LT)iff"orcri-n:OiruidTheAwakeningOfFaithASHVAGOSHA THENEIGHING HORSE.THEAWAKENING OF FAITHIN THEMAHAYANADOCTRINE-THE NEWBUDDHISMBYTHEPATRIARCHASHVAGOSHAWhodied about A. D. 100Translated into ChinesebyParamartha(ChenTi.J^Who lived in theLiang dynastyA. D.(502-555)Translated intoEnglishin1894 byRev. TIMOTHYRICHARD,LITT.D.AssistedbyMr.YangWen HwuiSHANGHAICHRISTIAN LITERATURESOCIETY,1907Printedbythe MethpdistPublishing House,Shanghai.CONTENTSPAGESTranslators Introduction vTranslatorsSynopsis-xvnTheOpeningHymn- --xxviCHAPTER. IReasons forwritingtheBook-1CHAPTER.IIThe Fundamental Doctrine of the New Buddhism theMahayana Faith-3CHAPTER. IIIExpositionof the Faith--._-..4CHAPTER. IVThePractice ofthe Faith........ 35CHAPTER. VTheAdvantagesof the Faith44TRANSLATORS INTRODUCTION1. OneofthegreatBooks ofthe World.This is the title of oneof themostimportantbooksin the world. AJapanesescholar has translated itTheAwakeningofFaith. Itmightalso be renderedThe MahayanaFaith or TheFaithoftheNewBuddhism.Itsimportanceisapparentwhen we consider the factthat of the26,000Buddhistmonksand nuns inJapannoless than17,000ofthembelong-to thePureLandSchooland the TrueSchool,whichregardthis book as theirfountain andorigin.Itsimportanceis still moreapparentwhen weconsider that its doctrines are the fundamental ones oftheMahayanaFaith,which isbyfar the chief school ofBuddhism,notonlyinJapan,butalsoinChina,wherearethegreat majorityof theBuddhistsof the world. If weestimate thevalue of booksbythenumberof adherentsto theirdoctrines, then,after theBible,theKoran,theConfucianClassics,andtheVedas,thisvolume,aboutthe size of theGospelofMark,ranksnext,orfifth,amongthe sacredbooks of the world.Thegreatvalue of thebook is alsoapparentwhenwe rememberthattheEastern worldhadbeen driven togeneral despair bythe atheistic doctrines ofprimitiveBuddhism,called theHinayana School,andthat it wasbythe doctrines of thisbook,whichgaverise to theMahayanaSchool of NewBuddhism,thatagospelofgreathopewyaspreachedto thegreater partof theEasternAsiatic continent. Its new doctrines were that of theOneSoulimmanentforgoodin all theuniverse,that ofa DivineHelperofmen,of individualimmortalityandgrowthin thelikenessofGod,of theimportanceof faithin GodtoproducegoodworksandthatofthewillingnessviAwakeningof Faithof the bestspiritsto makesacrifices to save others theverysubjectswhich in these moderndaysstilloccupythe attention ofthe mostthoughtfulmenof the world.The book is Brahministic andBuddhistic,IndianandWestern in someaspectsofphilosophicthought.Itisprofoundly philosophic, remindingonestronglyofHegel,BerkeleyandG.Gorein theearlierpart,and is ashardto understand asBishopButlers famousAnalogy;yetvery practicalin the latterpart,therefore it hasgreatimportance arisingfrom itshighandextensiverangeofview.If itbe,as it is more and more believed thattheMahayana Faith is notBuddhism,properlyso-called,but an Asiatic form of the sameGospelof our Lordand SaviourJesus Christ,inBuddhisticnomenclature, differingfrom the old Buddhismjustas the new Testament differs from theold,then itcommands a world-wideinterest,for in it we find anadaptationofChristianityto ancientthoughtinAsia,and thedeepestbond of union between the differentraces of the Eastand theWest, viz.,the bond of acommonreligion.BothChristianityand the NewBuddhism hold to the transcendent and the immanentforms ofGod;but theEastemphasisesmore ofthe immanent formwhile the Westemphasisesmoreofthetranscendent. Thealmostuniversalreceptionofthedoctrines contained in this bookbyboththeEastandthe West constitutes tomymind itshighestclaim toour attention;fortherebywe arebroughtface to facewith a solution of thestupendous practical problemofunitingall racesin onebondofreligious charity!II.TheEvolutionandDevolutionof Buddhism.Theevolution ofBuddhism is seen in thenewBuddhismsupersedingtheold,and the devolution in theattemptbylater writers to combine theprimitivewiththeadvanced,an absurd anachronism andimpossibility.Awakeningof Faith viiThis will beapparentfrom thestudyof the differentschools ofBuddhism.Themostcommondivision of Buddhism is that intothesmaller(Hinayana},or PrimitiveBuddhism,andthegreater {Mahayana)orAdvancedBuddhism.DuringGautamaBuddhas life there were nobooksofhisteachingwritten,butaccordingtoaJapanesebookonBuddhismcalledPa-chung-kang-yao,J^ ^|pjj]gpublishedinA.D.1319,traditionsaysthatduringthefirst400yearsafterGautamaBuddhasdeath(B.C.543)theHinayanaschool flourishedgreatlywhile theMahayanawas notknown. But500yearsafter Buddhasdeath,Maming(Ashvagosha)wrotethebookon TheI\fahayanaFaith.TheMahayanaschoolthenbegantoflourisheverywhere,whiletheHinayanawentundera cloud. Thismakes,the rise of theMahayanaschoolcontemporaneouswiththe rise ofChristianity.Besides this broad division into theHinayanaandtheMahayanaschools,there areother divisionsofBuddhismwhich areinterestingtoknow,astheyindicate thedevelopmentandgrowthofreligiousideas in theBuddhistreligion, justas in the Christian and ineveryotherreligion,and also theirdecaywhen Buddhistlearningwasneglected.Forexample,in China theTientaischoolofBuddhism,with itsheadquartersin themountainsofChekiangprovince,divides Buddhismintofourschools,viz:1. TheTsangChiaoJjjJ fj(,Primitive Buddhism(i.e.theHinayana).2.TungChiaojjjj, ^,Buddhismin a transition state.?