Page:The Praises of Amida, 1907.djvu/27

Rh world, with the same we shall again go hence to meet the unknown sorrows of the life to come. This is true not only of ourselves: the same flames of suffering envelope our parents, our wives and children, our brothers and sisters, our friends and acquaintances. The whole human race stands surrounded by a conflagration of suffering and pain, the flames are quite near to us, they take hold of our sleeves, they touch our faces. We can hear around us the cries and groans of suffering humanity. How can we help seeking for some way of salvation.?

8. At such a time, Learning and Philosophy, which are the Ways of the World, can give us no help, try as they may. For why? They are unable to go a single foot s length beyond the confines of this world. They are themselves in the midst of the conflagration, how can they save men from it? There are also many forms of religion which are able to give men no certain grounds of hope. For why? Some of them tell us, poor feeble men that dwell in the midst of Pain, to save ourseves from Pain by our own