact is simpler than that of the Buddhists. It is evident a priori, 

 that Sakya attached little importance to such a form, and the Sutras 

 give evidence, that he valued much higher the discharge of the moral 

 duties than the practice of religious ceremonies. 



The religious ceremonies consisted in offering flowers and perfumes, 

 which was accompanied with the noise of instruments and the recital of 

 hymns and pious prayers. There were no bloody sacrifices. The worship 

 is in fact not addressed to One God, or to a number of divine beings, 

 invented by the imagination of the Brahmans ; it has only two objects, 

 the representation of the figure of Sakyamuni, and the buildings en- 

 shrining a part of his bones. An image and relics, this is the whole 



5 p 