>Pieh Chiao}}\\ ffc,New Buddhism(i.e.theMahayana)*4. Yuan ChiaoUjjfc,thecomplete religionof alltheschools.TheHsienShouSJlf>School of Buddhism foundedbyfollowers ofFaTsang,calledalsoHsienShou,thethirdPatriarch afterWenShuPusa,thegreatBuddhist saintviiiAwakeningof FaithofWutai,northoftheprovinceofShansi,whodied A.D.627 and isspeciallyworshippedbytheMongolsdividesBuddhisminto fiveschools,viz\1. The Siao Chiao/]> $,or Primitive Buddhism(theHinayana).2Shih Chiao#p$C,or theBeginningof TrueReligion (transition state).3. TheChungChiaojj$ $(,or the FinalDevelop-mentof theTrueReligion (the Mahayand).4. The Tun Chiaoj|fc,ortheSchoolofMeditation,foundedbythe last BuddhistpatriarchTaMo,not mentionedseparatelyin theTientai classification. TaMo,A. D. 529.5. The Yuan ChiaoHJ ffc,ortheComplete Religionof all theschools.Generally speakingthe classifications of bothagree.But the Tientaischool,south of theprovinceofChekiang, regardtheLien-hua-king^^$gortheLotus Classicas their chiefscripture,while theHsienShouschoolonthenorthregardstheHua-yen-kingijiJ$ Sas their chiefscripture.But boththese chiefscripturesaresaid tohavetheiroriginin the Chi-hsin-lun35illSmf,thebookwhich we now translate under thenameof the NewBuddhistFaith,called in Sanskrit theMahayanasraddhofpadasastra. These classifications areratherancient. There is agreatdearth ofbookson thesubjectof modern schools of Buddhismshowingthedecline of Buddhism in Chinaduringthe last twodynasties,butthere arewritersnowatworktogivethelaterhistoryof Buddhism in China and tobringitdownto date.InJapanwhileBuddhismis divided into thetwogreatschools the TrueSchool,bywhich one seeks salvationbyreliance onself,and the Pure LandSchool,bywhich one seeks salvationbythehelpof Godall Buddhists are nowsub-divided into twelve sects. Anoutline of each of thesewasgiven byoneof theleadingAwakening-of Faith ixmenin eachschool,andBunyiu Nanjio,M.A.(Oxon),the ablest Sanskrit scholarinJapan,translated themintoEnglishandpublished themin 1886underthenameof A ShortHistory ofthe TwelveJapaneseBuddhistSects.Mostof thesesects,like theRomanists,forbid theirprieststomarry;butothers,like theProtestants, givetheirpriests perfect libertytomarryor not astheyplease.Some sectsexpectto workouttheir ownsalvation with fear andtrembling, sayingthatwhatsoeveramansows that shall he alsoreapthe Karmaof theoldBuddhism while other sectssaythatrepentanceandfaith in Godcanfaroutstripallindependentefforts atsalvation. Some of the sects insist on incessantstudyand like the Positivistsexpecttheir followers to beencyclopaediasof allknowledge,whileothersagainareonly expectedtorepeatO-mi-to-Fo,like ourselves in ourWesternreligions,whothinkthe "HailMary"or"OnlyBelieveMsufficient doctrinesequallyabsurd orprofoundaccordingto ourstandpointofobservingthemor ofusing1them. Thus we see astriking parallelismin thedevelopmentofreligionin the West and in the Eastsignsof life as well as ofdecay.III. HowIcametotranslatethisbook.Thestoryis of nosmall interest. In 1884 I visitedNankingincompanywithmyreveredfriend,DavidHill,to see theViceroy,and tried topersuadehimtointerest himself insecuring religiousfreedom forChristiansandimmunityfrompersecution.Whilstthere,Isoughtfor some Buddhist books which I could notprocurein theNorth of China. I learnt that aBuddhistBookSocietyhad been started inNanking, Soochow,andHangchow,three of theleadingcities in CentralChina,in order toreplacethosedestroyed duringtheTai PingRebellion. Ofthethreesocieties,the mostimportant wasthatatNanking,andtheprime moverofthewholexAwakening-of Faiththree societies lived there. His name wasYangWen Hui. I called on him andfound him the mostintelligentBuddhist I had ever met. He had beenseveralyearsinEuropeas treasurer to the ChineseEmbassywhenMarquis Tseng representedChina inEnglandand France. Mr.Yanghad had interviewswith Max Miiller andJulienandBunyiu NanjioofTokio,who had studied under Max Miiller.Thus,besidesbeingwellacquaintedwith the Buddhistauthorities inChina,he waspersonally acquaintedwiththebest authorities inEuropeandJapan.Mr.Yangwas not a Buddhistpriest,but a Confucian ist withtheB. A.(vSiutsai)degreeandwasonlyalayBuddhist.I said tohim,"How is it thatyou,with aConfuciandegree,shouldhaveeverbecomeaBuddhist?"Hisanswerwasstriking:"I amsurprisedthatyou,amissionary,should askmethatquestion,foryoumustknow that Confucianism shirks some of the mostimportantquestions.Itonlydealswith human affairsnow,not with thesuperhuman.""But doyoumeantosaythat Buddhism answers thosequestions?"Hesaid,"Yes." "Where?" I askedagain.Heanswered,"In a book called theAwakeningof Faith.Thatbookconverted me fromConfucianismtoBuddhism.""Haveyouthatbook for sale here?"I asked."Yes,"hereplied,andbroughtthe book and laid it inmyhands.Findinghimto bemostthoroughlyconversantwith the relative value of the various Buddhistbooks,I askedhimto select for mesomedozen workswhichheconsidered mostimportant. Having paidforthem,I returnedtomyinn.Shortly after,theboxcontainingallmypurchasesarrived. I looked for thebook on theAwakeningof Faith andbegan readingit and satupreadingit till the small hoursof themorning.I criedtomyfriendHill,whowas