. The history of the devil and the idea of evil; from the earliest times to the present day . which form it has of late been declared to be the officialstate religion of the country. The folklore of Chinese Taoism and Japanese Shin-toism was naturally embodied in the mythology of theBuddhists, and we find therefore in their temples innu-merable representations of hell with all their traditionalbelongings; Emma, the stern judge of Meifu, the darktribunal; Kongo, the sheriff, and all the terrible staff ofbailiffs, torturers, and executioners, among whom thesteer-headed Gozu and the horse-headed
. The history of the devil and the idea of evil; from the earliest times to the present day . which form it has of late been declared to be the officialstate religion of the country. The folklore of Chinese Taoism and Japanese Shin-toism was naturally embodied in the mythology of theBuddhists, and we find therefore in their temples innu-merable representations of hell with all their traditionalbelongings; Emma, the stern judge of Meifu, the darktribunal; Kongo, the sheriff, and all the terrible staff ofbailiffs, torturers, and executioners, among whom thesteer-headed Gozu and the horse-headed Mezu are nevermissing. By the side of the judges desk stands the mostperfect mirror imaginable, for it reflects the entire per-sonality of every being. Since mans personality, ac-cording to the Buddhistic soul-conception, is constitutedby the deeds done during life, the glass makes apparentall the words, thoughts, and actions of the delinquent whois led before it; whereupon he is dealt with according tohis deserts. If good deeds prevail, he is rewarded by be- 130 THE HISTORY OF THE Kongo, the Sheriff. Emma, the Judge. Carved wood, Japanese. (Reproduced from a Japanese art print. BUDDHISM. 131 ing reincarnated in a higher state of existence, be it onearth, or in the Western Paradise, or in one of the heav-ens of the gods; or, if bad deeds prevail, he sinks intolower spheres, in which case he mnst go back to life inthe shape of that creature which represents his peculiarcharacter; or, if he has beenvery wicked, he is doomed tohell, whither he is carried inthe ho noknniiua^ the fierycart, the conveyance of the in-fernal regions. The sentenceis pronounced in these words : Thy evil deeds are not thework of th) mother, father, rela-tives, friends, advisers. Thou alonehast done them all ; thou alonemust gather the fruit. (Devad. S. ) Dragged to the place oftorment, he is fastened to redhot irons, plunged into fierylakes of blood, raked overburning coals, and he diesnot till th
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, booksubje, booksubjectdemonology
