| The attitude of early Buddhism to the spirit world is a | | | | though freely invoked as accessories, are not taken |
| peculiar one. Their existence is assumed, but the truths | | | | seriously, and there are some extremely curious |
| of religion are not dependent on them, and attempts to | | | | passages in which the Buddha seems to laugh at |
| use their influence by sacrifices and oracles are | | | | them, much as the sceptics of the eighteenth century |
| deprecated as vulgar practices similar to juggling. Later | | | | laughed at Jehovah. |
| Buddhism became infected with mythology and the | | | | Thus in the Kevaddha sutta he relates how a monk |
| critical change occurs when deities, instead of being | | | | who was puzzled by a metaphysical problem applied |
| merely protectors of the church, take an active part in | | | | to various gods and finally accosted Brahmâ |
| the work of salvation. When the Hindu gods developed | | | | himself in the presence of all his retinue. After hearing |
| into personalities who could appeal to religious and | | | | the question, which was Where do the elements |
| philosophic minds as cosmic forces, as revealers of | | | | cease and leave no trace behind? Brahmâ |
| the truth and guides to bliss, the example was too | | | | replies, "I am the Great Brahmâ, the Supreme, the |
| attractive to be neglected and a pantheon of | | | | Mighty, the All-seeing, the Ruler, the Lord of all, the |
| Bodhisattvas arose. But it is clear that when the | | | | Controller, the Creator, the Chief of all, appointing to |
| Buddha preached in Kosala and Magadha, the local | | | | each his place, the Ancient of days, the Father of all |
| deities had not attained any such position. The | | | | that are and are to be." "But," said the monk, "I did not |
| systems of philosophy then in vogue were mostly not | | | | ask you, friend, whether you were indeed all you now |
| theistic, and, strange as the words may sound, religion | | | | say, but I ask you where the four elements cease and |
| had little to do with the gods. | | | | leave no trace." Then the Great Brahmâ took him |
| Often as the Devas figure in early Buddhist stories, the | | | | by the arm and led him aside and said, "These gods |
| significance of their appearance nearly always lies in | | | | think I know and understand everything. Therefore I |
| their relations with the Buddha or his disciples. Of mere | | | | gave no answer in their presence. But I do not know |
| mythology, such as the dealings of Brahmâ and | | | | the answer to your question and you had better go |
| Indra with other gods, there is little. In fact the gods, | | | | and ask the Buddha. |