145 
perfection of art in the figure itself, it is in keeping with all that 
surrounds it— the quaint, rude architecture ; the flowers, most 
of them faded, which have been laid as offerings at the feet ; 
the dim light burning. Yet, if you ask the priest if he worships 
the figure at which you have been gazing, he will indignantly 
deny the charge. I do not, indeed, think that the denial is so 
satisfactory as it is on his part sincere, for it is doubtless true 
that he does not pray to it. What I do think is that the sort 
of devotion or frame of mind which such external objects 
excite is one of the dangers of all , corruptions of true worship, 
which Buddhism has not escaped, just as in Christianity itself, 
without imputing idolatry to our brethren, we cannot fail to 
observe an idolatrous tendency as the result of encouraging the 
use of external objects to excite reverence, or to assist worship 
by producing a frame of mind consonant with worship. In like 
manner, the figures of Buddha do, in my opinion, suggest some- 
thing of a practical idolatry which the system itself denies. I 
have, however, another and more definite charge to bring against 
it under this head of worship. We will then leave the temple as 
we entered it ; and on leaving we observe a few people coming 
and going ; each has brought or is leaving a flower and small coin, 
and a few outside may be observed repeating some words in 
devotional attitude; they are, if not praying, at least engaged 
in devotion of some kind ; but the priest does not notice them 
either in the way of . approval or hindrance. Besides the 
temples there are certain large buildings without any grace — 
more like the pyramids of Egypt, except that they are of 
smaller dimensions— and the worship of the people, so far as 
1 have seen it, is more frequent outside, around the dagoba, 
as these places are called, than in the temple itself. The system 
is not one of worship ; but men will worship, and if they are 
taught there is no God, they will still “ feel after Him, if haply 
ey might find Him.' ; It is mam’s nature — and in the higher 
and truer sense of the word— to believe in God; and in the 
same sense the poet's reflection is true : — 
“ Naturam expellas furca, tamen usque recurret. 55 
I wish I could stop at this point, and add nothing darker to the 
pic ure have drawn, but we must follow the last comers; and 
no ar rom us there is another temple — Deywalla, or Devil 
im^—mto which we cannot enter : and there is the result 
is prohibition of prayer, even if it were successful — those 
o may not pray to a God of mercy and goodness will offer 
tneir vam devotion to evil powers; if they may not ask for 