alsositting uplate atwork,This is a Christian book and mostinteresting.""Christian?"myfriend cried withgreatdoubt.Awakeningof Faith xi"You arereading yourownthoughtsinto thebook !""Wellthen,"Isaid,"how doyou explainthesepassages?" pointingto SDine to whichtherewasnoreadyexplanation.Three months later I was in a booksellersshopinEdinburgh,andlooking throughhis new booksI came across Beals little book on Buddhismlatelypublished. Turningupa certainchapterinit,I foundthat he referred to theAwakeningof Faith as a Pseudo-Christian book which it was desirable to havetranslated.Yearspassed by.In 1891 I was transferred toShanghai. Shortly after,I metmyfriend Mr.Yangagain,and I told himthat I hadread theAwakeningofFaith withgreat interest,butthatfrequentlyI cameacrossphilosophicalterms which noexisting dictionaryexplainedand which even excellent Chinese scholarscould notexplain.If hecouldsparesome of his timetocome toShanghai,I wouldsparesomeofmytime totranslate it with hishelp.Hereadily agreedand wasdelightedto havethebookmadeknown to those interested in Buddhism in the West. Thusthe book wastranslated intoEnglishin 1894. But it was notpublishedthen,as I wishedto haveleisure time to revise itbeforepublication.Thattimeof leisure hasnevercome.Sixyearslater(l9CO)Suzukis translation intoEnglishwaspublished bytheOpenCourt,Chicago.His translation bearsthemarkof onewhohasspentmuchstudyon thesubject.In hisintroduction,hequotesalargenumber of different authorities aboutAshvagosha.But as heapproachesthesubjectfrom the non-Christianpointofview,thelightwhich comes from acomparisonbetween it andChristianityis denied him.Hedwellsmoreon hisphilosophicalsuchness "or onhispsychological theoryof"triple personality"andonlyon onereligiouscharacteristic"faith,"apparentlyunconsciousof its incalculableimportanceasxiiAwakeningof Faithareligionseirenicon between theEast and the West.ThoughI havehadnotimeto revise this translation ofmine,Ipublishit becaiise I believe it iscapableofproducingbrotherhoodamongst men,and mutualrespectamongreligious teachers,when it isproperly interpretedin thelightofChristianity.IV.UnityInDiversity.In the DiamondSutra,which is one of the mostpopularof all theBuddhistSutrasandmostwidelyusedthroughout China,there is averyremarkablepassageattributed to Gautama Buddha in the Sixthchapter. It is to this effect : Five hundredyearsaftermydeaththere will arise areligious prophetwho willlaythe foundation of histeaching,not onone, two,three, four,or fiveBuddhas,norevenon ten thousandBuddhas,butonthe Fountain of all theBuddhas;whenthatonecomes,have faith inHim,and}*ouwill receiveincalculableblessings."Now since it is well knownthatJesusChrist andAshvagoshadidappearsome 500yearsafterBuddha,this is oneof the most remarkablepropheciesin the wholerangeofSacred Literature.Butto return to theAwakeningofFaith. It is ofimmenseinterest andimportanceto find in this bookalonethefollowingstrikingcontrasts between the oldBuddhismandthenewBuddhism.1. The OldBuddhism wasatheistic;the Newistheistic.2. TheOld Buddhismtrustedin salvationbyonesown efforts(Karma);theNew trusted in thehelpofGodas well.3. TheOldBuddhismbelieved in retirement fromthe evil world;theNewbelieved inlivingin the worldandinsavingothers asthehighestvirtue.4. The Old Buddhism believed incountlesstransmigrationsbeforethemanycouldbedelivered;theAwakeningof Faith xiiiNewbelieved inpassinginto Paradise at once withoutanyrounds oftransmigration.Xoonewho isacquaintedwiththe characteristics ofChristianitycanread thesethingswithoutbeingstruckwiththeremarkablesimilarityofthese fivepointsof thenewBuddhismwith it; nay, theyareexactlythe sameso far asthey go.Buddhism andChristianityat firstcontact in moderndaysweremutuallyhostile to oneanother. But when the earnest students of bothreligions penetrated throughthe different forms andnomenclature into thedeepinternalmeaningofall,theyfound notonlythattheyaimedat the samething,thesalvation of theworld,but thatmanyof their chiefteachingswere common to both.Theynolongerfeared each other asfoes,buthelpedeach other asfriends.V. CommonorigininBabylonIt isgettingclearer eachyear now,that thesecommon doctrines of New Buddhism andChristianitywerenotborrowedfromoneanother,butthat bothcamefrom a commonsource, Babylonia,where some of theJewish prophetswrote theirgloriousvisions of thekingdomof God thatwasto come.Babylonthen hadmuchintercoursewithWestern IndiaandPersia,as wellas withJudaea, Egyptand Greece. From this centrethesegreat life-giving inspiringtruths werecarried likeseeds into both theEastand Westwheretheyweresomewhatmodifiedunder different conditions.It is alsogettingclearer eachyearthat differenttruths,whereverfound,cannotbeantagonistic. Theydonotneutralise,butcomplementeach other;theydo notdestroy,but fulfil oneanother.VI.AshvagoshaThevariousaccounts of the life ofAshvagoshaaresocontradictoryandmany,so full ofimpossible legends,xivAwakeningof Faiththat it is difficult to knowhowtoseparatethe false fromthe true. Butall areagreed:that he was a Brahman who was converted toBuddhism;that he travelledextensivelyin Central India andlater in Northern India and that helargelydescribesthingsof Western India in hisBookof GreatGlory;thathewascontemporarywith,if