DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.635#0073
60 BENARES, THE SACRED CITY
pieces of his nails. The sanctity attached to his own
person and acts were extended by extravagant tales
of his former existences, when, as a Bodhisatva, or
potential Buddha, he was preparing himself for the
final enlightenment, in the form of a bird, a deer, or
six-tusked elephant.
Hiuen Thsang in the seventh century describes a
stupa containing an eyeball of Buddha " as large as an
amra fruit, and so bright that its rays dart forth from
the base to some distance outside ",x and repeats as
worthy of credit stories of wild elephants bringing
offerings to his relic shrines. Similar legends may be
seen sculptured on the Buddhist monuments at Bhar-
hut and Sanchi, which were erected within three cen-
turies after the death of Buddha. The practice of
divination and sorcery, which formed no part of
Buddha's creed, became as popular with his disciples
as they had been with the Brahmin priests. In short,
the very errors which Buddha had tried to eradicate
became a part of his followers' beliefs and the starting-
point of new religious reformers.
Owing to the great diversity of racial types in India,
thrown together, yet differing in an extraordinary de-
gree in intellectual and social development, there have
always been two main currents, of religious evolution
and devolution—more clearly distinguishable than in
other countries—moving in opposite directions, yet
insensibly affecting each other. The high ideals of
Buddha's Eight-fold Path were gradually lost in the
current of popular superstitions, but nevertheless they
purified the muddy waters of priestcraft and cleared
away many obstructions to the progress of true re-
1Life of Hitien Thsang. S. Beal, p. 59.
pieces of his nails. The sanctity attached to his own
person and acts were extended by extravagant tales
of his former existences, when, as a Bodhisatva, or
potential Buddha, he was preparing himself for the
final enlightenment, in the form of a bird, a deer, or
six-tusked elephant.
Hiuen Thsang in the seventh century describes a
stupa containing an eyeball of Buddha " as large as an
amra fruit, and so bright that its rays dart forth from
the base to some distance outside ",x and repeats as
worthy of credit stories of wild elephants bringing
offerings to his relic shrines. Similar legends may be
seen sculptured on the Buddhist monuments at Bhar-
hut and Sanchi, which were erected within three cen-
turies after the death of Buddha. The practice of
divination and sorcery, which formed no part of
Buddha's creed, became as popular with his disciples
as they had been with the Brahmin priests. In short,
the very errors which Buddha had tried to eradicate
became a part of his followers' beliefs and the starting-
point of new religious reformers.
Owing to the great diversity of racial types in India,
thrown together, yet differing in an extraordinary de-
gree in intellectual and social development, there have
always been two main currents, of religious evolution
and devolution—more clearly distinguishable than in
other countries—moving in opposite directions, yet
insensibly affecting each other. The high ideals of
Buddha's Eight-fold Path were gradually lost in the
current of popular superstitions, but nevertheless they
purified the muddy waters of priestcraft and cleared
away many obstructions to the progress of true re-
1Life of Hitien Thsang. S. Beal, p. 59.