the Equinox - The Hermetic Library

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THE EQUINOX
or Soul; and a Selecting Power, which however is strenuously
denied by the rigid law of Cause and Effect. However the
mental eyes of the vast majority of his followers were not
so clear as to pierce far into the darkness of metaphysical
philosophy, and so it happened that, where the idealism of the
Venânta had failed the realism of Buddhism succeeded.*
This denial of a Universal Âtman, and a personal Âtman,
soon brought the ethical and philosophical arguments of
Gotama up against a brick wall (Kan’t “à priori”). As we
have seen he could not prop up a fictitious beginning by the
supposition of the former, and he dared not use Nibbâna as
such, though in truth the Beginning is just as incomprehenisble
with or without at Âtman. But, in spite of his having
denied the latter, he had to account for Causality and the
transmission of his Good and Evil (Karma) by some means
or another. Now, according to Nâgasena, the Blessed One
refused to answer any such questions as “Is the universe
everlasting?” “Is it not everlasting?” “Has it an end?”
”Has it not an end?” “Is it both ending and unending?”
”It is neither the one nor the other?” And further all such
questions as “Are the soul and the body the same thing?”
”Is the soul distinct from the body?” “Does a Tathâgata exist
after death?” “Does he not exist after death?” “Does
* In spite of the fact that Buddhism urges that “the whole world is under
the Law of Causation,” it commands its followers to lead pure and noble lives,
in place of dishonourable ones, in spite of their having no freedom of choice
between good and evil. “Let us not lose ourselves in vain speculations of profitless
subtleties,” says the Dhammapada, “let us surrender self and all selfishness,
and as all things are fixed by causation, let us practice good so that good
may result from our actions.” Just as if it could possibly be done if “all things
are fixed.” The Buddhist, in theory having postulated that all fowls lay hardboiled
eggs, adds, the ideal man is he who can only make omlettes.