notadviserofKingKanishkaof North-WesternIndia,wholived in the firstcenturyof the Christianera,andprobablyattended thethird greatcouncil of Buddhismheld in Kashmir;that he wasthe founder of the NewBuddhism,often called theMahayanaSchool,or theNorthernBuddhism;thatseven other works of his havebeen translatedintoChinese,oneof which is a celebrated life of BuddhatranslatedbyBeal.His conversion asgiven bySuzuki is almost asstrikingas that whichYangrelated to me about hiso\vn conversion. Thedayhad come for apublicdiscussion ofreligion,as wascommon in India at thattime,andAshvagoshaandParevawreretobethedebaters.Ashvagoshasaid,"Theoneunableto answershall havehistonguecut out." Theotherreplied,"No,heshallbecome adiscipleof the winner." Then he askedAshvagosha,"Whatshall we have to do in order tokeepthekingdominperfect peace,to have thekinglivelong,to let thepeople enjoyabundance andprosperity,all free from evils andcatastrophies?"Notbeingable to answerthis, Ashvagoshabecame the othersdisciple.I low tobringdownhighdogmatopracticallife forthepermanentgoodof all classes remainsstill thegreatproblemoflife,philosophy,andreligion.Awakeningof Faith\\VII. TheTextThisbookon theAwakening1of Faith is mentionedinan oldcatalogueof BuddhistScripturesin theTangdynasty.I asked a friend in India totryandprocuremethecopyof theoriginalinSanskrit,but lie has notsucceeded. This Chineseversion of it was madebytheBuddhistmissionary,Paramartha(Chen-ti Jp|. ijffi)wholived in China in theLiangdynasty,A.D. 502-555.VIII. TranslationIt is acommonerror of translators to translate thesame wordalways bythe same word. As the sameword in different connections often has different meaningsandthe translatedword,howeverliteral,does notalwayscoverexactlythe same amount ofmeaningas theoriginal,I haveendeavoured togivethe truemeaningof theoriginal, althoughtheEnglishrenderingmaybebydifferentwords in differentplaces.That iswhyI haverenderedthetermjj|. jj\\ byTrueForm,TrueLikeness,TrueReality,Archetype,and otherterms,ratherthanby anyunfamiliarterm,aslikelytogiveamore correct idea of theoriginalto thebeginnerinthestudyofBuddhism.IX. ConclusionThereader whoisacquaintedwith the lowstate ofBuddhismin Chinato-daymay naturally ask,since theNewBuddhismwassofullof suchhigh teachingonsomeof thegreatest problemsof life and since it was soflourishingformanycenturies,whyis itsglorydeparted?The answeris,besides what isgivenin SectionII,that it islargelyfor want ofpropereducation in itsreligion.The same is true of Taoism. It isonlytheConfucianists who have agrand systemofeducation,andwiththat allpowerandinfluence istheirs,whiletheotherreligionshaveonlyreapedweaknessandshameinconsequenceof theirignorance.ThetermJulai,insteadxviAwakeningof FaithofbeingrenderedbyTathagata,anotherforeign term,isbestrenderedbyMessiah inEnglish,as it means theTrueFormbecome incarnate.TRANSLATORS SYNOPSISCHAPTER.IReasons forwritingthis bookQUESTION1.Whywrite thebook?ANSWER:A. Nottoget fame,but togive happinessto aworld of sorrow.B. Toleadmentotheright through JuLaitheIncarnateTranscendentOne.C. To leadthe best mento theMahayanaFaithortheNew Buddhism.D. Tolead less noble men to have some faith.E. Toshowhowtogetrid of all error.F. Toridworldlymenandthose of thetwolowerschools(the Hinayanaand middleschools)of error.G. To show menhowto seeGod(Buddha).//.Toshowthe benefits of this Faith.QUESTION2. As the Sutrasexplainallthis,whywrite anewbook?ANSWER 2. Togiveacomprehensiveviewof thewholetointelligentmen.CHAPTER.IIThe fundamental doctrine of theMahayanaFaith:A. Its nature theSoul of all.B. Its attributes allpervading.xviiiAwakeningof FaithCHAPTER. IIIExpositionof the FaithA.ByDefinitions.B.By correctingheresies.C.Byshowingthestepsofprogress.D.ByDefinitions. The One Soul has twoaspects.1. TheEternal transcendent onebeyondalllanguage.QUESTION3. Howthen cananyfollow it?ANSWER.Though beyond language yetconceivable.A. It is not likeordinaryrealities.B. It is neverthelessthe mostreal ofall.2. As thetemporaryimmanent one in allliving beings.A. TheMahayanaFaith has some infiniteordivineknowledgeIn theoriginal state,In thevarious states ofacquiredknowledge,Behindthought andintermixedwiththeexperience.(1.)In thisOriginalorDivinelightthere is(a.)PureWisdom,(b.)Wonderfulgoodness.(2.)The attributes of thisOriginalor Divinelightare(a.)Infinite recreation of the EternalUnityas extensive asspaceand like abright reflectingmirror.(b.)Infiniterevelationofthe Eternalenergyareflectorofthe real influences.Awakening-of Faith xix(r.)Infinite revelation ofrighteouslawa reflector of thatwhichiswithoutsorrowor hindrance.(d.)Infinite revelation of love reflectorwhich .shines on allliving- beings.d. TheMahayanaFaith hasacquiredknowledge.(1.) Producingthreestates ofacquired knowledge10(a.) Sensation,(6.) Consciousness,(c.) Perception.Correspondingto a classification intosixstagesof(a.) Consciousness,(.-) Sensation,(c.)Perception,(d.} Differentiation,(e.) Will,(f.)Reflection.(2.) Showingtwo different conditions 11TheEternal andAcquired.(a.)The same naturejustas afragmentofpotteryand all thepotteryare ofclay.(d.)But different formsjustas theclayismadeinto differentvessels.