near, but conversing with a poor native, I understood I was within half a mile of a Hindoo college, where two famous Pundits, (i. e. learned Doctors) resided. I immediately determined to pay them a visit, and the man directed me to a large grove of trees, among which they all dwelt. I proposed to go among them as an enquirer, and to say little or nothing to them directly like a teacher. On my arrival at one of the other dwellings, I met with an elderly Brahman, who asked me what I did there? and, while I was satisfying him, another Brahman came up, of a more open countenance and intelligent manner. I told him, I had in my heart one very great anxiety; I was a sinner, who had but a little time to stay in the world, and when I should die, my soul would depart to Heaven or Hell, and dwell there for ever and ever. You are a Brahman (said I), can you tell me what I shall do to escape the wrath to come, obtain forgiveness of sins, and admittance into Heaven? He replied, "you must give to the poor." I thanked him, and asked how much I ought to give, so that I might be sure, and not fail of escaping that wrath, and obtaining this felicity. He then said, "you must give one fourth of all that you possess." But, said I, Brahman, if all I possess, should amount to four rupees only [i. e. four half crowns], then by giving one rupee to the poor, shall I certainly escape Hell?-Can I obtain Heaven for one rupee? Here the poor Brahman felt himself involved in an unexpected dilemma for it is by no means a notion among them that many will get to Heaven. I desired him to speak again, and he then directed me to do holy deeds; but when he came to discuss the quantity and quality of those deeds, he abruptly broke off, at the dread of another dilemma, and said he would take me to the College just by, where the doctors and more able Brahmans would answer me better than he could. : The buildings of the College are of mud walls, covered with straw, and surrounded with cocoa-nut and other trees, which made a pleasant grove, and afforded an agreeable shade. Their several houses are all round about it, at different distances. As you stand opposite the front of it, you see a large open shed, considerably raised, where the Pundits give lessons to their students every morning on each side is a row of cottages, inhabited by the students, who come from distant countries, and partake of the bounty allowed by the Rajahs, or other persons who contribute to their support. On our arrival there, the students poured out from their cottages, and assembled under the large shady trees; thither they brought mats, and spread them underneath the shade for the Brahmans to sit on ; a chair also was brought for me, and they all sat down. After a little time, one their candour allowed them to speak freely against their own experience, which immediately reflected the condemnation of their own doctrines. you Others directed me to worship the gods. I then enquired if it was written in their Shasters, that without faith no worship or ceremony could be acceptable to God? They answered, Yes: —then, said I, my worship and ceremonies can never be accepted, for I have none of that which you call faith;-no Cast, no faith;-how shall I worship?-how shall I be accepted? The question then was, whether or no I could obtain faith, and how. Faith, they said, was obtained by reading the Vedas: But, I answered, the words of the Vedas are reputed so holy, that if any man should read them who is not a Brahman, it would be his sin: I am not a Brahman, neither can I become a Brahman, if I would give ten thousand worlds. Beside, said I, do believe the words of Judisteer! "O! yes, certainly, certainly," said they, from every quarter. Now Judisteer is a very great character in their grand poem, the Mahabharot, and some think the account there given of him is a mutilated tradition of Jesus Christ; be that as it may, they say of him in this poem, That he was not born by ordinary generation, but of the Holy One: That when he was born all the hills of the earth were enlightened: That, while a child, some great king sought his death: That, as he grew up, he went about doing good, and diffusing blessings wherever he came : That he had several younger brethren, who had not the knowledge of the Holy One, like him: And on a certain day, his mother sent one of her younger sons to fetch water from a tank, or pool: On his coming to the tank, he saw the Holy One, sitting on the water's edge, in shape of a bird: who asked him four questions; the last and chief of them was, "Which is the way to heaven?" The lad said, he could not tell. The Holy One then forbad him to take water, till the question was answered. But he presuming, went to take water, and fell down dead. The mother finding her son did not return, sent another, and the same things happened to him; she sent them all, one after another, and they all died in the same manner; last of all she sent Judisteer :-When he came, he readily answered all the questions, and to this question, "Which is the way to Heaven?" he answered thus: "The Vedas are discor"dant, contradictory, one directs this way to heaven, another. "that. The Shasters are also discordant. None of the rules "of the ancients, but what are discordant. The way to heaven "is different from all these. The path which the Great Person walks in, that's the way." Judisteer having fully replied, the Holy one was well pleased; in token of which, his brothers were all restored to life, who taking water all went home with him. their candour allowed them to speak freely against their own experience, which immediately reflected the condemnation of their own doctrines. Others directed me to worship the gods. I then enquired if it was written in their Shasters, that without faith no worship or ceremony could be acceptable to God? They answered, Yes: then, said I, my worship and ceremonies can never be accepted, for I have none of that which you call faith;—no Cast, no faith;-how shall I worship?-how shall I be accepted? The question then was, whether or no I could obtain faith, and how. Faith, they said, was obtained by reading the Vedas: But, I answered, the words of the Vedas are reputed so holy, that if any man should read them who is not a Brahman, it would be his sin: I am not a Brahman, neither can I become a Brahman, if I would give ten thousand worlds. Beside, said I, do you believe the words of Judisteer! "O! yes, certainly, certainly," said they, from every quarter. Now Judisteer is a very great character in their grand poem, the Mahabharot, and some think the account there given of him is a mutilated tradition of Jesus Christ; be that as it may, they say of him in this poem, That he was not born by ordinary generation, but of the Holy One: That when he was born all the hills of the earth were enlightened: That, while a child, some great king sought his death: That, as he grew up, he went about doing good, and diffusing blessings wherever he came : That he had several younger brethren, who had not the knowledge of the Holy One, like him: And on a certain day, his mother sent one of her younger sons to fetch water from a tank, or pool: On his coming to the tank, he saw the Holy One, sitting on the water's edge, in shape of a bird : who asked him four questions; the last and chief of them was, "Which is the way to heaven?" The lad said, he could not tell. The Holy One then forbad him to take water, till the question was answered. But he presuming, went to take water, and fell down dead. The mother finding her son did not return, sent another, and the same things happened to him; she sent them all, one after another, and they all died in the same manner; last of all she sent Judisteer :-When he came, he readily answered all the questions, and to this question, "Which is the way to Heaven?" he answered thus: "The Vedas are discor"dant, contradictory, one directs this way to heaven, another "that. The Shasters are also discordant. None of the rules "of the ancients, but what are discordant. The way to heaven "is different from all these. The path which the Great Person walks in, that's the way." Judisteer having fully replied, the Holy one was well pleased; in token of which, his brothers were all restored to life, who taking water all went home with him. |
