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Here there is a double line of thought. On the one hand is the unbreakable law of. compensa- tion, which Ti-ts‘ang also must accept, but which is administered by other powers in ‘the universe (divine powers) and therefore does not lie within his sphere of action. On the other hand is the law of grace, which has its foundation in the compas- sionate Buddhas and bodhisattvas, those beings who always represent wisdom, holiness, and the tenderest pity. oe Here we are faced with the fundamental difference between Buddhism and Christianity. Buddhism lacks the majestic conception of a complete unity, which we have in God, who is the source and administrator of [112] MASSES FOR THE DEAD © justice and the law of life, as well as the eternal source of love and mercy. How, then, is Ti-ts‘ang able to achieve the redemp- tion of the lost? At this point enters in the doctrine of propitiation as it is known in Mahayana. He has made promises on oath, and these oaths assert that he himself will not leave the gloomy chambers of the un- derworld and rise up into the Buddha existence before the last of the inhabitants of hades has been redeemed. It is clear that there lies a supreme self-sacrifice in this act, indeed a kind of vicarious atonement. ~ The other bodhisattvas, in their own spheres of activity, have taken the same action and made the same promises to help mankind. And not only they, but holy persons on earth, persons with something of the “good root” (shan kén, ## #&) in them, can share in this great work of atonement and salvation. For them, too, it will entail such sacrifice as abstaining from all animal food, setting apart regular times to meditate and to pray for the lost, reading the holy scriptures on their behalf. Through such acts as these, they can assist Ti-ts‘ang in his overwhelming task of redeeming the countless multitudes in the kingdom of death. By means of this united effort it is as if a new power were stored up, an atoning and remedial power, which with the inexorability of a law of nature will allay the agonies of the lost, and so stir their souls that they can begin to long for purity and godliness, and thus rise towards holiness. Compare St. Paul’s pregnant words: “Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and fill up on my part that which [113] TRUTH AND TRADITION IN BUDDHISM is lacking of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for His body’s sake, which is the church.’”! Under these conditions, it becomes clear that masses for the dead performed in this world must be of the greatest significance, and a new meaning is felt in the long, booming strokes of the bronze bell which, in in- describably deep and ringing tones, in the stillness of the night, carry the tributes of men into the gloomy land of the shadow of death. On this account, also, we can understand the enormous attraction Ti-ts‘ang’s moun- tains (Chiu-hua Shan in Anhwei province) has for pilgrims year by year. The story of Mu-lien’s search for hig lost mother, given before in this chapter, is also included in the “ Yi-lan-p‘én Ching” (ii Bj 2% #8). Below is given a summarized translation from the Chinese of the mass-book “The Scripture of the Dish”? (“Yii-lan-p‘én Ching,” 3& Bj 2% &®) (Sanskrit: “The Ullambana Sutra”). It was translated into Chinese in the year 315 by Dharmarakcha: “Tt has been told us that Buddha once met with his disciples in his usual way in the garden, Ch‘i-shu-chi- ku-tu Yiian (iit 8 #290 38 El) in the kingdom of She-wei. At that time Ta-mu-chien-lien (abbreviated to Mu-lien) had advanced so far towards the gates of perception that he could nearly understand the great principles of life. He had an earnest desire to save his parents, and so repay their care and trouble, “With his awakened eye of wisdom, he saw clearly that his dead mother had sunk down among the 1Col. 1:24. [114] MASSES FOR THE DEAD hungry spirits. He saw how starved she was, to such a degree indeed that skin and bones had grown together. ¢ At this vision, Mu-lien felt unutterable pangs, and he therefore took his bowl, filled it with food and sent it over to her. His mother took the cup, covered it with her left hand, so that the devils should not grab it from her, and with her right hand took some of the food. It had not reached her mouth, however, before it was changed into glowing coals of fire, so that she could not eat it. “Then Mu-lien cried out in the deepest anguish, and the tears rolled down his cheeks. In wild haste he ran back to Buddha and laid the story before him. ‘Buddha said to him: ‘The roots of your mother’s sin are many and deep. You alone will therefore never be able to save her, in spite of the fact that the report of your obedient and filial spirit has stirred both heaven and earth. For neither heaven nor earth, neither any of the