(3.)Producingthe five kinds ofthoughts(a.)Facultyofsensation,10(^) M , ,consciousness,M ,,perception,(d>) i,conception,M ,,will.(4.)Producingtheopinionsofimperfectknowledge.Thosewayswhichleadthesoulastrayaresix,viz :xxAwakeningof Faith(a.) Throughfalseperception,(6.) Throughfalseaffections,(r.) Throughanalogyof varkmsknowledge,(^/.) Throughanalogyofobjectiveforms,(e.) Throughinnacurateperception,( .) Throughinnacurate sensation.(5.)Havingtwostates,theroughandthe fine. 15QUESTION4. If the soulends,how does itcontinue? If itcontinues,howdoes it end?ANSWER.What ends isonlythe state of thesoul,not the soul itself.(6.)Havingfour influencesincessantlyat workthetrue,theuntrue,the confused, the falseobjective.(a.)Themisleadinginfluence- 16a. a. of the falseworld,b.b. of faLseopinions,c.c. ofignorance.17(/$.)Theconstantpurfyinginfluencesa. a. oftheimperfectgoodopinions,b.b. of thetranscendent. 18(I)Directly byits own nature.QUESTION5. As all have the transcendent whatneed of faith andpractice?ANSWER^It isbecauseimperfectknowledgediffers(II)Indirectly bythepowersof otherbeings19(a.a.a.)Throughdifferentmotives,(b.b.b.)Throughthe same transcendentmotives.20(ill)Bycontrastandby example.(c.)Oneends,the otherneverends. 21Awakeningof Faith xxi(7.)Havingthe Transcendents own nature andstate.QUESTION6. As thetranscendent isindependentof allstates,how doyou speakofallkindsofblessingsandpossibilities?ANSWER.Althoughit has theseblessings,itisindependentofanystate.(8.)Havingthe transcendentinaction Buddhasvowsbeginhere.22(a.)Hasthefacultyofdistinguishingbetweengoodand evil theRegenerated Spirit(YingShen).23($.)Hasthefacult}of consciousindwellingtheInspired Spirit (PaoShen).(f.)Hasthefacultyofknowingsuffering.24(d.)Has thefacultyofperceivingthe DivineSpirit (FaShen).(e.)HasfinallythefacultybeyondhumanexperiencetheBuddhaexperience.QUESTION7. If the Buddhas areindependentof all visiblestates,how cantheymanifestthemselves?ANSWER.Thespiritualstate is the Soul of allthevisible,therefore can manifest itself inthe invisible.(9.) Beingshown inleavingthe immanent forthe transcendent. 25B.By correctingheresies1. Abouttermssuch asa. ThatJulaiisspace,b. That nirvana and the transcendent areintangible,26c. ThatJulaiembraces matter andspirit,therefore these cannotbecured,xxiiAwakeningof Faithd. That asJulaiembraceseve^thing,therefore it embraces life anddeath,e. Thatthejoysof nirvana come to an endwhenJnlaicomes fromheaventosavemen. 272. About the relation of the transcendent tothe immanentbeinginimical,3. Aboutpurityand defilementbeing absolute,not relative.C.Byshowingthe differentstepsofprogress281. Growthof faithdependsonmenand character.a. Faithis notmeregoodnesswhichmayfail.b. Faith is threefold is basedon the transcendentrejoicesin allgood,andhelpsto save.29QUESTION8. As men and the transcendent arethesame,whatneed is there forpractice?ANSWER. Likeapreciousstone from aquarry,it mustbepolished.c. Faithemploysfourmeansofprogress.30(1.)Cultivatesthestudyof the root of allthings,(2.)Preventsevil,(3.)Growsingoodness,(4.)Grows in the desire of the salvation of allbeings.d. Faith-fruitsmanifestedinself-sacrifices theRegenerated Spirit (Ying-Shen).31e. Faithdescends to save others.. Faith never fails because of difficulties.2. Growth inintelligent practiceof the fiveParamitas(Great Virtues)32a. Paramita ofCharity,b. ParamitaofDiscipline (Holy Life),Awakeningof Faith xxiiir. Parainita ofIvndurance,d. Parainita ofPerseverance,c. Parainita ofUnchangeableness,f. Parainita of Wisdom indiscerning-what isgoodand evil.3. Growth in attainmentsa. The Pnsadisciple(Saint)becomes able toreach allplacestosupporttheenlightened.b. This Growth of thePnsa is threefold thetranscendentideal,themeansused andtheperfectionattained.33c. Thisperfectionis Buddhahood(Divinity).QUESTION9. Tocomprehendallbeingsin all theworlds,howcanany getthis seed of wisdom?ANSWER.By obtainingthe omniscience that isindependentof the senses and is in all minds. 34QUESTION10. If the Buddhas(DivineEmanations)areincarnateeverywheretosavemankind,whydoyousaythat mostpeoplecannotsee them?ANSWER.Onlythosepurelike abrightmirrorare able to reflect andsee such.CHAPTER. IVThepracticeof the Faith35A. Howtopractise Charity,B. How topractise complete Kthics, 36C. Howtopractise enduring wrong,D. Howtopractise perseverance,E. How topractisecheckingvainthoughtandgettingsoundreflection.371.Preventingvainthoughtsittinginquietnessand thenxxivAwakeningof Faitha. Think of the means ofchecking-vainthoughtstillyougettranscendentpeace,38b.Learnthat thepeaceof all in heaven andearth is thesame,c. Think whentemptedoftheOneEternalSoul,39d. Find out the tenadvantagesofpeaceinthis life.402. Reflecta. Thatnothingcreated lastslong,41b. That life is full ofsorrow,c. That thepresentself is not the realself,thepastis adream,thepresentalightningflash,the futuresmoke,d. That allliving beingsarestained,c. Thatexistencedown allagesis marredbysorrowandtherefore to bepitied,42/.Thatagreatvow should be made to saveothers,g.That the vow should be carried out inpractice.3. Check vainthoughtsand reflect at the sametimeandat all times.4. Reflect on Amitabha(God)so as not to losefaith. 