is one of the commonest disguises assumed by blessings。
Note 4 （p。 60）。
〃There is within the body of every man a soul which； at the death of
the body； flies away from it like a bird out of a cage； and enters
upon a new life 。。。 either in one of the heavens or one of the hells
or on this earth。 The only exception is the rare case of a man having
in this life acquired a true knowledge of God。 According to the
pre…Buddhistic theory； the soul of such a man goes along the path of
the Gods to God； and； being united with Him； enters upon an immortal
life in which his individuality is not extinguished。 In the latter
theory his soul is directly absorbed into the Great Soul； is lost in
it； and has no longer any independent existence。 The souls of all
other men enter； after the death of the body； upon a new existence in
one or other of the many different modes of being。 If in heaven or
hell； the soul itself becomes a god or demon without entering a body；
all superhuman beings； save the great gods； being looked upon as not
eternal； but merely temporary creatures。 If the soul returns to earth
it may or may not enter a new body； and this either of a human being；
an animal； a plant； or even a material object。 For all these are
possessed of souls； and there is no essential difference between these
souls and the souls of menall being alike mere sparks of the Great
Spirit； who is ＇91＇ the only real existence。〃 （Rhys Davids； Hibbert
Lectures； 1881； p。 83。）
For what I have said about Indian Philosophy； I am particularly
indebted to the luminous exposition of primitive Buddhism and its
relations to earlier Hindu thought； which is given by Prof。 Rhys
Davids in his remarkable Hibbert Lectures for 1881； and Buddhism
（1890）。 The only apology I can offer for the freedom with which I have
borrowed from him in these notes； is my desire to leave no doubt as to
my indebtedness。 I have also found Dr。 Oldenberg's Buddha （Ed。 2；
1890） very helpful。 The origin of the theory of transmigration stated
in the above extract is an unsolved problem。 That it differs widely
from the Egyptian metempsychosis is clear。 In fact； since men usually
people the other world with phantoms of this； the Egyptian doctrine
would seem to presuppose the Indian as a more archaic belief。
Prof。 Rhys Davids has fully insisted upon the ethical importance of
the transmigration theory。 〃One of the latest speculations now being
put forward among ourselves would seek to explain each man's
character； and even his outward condition in life； by the character he
inherited from his ancestors； a character gradually formed during a
practically endless series of past existences； modified only by the
conditions into which he was born； those very conditions being also；
in like manner； the last result of a practically endless series of
past causes。 Gotama's； speculation might be stated in the same words。
But it attempted also to explain； in a way different from ＇92＇ that
which would be adopted by the exponents of the modern theory； that
strange problem which it is also the motive of the wonderful drama of
the book of Job to explainthe fact that the actual distribution here
of good fortune； or misery； is entirely independent of the moral
qualities which men call good or bad。 We cannot wonder that a teacher；
whose whole system was so essentially an ethical reformation； should
have felt it incumbent upon him to seek an explanation of this
apparent injustice。 And all the more so； since the belief he had
inherited； the theory of the transmigration of souls； had provided a
solution perfectly sufficient to any one who could accept that
belief。〃 （Hibbert Lectures； p。 93。） I should venture to suggest the
substitution of 〃largely〃 for 〃entirely〃 in the foregoing passage。
Whether a ship makes a good or a bad voyage is largely independent of
the conduct of the captain； but it is largely affected by that
conduct。 Though powerless before a hurricane he may weather a bad
gale。
Note 5 （P。 61）。
The outward condition of the soul is； in each new birth； determined by
its actions in a previous birth； but by each action in succession； and
not by the balance struck after the evil has been reckoned off against
the good。 A good man who has once uttered a slander may spend a
hundred thousand years as a god； in consequence of his goodness； and
when the power of his good actions is exhausted； may be born ＇93＇ as a
dumb man on account of his transgression； and a robber who has once
done an act of mercy； may come to life in a king's body as the result
of his virtue； and then suffer torments for ages in hell or as a ghost
