The life, or legend, of Gaudama, the Buddha of the Burmese. With annotations. The ways to neibban, and Notice on the phongyies, or Burmese monks
Buddhism, as it is found in Burmah, has a particular claim to the attention of a diligent and attentive observer. We there have that religious creed or system as pure from adulteration as it can be after a lapse of so many centuries.
Philosophy was never nourished in Burmah, and, therefore, never modified the religious systems of the country. Hinduism never exercised any influence on the banks of the Irrawaddy. Chinese and Burmese have often met on battlefields, but the influence of the Middle Kingdom has never established itself in Burmah. In other words,
Chinese Buddhism has never been able to penetrate into the customs and manners of the people and has not attempted to communicate its own religion to its southern neighbours.
It would seem that the true form of Buddhism is to be found in Burmah and that knowledge of that system can only be arrived at by the study of the religious books of Burmah, and by attentively observing the religious practices and ceremonies of the people.
This is what Bishop Bigandet has endeavoured to do throughout his work. Mr Alabaster, the author of a very popular work on Siamese
Buddhism, testifies to the great value of the Bishop's work, which, he remarks, is in one sense complete, for whereas the Siamese manuscript concludes with the attainment of omniscience, the Bishop had materials which enabled him to continue the story to the death of Nirwana (Neibban in the Burmese Pali form). He might have added that the work modestly entitled " Life of Gaudama " is a complete exposition of the great system of Eastern Asia.
The metaphysical part, which is the very essence of the system, has received due consideration, and the priesthood has been fully described. Moreover, the footnotes help the ordinary reader in understanding clearly the text of the Legend. Professor Albrecht Weber speaks also of the Bishop's work in terms of high commendation (see " Literarisches Centralblatt," 1870, No. 29, reprinted in " Indische Streifen," voL iii.), whilst a still further testimony is accorded to its importance in the recent appearance of a French translation by Lieutenant Victor Gauvain.
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