. Pictorial history of China and India; comprising a description of those countries and their inhabitants. priests;namely, a long, black robe. Their head, also, is entirely shaven ; conse-quently, in the street, it is almost impossible to distinguish the bonze from the bonzesse. The Budhistshave five prohibitory command-ments, which they very strictlyobserve. These are : Not todestroy animal life ; not to steal;not to speak falsely ; not to drink«»miiiw(i|E!v wine; — and to the priests, or ^^ ^BSi^l^^ 1 ^^ ^^ bonzes, not to marry. Their belief, as to their final state, is,-L that after having
. Pictorial history of China and India; comprising a description of those countries and their inhabitants. priests;namely, a long, black robe. Their head, also, is entirely shaven ; conse-quently, in the street, it is almost impossible to distinguish the bonze from the bonzesse. The Budhistshave five prohibitory command-ments, which they very strictlyobserve. These are : Not todestroy animal life ; not to steal;not to speak falsely ; not to drink«»miiiw(i|E!v wine; — and to the priests, or ^^ ^BSi^l^^ 1 ^^ ^^ bonzes, not to marry. Their belief, as to their final state, is,-L that after having passed through>^ a certain term of probation upongr this earth under various forms,they shall at length be receivedinto the paradise of Budha, andpartake of his divine nature. Some of the Chinese sovereigns adopted thisfaith, while others encouraged the sect of Taou, which was founded inthe time of Confucius by a sage named Laou-Keun, whose disciplesassumed the title of Taou-tse, or doctors of reason; but their claim tothis distinctive appellation appears doubtful, their principal studies being. Budhist Priest at liis Devotions. RELIGION. 271 alchemy and the art of magic. From them emanated the absurd notion,which in former times was very prevalent in Europe, that a liquid might beprepared, the use of which would prolong human existence beyond its natu-ral term ; and also that an art might be discovered of turning inferior metalsinto gold — the former termed the elixir of life, the latter the philosophersstone. The Taou-tse mingled religious rites with their pretended skill inmagic, and were in fact the priests of their sect. They long possessed greatinfluence in China, and were patronized by many of the emperors, but theyhave now fallen into disrepute, and the few who remain are treated asimpostors. Among the emperors who encouraged the sect of Taou, was Han-ou-ti,of the Han dynasty — a prince famed for his virtues, but strongly addicted toa belief in magic ; he mai
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Keywords: ., bookauthorsearsrob, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1850, bookyear1851
