The History of Antiquity, Vol. 4 (of 6)Duncker, Max
History
The History of Antiquity, Vol. 4 (of 6)
Duncker, Max
History, Ancient
[370] "Ramayana," ed. Schlegel, 1, 51-65. In this extended form this
episode may, it is true, have first arisen at a much later time, as is
shown by the mention of Vishnu and Çiva, and the Yavanas (Greeks). If in
spite of these additions which are not important, I confidently place it
at this date, I do so because the importance of the penitent and his
power over the gods, the creation of beings by the penance of saints,
_i.e._ the degradation of the gods, must be placed before the appearance
of Buddha. This is the essential hypothesis for the religion which the
doctrine of Buddha found in existence. In the Mahabharata this legend is
told more briefly. Muir, "Sanskrit Texts," 196 ff.
[371] A. Weber, "Ind. Stud." 1, 414.
[372] The Sankhya system, which Buddha found in existence, presupposes
the Vedanta system. The latter system must therefore have been in
existence before Buddha; Roer, "Lecture on the Sankhya Philosophy,"
Calcutta, 1854, p. 19. The Vedanta is expressly mentioned in Manu, 2,
160, as belonging to the study of the Veda. The names Mimansa and Nyaya
are also mentioned in Manu, but only in the final part, which is very
loosely connected with the whole (12, 109, 111).
[373] Colebrooke, "Miscellaneous Essays," 1, 325 ff. M. Müller,
"Beiträge zur Kenntniss der indischen Philosophie" in Z. D. M. G. 6, 6,
7.
[374] Colebrooke, "Transactions of the Royal Asiatic Society," II, 1.
Vans Kennedy, "Asiatic Journal," 1839, p. 441 ff. Köppen, "Religion des
Buddha," s. 57 ff. Wuttke, "Geschichte des Heidenthums," 2, 257, 281,
399
[375] It is in the later Upanishads that we first find the doctrine of
Kapila called by the name Sankhya, Weber, "Vorles." s. 212; "Ind. Stud."
9, 17. As with the Vedanta system, so also with the Sankhya: in the
Sankhya-Karika we have only a very late and compressed exposition in 72
çlokas; but as Buddhism is founded on this system we are more certain
about the earlier form of it than in the case of the Vedanta.
[376] Burnouf, _loc. cit._ p. 511.
[377] Roer, "Lecture," p. 15; Köppen, "Religion des Buddha," s. 65.
[378] "Sankhya-Karika," çl. 63.
[379] "Sankhya-Karika," çl. 44. Burnouf, _loc. cit._ p. 520, 522.
[380] "Sankhya-Karika," çl. 67. By the side of this keen scepticism the
system of the Sankhya allows the gradation of creatures as fixed by the
Brahmans to remain, and the migration of souls with some slight
modifications. The lowest stage is formed by the minerals; above these
are the plants, reptiles, birds, wild animals, domestic animals. These
are followed by men in the order of the castes; and then come the
regenerations in the form of demons, Piçachas, Rakshasas, Yakshas and
Gandharvas; and last in the form of Indra, Soma, Prajapati, Brahman.
Barthelemy St. Hilaire, "sur le Sankhya," p. 286.
[381] Köppen, _loc. cit._ s. 69.
[382] Roer, "Lecture on the Sankhya Phil." p. 14; "Introduction to the
Çvetaçvatara-upanishad," p. 36; cf. "Sankhya-Karika," çl. 53-55. Muir,
"Sanskrit Texts," 3, 133 ff.
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