gods of nature, nor demons nor devils, neither the four kings of heaven, nor the wise teachers, can save her alone. It will be necessary in this case to call together the Buddhist society, that is to say, the Buddhist monks from the four corners of the earth —only then can she be saved from perdition. I will also tell you now how salvation from all need and sorrow can ordinarily be accomplished. “‘¢On the fifteenth day of every seventh month, the Buddhist monks from all the corners of the earth must come together, for it has been reckoned out that that time is the most favourable to pray for the ancestors up to the seventh generation, as well as for the parents [115] TRUTH AND TRADITION IN BUDDHISM who are still alive and sit bowed under sorrow and grief. That is the time to give them plentifully all kinds of dishes and herbs, all offered in a bowl with water. Beside this, incense bowls, paper, candles, beds with blankets and other appurtenances, together with all sorts of refreshments, shall be set out for them. “On the appointed day, all the holy ones— whether those who live as hermits and practice meditation or those who have attained to full sanctity, or those who wander in meditation among the trees, or those who through their six gates of apprehension have reached the full understanding; or those who still stand at the fork of the road between good and evil (Shéng-wén Yiian-chio # Bi # #2) or the ten great bodhisattvas from the ten great places, or those who have just become “pi-ch‘iu’’ (!6 fF), all who have the same longing and who have heard the pure commandment in their souls and live according to the teaching of the saints, the virtuous and meek, all these, together with the company of Buddhist monks, shall bear forward the offerings of food, in a reverent manner, on behalf of the many parents and ancestors who are in torment down in the three evil orders of transmigration. By making the same offering for living parents, the length of their life may be increased up to one hundred years of age.’ “At that time Buddha gave orders to all Buddhist monks to read first the sections of the holy writings which deal with all true adherents of the Buddhist faith, and in addition at every meal, to carry out the work of meditation for ancestors up to the seventh [116] KY Dre S I TSR waRe TI-TS‘ANG on MASSES FOR THE DEAD generation. Offerings of food shall be placed before the images of Buddha that stand in the temple halls or in pagodas. When the chanting of the masses is over and the monks have made their vows, the meal may begin. Sue ain “‘In this way Mu-lien’s mother was saved from the torments of the hungering spirits. Mu-lien then said to Buddha: ‘Thy disciple’s mother has now attained to blessedness by means of “the three great values” (san-pao, = #{, Buddha, the doctrine, and the society); by means, too, of the divine power which goes out from the Buddhist monks. Now, with regard to the future, if all disciplies of Buddha, in a similar manner, will “set forth the dish” for the salvation of parents and forefathers up to the seventh generation, will that be possible ?” ‘ Buddha answered: ‘There you ask an uncommonly good question. I was just about to say it; but since you put the question first yourself, nothing could be better! Good people such as “ pi-ch‘iu” (J ff) (those who have reached the second degree in consecration), nuns, kings, princes, the highest officials and ministers, lords and the various ranks of magistrates, citizens and common people, who desire with earnestness to carry out their vows of obedience to parents and ancestors up to the seventh generation, ought alltodo it in the following way: On Buddha’s day of rejoicing, which falls on the same day as the date reckoned out ~ by the monks, the fifteenth of the seventh month, a meal should be arranged, consisting of all sorts of dishes which shall be offered on a tray, for all the [117] TRUTH AND TRADITION IN BUDDHISM Buddhist monks of the heavenly regions. These, then, shall make the vows and give the great promises of an old age without sickness or need for the living, and of redemption for ancestors up to the seventh generation, from the spheres of the hungering spirits, so that they may be born into that human and heavenly existence where limitless joy abounds. ““¢For this reason every dutiful son and disciple of Buddha ought always to remember his parents and ancestors up to the seventh generation, and every year on the fifteenth of the seventh month give expression to his desire to prove his filial piety by offering the ‘large dish”’ (p‘én, #%) before Buddha’s statue and the monks, in order to repay his parents in this way for their care.’ “All the Buddhist disciples took this vow with joy.” A synopsis of “The Scripture Concerning Ti-ts‘ang’s Fundamental Promises.” Chinese: “Ti-ts‘ang Pén- yiian Ching”? (Hi ie AS BA RS).