43CHAPTER.VAdvantagesof the Faith 44A.Generallyit will obtain thevery highestdoctrine.B. Will attain toBuddhahood(theDivinestate).C. An hour of faithsurpassesa universe ofgoodworks.D. Theadvantagesareincalculable,foreternityis notlongenoughto calculatethem.Awakeningof FaithxxvE.Unbelievers and revilers have nohopeofsalvation.F. It isbymeansofthis Faith thatthe Buddhasand the Pusas of thepastandpresenthaveattained and areattainingtheirpure faith,therefore follow it !45Theclosing hymn.OpeningHymnIyield mylife to theAll,TotheALLSOUL,full ofgood,In wisdomallcomplete,Inpoweralldivine,Inpity-wouldsave all.To LAWwhichdoesembodyTheArchetypeof all.ToCHURCHwhichdoes containTheArchetypeinSeed,ThatmenmaybedeliveredFromdoubtand evilways ;GetFaith in thegreatSchoolPerpetuatingGod !CHAPTER.IReasons forWritingthe book.QUESTION1. What are the reasons forwritingthis book?ANSWER1. Thereasons for it areeight.A.Generallyspeaking,it is to induce alllivingbeingstodepartfrom thewayof all sorrow and toobtainthehighesthappiness,insteadofseekingtheglitterof fameandwealth of this world.B. It is tomakeclearthefundamental idea of theincarnategod (Ju L,ai)inman,andto lead allbeingsintherightwayavoidingerror.C. It is to lead thoseripeingoodnessto continuein theMahayanaFaithwithoutfailing.D. It is to enable those in whom the root ofgoodnessisverysmall to cultivate faith moreandmore.E. It is to show howtoremove evil hindrancesand tostrengthenwell themind,tokeepfar frommadprideandto seethroughthe deceits of vice.F. It is to show how tostudyand correct theerrors ofordinarymenandthe errors of thetwoinferiorschools(the Hinayanaorelementaryschool and theMadhyi-maynaor middleSchool ofBuddhism).G. It is to show the meansbywhich onemayascend to the abode of God(Buddha)and never losefaith.//. It is toshowthe benefits of this Faithand toexhortmentopractiseit.Thesearethemainreasonsforwritingthis book.QUESTION2 As theSutras,or classicBuddhistScriptures, explainthesethings fully,whatneedis thereofrepeatingthem?2Awakeningof FaithANSWER2.Althoughthe Sutras have discussedthesethings, yetasmens abilities and attainments aredifferent,thereceptionof instruction isnecessarilydifferent. \Vhen the Incarnategod (Ju Lai)was onearth,all men were able to understand Him. Hisbodyand mind far excelled those of all other men.Whenhedelivered hisperfectwords allliving beings,thoughdifferent inkind,understood himalike,andthereforetherewasnoneed ofexplanation.But afterJuLais death we find thatsomemen,afterwidely readingthe SacredScriptures,have thepowerunaided to understand them;wefind that othersafteronlyhearinga little of theSacredScriptureshavethepowerunaided to understand much;wealso findthatsomehavenot sufficientintelligenceto understandtheScripturesunassistedbyextensiveexplanations,whilst we find that others dislike voluminouswritingsandprefera tersestylewhich embracesmanyprinciplesandwhichtheyare ableto understand.Thusthis book is written for the last class ofmenwhichdesire toknowthegeneral principlesof thegreatandprofoundLawofJuLaiwith its infiniteapplications.CHAPTER. IITheFundamental Doctrine oftheMahayaiiaFaith.Havingexplainedtheobjectofwritingthis bookwenowproceedto considerthe fundamental doctrine oftheMahayanaFaith. Thegreatschool(Mahayana)speaksof the Eternal Soul of theuniverse,His natureandHisattributes.A.ByHisnature is meantthe Soul of alllivingbeings.The soul embraces that of saved and ofunsavedbeingsand it is this universal Soul thatcharacterisesthegreatschool. For it is theArchetypesTrueEternalFormwhich is the natureof theMahayanaFaith;andtheArchytypestemporaryform in lifewhichis able tomakemanifestthenature,formanduse of theMahayanaFaith.B. Asto the attributes of this Soultheyarethree.Thefirst is the vastness of its nature. Allthingsareoriginallyone and the same and aneternallyfixedquantityin theTrueForm. Thesecond covers its vastmanifestations. In thepersonofJu Lai,the TrueForm,there are infinitepossibilitiesstoredupas ina wTomb. The third is its vastpower.It is able toproduceallgoodamongall classes oflivingbeingssavedandunsaved.All theenlightenedBuddhasfollow thisMahayanaFaith andall the ChiefApostles (Pusas)attain to theperfectionofJuI,aibythemethodsof this Faith of theNewBuddhism.CHAPTER. IllExpositionsoftheMahayanaFaith.Theseexpositionsare of threekinds.A. Thoseaboutthemeaning.B. Those about the correction of erroneous conceptions.C Thoseaboutthe differentstepsofprogress.Asto themeaningof the One Soul there are twoaspects.1. Oneis the eternal transcendentSoul.2. Theother is thetemporaryimmanentSoul.Thesetwoaspectsembraceeverythingfortheyarereallyone.1. Theeternal state oftheSoul.TheSoul ormind of the True Form is thegreatessence of the invisibleandthevisibleworlds. Astothenatureof thisOnesoul it is thesame in all forms. Tothink it is different in different forms isonlya falsenotion of theworld. Once wepenetrate beyondformsit is discovered that all the different forms of theuniverse are not real differences of soul atall,butdifferent manifestationsof one realpower,hence it hasalwaysbeenimpossibletospeak adequately,to namecorrectlyor to thinkcorrectlyof this OneSoul,therealessenceofthings,wThich isunchangeableandindestructible. We therefore name it theTRUE; ESSENCE ORTHELIKENESS OR THETRUEFORM. Butall nomenclatureof thesematters