without a body； or be re…born many times as a slave or an outcast； in
consequence of his evil life。
〃There is no escape； according to this theory； from the result of any
act； though it is only the consequences of its own acts that each soul
has to endure。 The force has been set in motion by itself and can
never stop； and its effect can never be foretold。 If evil； it can
never be modified or prevented； for it depends on a cause already
completed； that is now for ever beyond the soul's control。 There is
even no continuing consciousness； no memory of the past that could
guide the soul to any knowledge of its fate。 The only advantage open
to it is to add in this life to the sum of its good actions； that it
may bear fruit with the rest。 And even this can only happen in some
future life under essentially them same conditions as the present one：
subject； like the present one； to old age； decay； and death； and
affording opportunity； like the present one； for the commission of
errors； ignorances； or sins； which in their turn must inevitably
produce their due effect of sickness； disability； or woe。 Thus is the
soul tossed about from life to life； from billow to billow in the
great ocean of transmigration。 And there is no escape save for the
very few； who； during their birth as men； attain to a right knowledge
of the Great Spirit： and thus enter into immortality； or； as the later
＇94＇ philosophers taught； are absorbed into the Divine Essence。〃 （Rhys
Davids； Hibbert Lectures； pp。 85； 86。）
The state after death thus imagined by the Hindu philosophers has a
certain analogy to the purgatory of the Roman Church； except that
escape from it is dependent； not on a divine decree modified； it may
be； by sacerdotal or saintly intercession； but by the acts of the
individual himself； and that while ultimate emergence into heavenly
bliss of the good； or well…prayed for； Catholic is professedly
assured； the chances in favour of the attainment of absorption； or of
Nirvana； by any individual Hindu are extremely small。
Note 6 （P。 62）。
〃That part of the then prevalent transmigration theory which could not
be proved false seemed to meet a deeply felt necessity； seemed to
supply a moral cause which would explain the unequal distribution here
of happiness or woe； so utterly inconsistent with the present
characters of men。〃 Gautama 〃still therefore talked of men's previous
existence； but by no means in the way that he is generally represented
to have done。〃 What he taught was 〃the transmigration of character。〃
He held that after the death of any being； whether human or not； there
survived nothing at all but that being's 〃Karma；〃 the result； that is；
of its mental and bodily actions。 Every individual； whether human or
divine； was the last inheritor and the last result of the Karma of a
long series of past individuals〃a series ＇95＇ so long that its
beginning is beyond the reach of calculation； and its end will be
coincident with the destruction of the world。〃 （Rhys Davids； Hibbert
Lectures； p。 92。）
In the theory of evolution； the tendency of a germ to develop according
to a certain specific type； e。g。 of the kidney bean seed to grow into
a plant having all the characters of Phaseolus vulgaris； is its
〃Karma。〃 It is the 〃last inheritor and the last result〃 of all the
conditions that have affected a line of ancestry which goes back for
many millions of years to the time when life first appeared on the
earth。 The moiety B of the substance of the bean plant （see Note 1） is
the last link in a once continuous chain extending from the primitive
living substance： and the characters of the successive species to
which it has given rise are the manifestations of its gradually
modified Karma。 As Prof。 Rhys Davids aptly says； the snowdrop 〃is a
snowdrop and not an oak； and just that kind of snowdrop； because it is
the outcome of the Karma of an endless series of past existences。〃
（Hibbert Lectures； p。 114。）
Note 7 （p。 64）。
〃It is interesting to notice that the very point which is the weakness
of the theorythe supposed concentration of the effect of the Karma
in one new beingpresented itself to the early Buddhists themselves
as a difficulty。 They avoided it； partly by explaining that it was a
particular thirst in the creature dying （a craving； Tanha； which plays
other ＇96＇ wise a great part in the Buddhist theory） which actually
caused the birth of the new individual who was to inherit the Karma of
the former one。 But； how this too place； how the craving desire
produced this effect； was acknowledged to be a my