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Now, therefore, believing from the bottom of the heart in the certain results of sin, filled with fear and shame, and great heart-chiding, we would thus publicly repent us of our sins ; we would cut off our connection with worldly objects, and aspire to the heart of knowledge ; we would separate ourselves from evil and pursue good ; we would diligently recount all our past offences and earnestly pursue the path of virtue, ever remembering the blessedness of heaven, and the power of all the Buddhas to deliver and rescue us and all men from evil. Hitherto we have only gone astray, but now we return. Oh ! would that the merciful Kwan-yin would receive our vows of amendment. \_Direction.'] — An entire prostration. Then add — With all our heart do we (mentioning each one his name) repent of our sins. We all here prostrate ourselves before the sacred presence with all the countless beings of the infinite universe. [Here follow particular confessions of sin.] .... So were we helpless and lost till we found out Kwan-shai-yiu, the great teacher of the ten regions, who has manifested to all the source of true wisdom, so have we repented and returned. Would that the great compassionate Kwan- yin Bodhisatwa Mahasatwa, possessing 1000 hands and 1000 eyes, would overcome and destroy all obstacles in our way ; would that our original power of acquiring SCRIPTURES FROM THE CHINESE. 109 knowledge might develope itself so that quitting this body we might obtain perfect rest and repose Amitabha Buddha ! of the world Sukhavati, receive our offerings ! Great compassionate Kwan-yin, who art acquainted with all the sentences, fit to deliver every sort of creature, may all emerge from the wheel of transmigration and be saved. [Direction.'] — Having finished these vows connected with the con- fession and repentance of the worshippers, let adoration be once more paid to tlie three precious objects of worship. AH hail ! Buddhas of the ten quarters ! All hail ! Law of the ten quarters ! All hail ! Assembly of the ten quarters ! Hail ! Sakya Muni Buddha ! Hail ! Amitabha Buddha ! [And so on as before.] [^Direction.] — Having walked round the altar in procession three times, once more returning before the image of Kwan-Yin, proceed with these tliree forms of devout worship. (Kwai-i.) I pray for all men, that they may attain perfection of wisdom. I pray that all men may be deeply versed in the wisdom of the Sacred books, and acquire perfect knowledge. I pray that all men may agree in the great principles of truth, and maintain peace, and reverence the Church (Saiigha.) [Direction.] — (One bow.) [Invocation.] — Namo ! Kwan-shai-yin Bodhisatwa. [Direction.]— (Three times invest the altar, and then leave the sanc- tuary.) Kia King, 6th year, 7th month, 8th day. May the merit of this book redound to the benefit of all men, so that I and all mankind may soon arrive at the con- dition of Buddha. 410 A CATENA OF BUDDHIST PART V. DECLINE AND FALL. (mystical pantheism.) The chief characteristic of this period is the adoption of Tantra worship — that is, the use of magic formulas (dharani) accompanied by certain manipulation of the fingers (mudra), as if to supplement the power of the words. '^ Another distinguishing feature of the period in question is the general adoption of (1) practices and (2) theories be- longing to the Sects. The former is exemplified in the use of Yoga (abstraction), and geuerally, in the adoption of superstitious rites in the worship of the Sakti or female form of the Supreme object of worship. The second is shewn in the belief in an universal principle (Hari), that is uuaSected by any circumstance of time or place." The presence of Sivite objects of worship in the Buddhist temple-caves in India has long ago attracted the notice of learned men and led to much controversy.^ With respect to the prevalence of Vishnaiva theories in later Buddhism^ it is almost the fact that the Vishnu Puraua, and the Bhaga- vad-gita, are the best commentaries we have on the subject of the Buddhist speculations of this period. The general adoption of the word " Bhagavat" as the title of Buddha, is further evidence of this agreement.'