isimperfectand ifonefollowssuperficialthought,thetruemeaningcannotbe found out.Eventhoughwecall it theTrueLikeness,it hasnoform. Itis becauselanguagein itsextremityfails us that wecoin anewterm to avoidordinaryideas. ButthenatureoftheArchetypeis arealitythat cannot bedestroyed,for allthingsare truethough the}-cannot betrulypointedoutto thesenses,and all forms arereally onlydifferent manifestations of the one True Form. ItAwakeningof Faith Sshould be remembered that this isbeyond ordinarylanguageandbeyond ordinary thought,thereforewenameit theTrueForm.QUESTION3. How then are men to followandobeyand find thewayto thisTrueFormofthings?ANSWER3. One must know thatalthoughonecannotspeakofthisadequately,as itisbeyondallexpression,andalthoughonecannotthink of thisadequately,as it isbeyondallthought, yetwe call this statetheseekingafter;andthatwhenweleaveordinarythoughtof thesethingswe areenteringinto thegateofknowledge.Next whenusingwordsto discuss theTrueFormitmaybespokenof intwoways, viz.,first astheunreal ascomparedwithordinary realities,in ordereventuallytoshowitsreality ;secondlyastheonlyrealascomparedwithordinary realities,because it hasanature of its ownfull of infinitepossibilities.A. First thentheUnreal.When wespeakof the unrealwemeanthatwhichhasneverbeendefiled,whichisseparatefromallexistingformsandwhichcommonmencannotunderstand.Weshouldknowthenatureof this TrueForm. Ithasnoform, yetit is notformless. This is notsayingthat it is withoutany form,butthatitisnottheordinaryform. It iscomposedof neitherordinary, existingnornon-existingforms. It is neitherone definite formnoris it themanydifferentforms. This isnotsayingthatithasnodefiniteformandthatitisnot inthe manydifferentforms. It is neitherone normanydifferent forms.Generally speaking,as the world hasmanydifferentnotions,allfalse,wecallthis theUnrealEmptyForm.Butif falsenotionsaregivenup,thisisthenthemostReal.#.Secondlythe Real.When wespeakof theReal wehavealreadyexplainedthat the True Form isapparentlyUnrealbuttrue;in otherwords that it isthetruemind, eternal,andunchanged,full ofpurity,thereforewecall it theReal6Awakeningof FaithOne. Butit hasnoform. Whentheimperfectnotionsofthingsaregiven up,then alone canweverifythistruth.2. TheEternalSoulimmanentin thetemporary.Thetemporaryarises fromthe forces of theEternalJu L,ai,theunitingof theeternal withthetemporary.It is neither thesamenordifferent,butwecall it theNatural state of man. This natural state has twomeanings, viz.,thatwhich embraces allthingsandthatwhichproducesallthings: the first is called the Infiniteenlightenment,the second the Finiteenlightenment.A. InfiniteEnlightenment.Byinfiniteenlightenmentis meantthatwhichhasno false notionsand is infinite likespace,onewiththeTrue Form as in instinct andintuition. This is thenatural state of the IncarnateTrueForm(Ju Lai)andis called theoriginalstate ofenlightenment.This is todistinguishit from acquired enlightenmentwhich cultivatesthat infiniteenlightenment,for thetwohavethesamethingincommonthoughit isonlyinpart.Wherethereis theoriginalinfiniteenlightenmentthere exists finiteenlightenmentin thosewhoseek after it. Where thereexists finiteenlightenment,there is moreenlightenmentto beacquired.Again,when one attains to theoriginal enlightenmentit is called theperfect enlightenment.Whenonehas not attained to theoriginal enlightenmentit is notperfect enlightenment.Forexample,when anordinaryman discoversthathis former ideas werewrongand is able topreventsuch ideasarisinganymore,suchknowledgeonhispart,thoughitmightbe called a kind ofenlightenmentisonlyfinite.Or whenthoselearnedinthe wisdomof thetwolowerSchools (the Primaryand Secondary,or smallerandmiddle)orsuchPusaApostlesas arebeginnersin theMahayanaschool areenlightenedso as to know that there is inAwakeningof Faithonesenseadifferenceandinanothernodifferencebetweenthese two classes ofideas,we call theirknowledgepartial enlightenment.Orwhenthose,such as the Pusaswhohave arrivedatdifferentstagesofattainment,areenlightenedtoknowthat there is in onesense aresting placeandin anothersense norest,in order todistinguish thingsmoreclearlytheirknowledgeis calledpartial enlightenment.Or when the Pusas have arrived at thehighestattainmentwith all the means of deliverancecompletedandtheirthoughtsexactlyinaccordance withtheOriginalEnlightenment,and areenlightenedtoknowthatwhenthe false notionsbegan,thesehadnorealbeginning,yetinordertoescapefarfrommicroscopicanxiousthoughtofthings, theyare able to see the true nature of the OneMind. Thisstate is the eternal one which we call theperfect enlightenment.Therefore the Sutrasaysthatwhenone canapprehendthatwhich is behindthought,one is onthewayto Buddhistwisdom!Again,as tothebeginningofimperfectnotions inthemindofmen,these have nobeginning.Butwhenwespeakof theirbeginning,we mean thattheyarisewithoutthought,therefore are not calledenlightened,astheyhave not exercisedthought.Aseachthoughthas been transmitted withoutinterruptionfrom thebeginningandmens mindshave not been able to freethemselves fromthis,theimperfectnotions have beensaid to bewithoutbeginningandto be finiteenlightenment. If we meetaman without thesethoughts,weshall then knowthedifferentstagesin thedevelopmentofthemind,suchasbeginning,restingsatisfied, consideringendingbecausewithoutthoughtheknowsthatthereisreallyno difference in kind betweentheenlightenedneophytesenlightenmentandtheoriginalenlightenment.Forthe fourstates are co-existent andnotindependent,but areoriginallyall alike differentstagesof one andthesameenlightenment.8Awakeningof Faith(1.) Next,original enlightenmentin menappearsaccordingto the differentdegreesof confusion in twodifferentstates,but notseparatefrom theoriginalenlightenment.These different states are the state ofpurewisdomandthe state ofunspeakableblessingwherethingsareincomprensible.