Page:The Development of Mahayana Buddhism - The Monist 1914.pdf/11

Rh negated itself by its own affirmation, and it is now working to release itself from the negation through which this world of particulars was created. This is, as it seems to our limited intellect, an eternal process of suchness: from affirmation to negation and from negation to affirmation. To this mystery of mysteries, however, we fail to apply our rules of syllogism; we have simply to state the fact that, though it seems apparently contradictory, our religious consciousness finds in this mystery something unspeakably fascinating and indeed the justification of its eternal yearnings.

As a consequence of the conception of dharmakâya as eternal motherhood and as the source of infinite love, the doctrine of karma had somehow to modify its irrefragable severity. And here we observe another phase of differentiation as effected by the Mahâyâna Buddhists from the doctrine commonly held by their ethical, monastic Hinayâna brethren. I do not maintain that the doctrine of karma is denied by the Mahâyâna followers. Far from it. They adhere to the doctrine as firmly as the Hinayâna philosophers; they have taken away from it only its crushing effects upon the sinful, who are always too weak and too timid to bear the curse of all their former evil deeds. Or, in other words, the Mahâyâna Buddhists offer a doctrine complementary to that of karma in order to give a more satisfying and humane solution to our inmost religious needs. The Mahâyâna doctrine of parinâmanâ, therefore, must go side by side with that of karma; for through this harmonious coworking of the two, the true spirit of Buddhism will be more effectively realized.

The doctrine of parinâmanâ is essentially that of vicarious sacrifice. Apparently, it contradicts the continuity of the action of karma; but in Mahâyâna Buddhism karma is conceived in its cosmic rather than in its individualistic aspect, which makes it possible to reconcile the