* ' We may conveniently confine the period to the interval between Asafigha and Kuniarila Bhatta, tiie predecessor of Saukaracharya (400- 800 A.D. Vide Colebrooke, Essays, pp. 190-213. * So far does this confusion extend, that the Vedanta philosophy, the Nyaya of Gotania, and the Yoga of Patanjala, have all been traced to <a Buddhist origin (Banerjea, Hindu P/iiiosopky, jip. 8U5-191). ^ Burnouf, Introd., MH, 549, ss. * Compare particularly the account given of Sri-Bhagavati, " the Voice of Vishnu," with Kwan-yin ( Vish. Pur., 73, 74). Burnouf has detected tlie word " Bliagavat" in the rock inscription of Bhabra ; but my argument will be equally well served if tlie Vishnaivas borrowed the term from the Buddhists. SCRIPTURES FROM THE CHINESE. 411 The Chinese definition of the development we are con- sidering is this : " The fifth (form of development) of the Great vehicle (Mahayana), is called the perfectly-complete (Un). This development teaches that external relations or marks (siang) are identical with Nature (sing, Prakriti or pradhana, i.e., the 'origin of all').^ That the immaterial principle (li) and the ' world' (sse, ' things') are perfectly intermingled {i.e., ' one harmonious whole')." Cause and effect are not different. The 'universal' (yih-tsai) is the same as the 'one'. The 'one' is the same as the 'uni- versal". In the 'little' is found the 'great'. In the 'great' is found the 'little'. ' Changes' are the i*esult of cause and not. The forms of existence are infinite."^ From this it appears we may justly regard the period as one of " Mystical Pantheism". Apart from its metaphysical speculations (which are so fully considered in Wassilief's Exposition of Taranatha), there are two Sutras commonly known in China, which may illustrate the period we are considering. 1. THE DHARANi OF TcHUNDI.* The fabulous Being invoked by the Chinese as Chun-ti, 1 This theory seems to be, that the relative and absolute are "one." - Compare the saying of the Vedanta, " All this is God." ^ Catechism of the Shamaris^ Glossary, p. 31. ^ Often spoken of as " Our Lady" (neang-neang) or the Holy-Mother (shing-moo), or "the iNIother of Buddha," or " the Holy ]Mother of all the Buddas." To illustrate the intermixture of Buddhist and Hindu superstitious, I quote some Hues fouud in the house of Rajah Shuuker at Jubbulpoor at the time of the great mutiny (Chambers, Revolt in India, p. 346) : — "• Shut the mouth of slanderers bite and Eat up backbiters, trample down the sinners You Sutrsingarka ! Kill the British, exterminate them, i\Iat-Chundee ! etc." Where ;Mat-Chuudee is another name for Devi or Durga, and doubtless the same as Mothur-Tchundi (Tchundi matrika). [I have also now 412 A CATENA OP BUDDHIST has been identified with Maritchi Deva (Eitel sich voc.) Ma- ritchi Deva was one of the Manasa putras, or sons of Brah- ma's mind.^ It is possible that the " sse-tien" or Thought- deva (Tchinta-deva)~ of the Chinese is but another form of this Being. According to some authorities, Tchundi is only another form of Durga'^ or Parvati.^ He is generally wor- shipped in China as a form of Kwan-Yin.'' In this relation he is represented as a female " clothed in white" (pih-i), with a child in her lap. The Buddhists speak of the Sec- taries generally as " clothed in white", in opposition to them- selves " clothed in yellow" (Kasaya) . We may suppose, therefore, that this figure of Tchundi was borrowed from a foreign source. This, and other cii'cumstances, have led to the opinion that there is a '^ Christian" element in this wor- ship, Georgi, in fact, states roundly that Maritchi is a cor- ruption of the name of the " Blessed Virgin Mary" (Eitel, id supra). ^ There will be evidence enough of similarity in other particulars, which tend rather to give colouring to Georgi's opinion. But the entire question of the intermix- ture of Buddhism with early Christian Teaching requires investigation. 2. RECITATION OP THE DHARANI OF TCHUNDI.'^ First of all (when seated), the right foot should be placed before me a small brass figure of Diirga, with her necklace of skulls, etc., which was taken from a Buddhist temple near Pekiu.] ' Vish. Pur., 49, 55. 2 Vide Julieu, Methode, p. 6G. The Abidharma is also called Bha- gavat matrika. Vide Burnouf, Introd.