(a.)Thestate ofpurewisdomisthat which existswhen under thetransforminginfluence of the TrueForm one cultivates ones natureaccordingto theTrueForm till alldepartmentsof deliverance arecompleted,whenonereaches the state where thetemporary giveswaytothe eternal and isgraftedontothe eternalMind,manifestingitself in the threespiritualinstitutionsofBuddha(Godhead),ofLaw,andofPriesthood,hencecalledtheperfectandpurewisdom,because all whoaredependenton thesensesalone areunenlightened.Thosein the?unenlightenedstate do notdepartfrom thenature ofenlightenment; theyare neither destructiblesolongasthey dependon theOriginal Enlightenmentnorindestructiblewhenindependentof that.Justas the Water in theOcean,on account ofwind,formsitself intowaves,wind and wavesbeing inseparable,andyetmotion is not an attribute ofwater, (forifthe wind ceases the waves alsocease)but the fluidnature of water remains indestructible;so the truenature of man is a clearpuremind.Thoughonaccount of the rise of the wind of finiteenlightenmentthepuremind ismoved,thepuremind and thefiniteknowledgein mans heart are unseenandinseparablebutthisminds nature is not finiteenlightenment.If the finiteenlightenmentceases then theimperfectnotionswillcease,andthewise natureremainsindestructible.(.)The state ofunspeakable blessingis thepractical,when it followspurewisdomand is able todoall sorts of wonderfulthings, beingcalled the state ofinfiniteblessings, unceasingandnatural. InproportionAwakeningof Faith9to thenaturalgoodnessit aboundsinallkindsofblessingsaccordingtothe need of all.(2.)Nextconsiderthe attributes of thisEnlightenment.Theyare fourgreatones,infinite asspaceandclear asa mirror.(rt.)Infinitelightof the Eternal(RealEmptiness).It isverydifferent from allthoughtand form. Itcannot be madeapparentandenlightenmentcannotreveal it to theunenlightened.(6.)Infinitelightofenergywhich influencesthingsandwhich is called the unseen forces(notRealEmptiness).Allappearancesin thewrorld arebroughtaboutbythis.Theyare withoutappearingand disappearing,without loss ordestruction,eternal in theOneMind. All existence is butthetrue nature of thisMind. Moreoverall kindsofdefilementcannotdefilethis.Its nature, of wisdom isunchanged,full ofperfectenergy, influencingall men.(r.)Infinitelightof the law7of deliverance calledthe invariablelawof Salvation(notunrealLaw),whichsets aside thehindrancesofpessimismandthehindrancestoordinarywisdomandleadsoneout of the statewherethe mortal andthe immortal are combined so as togetinto theperfectfreelightof life.(rf.)Theinfinitelightofpractice,calleddeliveranceaccordingto thelaw, shiningonthemindsof alllivingbeings, leadingthem topractise goodness bymethodssuitable to their needs.B. FiniteEnlightenmentoracquired knowledge.This is not like theknowledgeof theEternal thatthere isonlyoneway:hence finiteenlightenmentshowsitself inmanyforms of existence. These forms havenoindependentexistenceseparatedfrom theoriginalenlightenment. Justas with a man who has lost hisway,hislosingof theway dependson hisoriginalknowledgeof his course(forif he had no idea of the10Awakening-of Faithwayatfirst,he could not be said to have lostit)sowithmen,it is becausetheyhavethe ideaofenlightenmentthattheyknowtheyareunenlightened.Iftheyhad no idea ofenlightenmentin the abstracttheycouldnotbesaid tobealtogether imenlightened.Fromimperfect ideas ofunenlightenmentmenareabletounderstandthemeaningof wordsand trueenlightenment.If wedispensewith finiteenlightenment,we cannot conceiveof trueenlightenment.(1.)First,finiteenlightenment maybeviewed inthreewaysalwaysinseparablefrom it.(a.)Sensation. When theunenlightenedmindisexcited wecall itsensation. Whenthereisenlightenmentthere is noexcitement;if there is excitement there ispain,as effect follows cause.(d.)Consciousness. This occurs whenfollowinganyexcitement one becomes conscious ofsomething.Withoutsensation there is noconsciousness.(r.) Perception.This is formed when followino-consciousnessthe external becomes real. Without consciousnessthere are noperceptionsof outsideobjects.Sincethere is anobjectiveworld,there ariseagainsixaspectsof itaccordingto anotherclassification,viz:(a.)Consciousness,which arises from outwardobjectswhich the minddistinguishesbetween one andanother betweenwhat it likes andwhatit dislikes.(.)Emotion.This follows consciousness andproducesjoyandsorrow,These false ideas arise fromconstantpartial enlightenment.(c.)Attention. This followsemotion, reachingaftereverything,seizingonjoyandsorrowandcleavingtothemwiththewholemind.(d.) Conception.This followsperception,distinguishingitbygivingit aname.Awakeningof Faith 11(