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subtle force that for a moment sways each particle only to pass on to the
next； a motion mysterious in its immateriality。 Some such pleasure must
be theirs who have thrown their thoughts into the hearts of men； and seen
them spread in waves of feeling； whose sphere time widens through the
world。 For like the mobile water is the mind of man；quick to catch
emotions； quick to transmit them。 Of all waves of feeling； this is not the
least true of religious ones； that； starting from their birthplace； pass out to
stir others； who have but humanity in common with those who professed
them first。 Like the ripples in the pool； they leave their initial converts to
sink back again into comparative quiescence； as they advance to throw
into sudden tremors hordes of outer barbarians。 In both of the great
religions in question this wave propagation has been most marked； only
the direction it took differed。 Christianity went westward； Buddhism
travelled east。 Proselytes in Asia Minor； Greece； and Italy find
counterparts in Eastern India； Burmah； and Thibet。 Eventually the taught
surpassed their teachers both in zeal and numbers。 Jerusalem and
Benares at last gave place to Rome and Lassa as sacerdotal centres。 Still
the movement journeyed on。 Popes and Lhamas remained where their
predecessors had founded sees； but the tide of belief surged past them in
its irresistible advance。 Farther yet from where each faith began are to be
found to…day the greater part of its adherents。 The home that the Western
hemisphere seems to promise to the one； the extreme Orient affords the
other。 As Roman Catholicism now looks to America for its strength； so
Buddhism to…day finds its worshippers chiefly in China and Japan。
But though the Japanese may be said to be all Buddhists； Buddhist is
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by no means all that they are。 At the time of their adoption of the great
Indian faith； the Japanese were already in possession of a system of
superstition which has held its own to this day。 In fact； as the state
religion of the land； it has just experienced a revival； a regalvanizing of its
old…time energy； at the hands of some of the native archaeologists。 Its
sacred mirror； held up to Nature； has been burnished anew。 Formerly this
body of belief was the national faith； the Mikado； the direct descendant of
the early gods； being its head on earth。 His reinstatement to temporal
power formed a very fitting first step toward reinvesting the cult with its
former prestige； a curious instance； indeed； of a religious revival due to
archaeological； not to religious zeal。
This cult is the mythological inheritance of the whole eastern seaboard
of Asia； from Siam to Kamtchatka。 In Japan it is called Shintoism。 The
word 〃Shinto〃 means literally 〃the way of the gods；〃 and the letter of its
name is a true exponent of the spirit of the belief。 For its scriptures are
rather an itinerary of the gods' lives than a guide to that road by which
man himself may attain to immortality。 Thus with a certain fitness
pilgrimages are its most noticeable rites。 One cannot journey anywhere
in the heart of Japan without meeting multitudes of these pilgrims； with
their neat white leggings and their mushroom…like hats； nor rest at night at
any inn that is not hung with countless little banners of the pilgrim
associations； of which they all are members。 Being a pilgrim there is
equivalent to being a tourist here； only that to the excitement of doing the
country is added a sustaining sense of the meritoriousness of the deed。
Oftener than not the objective point of the devout is the summit of some
noted mountain。 For peaks are peculiarly sacred spots in the Shinto faith。
The fact is perhaps an expression of man's instinctive desire to rise； as if
the bodily act in some wise betokened the mental action。 The shrine in
so exalted a position is of the simplest： a rude hut； with or without the only
distinctive emblems of the cult； a mirror typical of the god and the pendent
gohei； or zigzag strips of paper； permanent votive offerings of man。 As
for the belief itself； it is but the deification of those natural elements which
aboriginal man instinctively wonders at or fears； the sun； the moon； the
thunder； the lightning； and the wind； all； in short； that he sees； hears； and
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The Soul of the Far East
feels； yet cannot comprehend。 He clothes his terrors with forms which
resemble the human； because he can conceive of nothing else that could
cause the unexpected。 But the awful shapes he conjures up have naught
in common with himself。 They are far too fearful to be followed。 Their
way is the 〃highway of the gods；〃 but no Jacob's ladder for wayward man。
In this externality to the human lies the reason that Shintoism and
Buddhism can agree so well； and can both join with Confucianism in
helping to form that happy family of faith which is so singular a feature of
Far Eastern religious capability。 It is not simply that the two contrive to
live peaceably together； they are actually both of them implicitly believed
by the same individual。 Millions of Japanese are good Buddhists and
good Shintoists at the same time。 That such a combination should be
possible is due to the essential difference in the character of the two beliefs。
The one is extrinsic； the other intrinsic； in its relations to the human soul。
Shintoism tells man but little about himself and his hereafter； Buddhism；
little but about himself and what he may become。 In examining Far
Eastern religion； therefore； for personality； or the reverse； we may dismiss
Shintoism as having no particular bearing upon the subject。 The only
effect it has is indirect in furthering the natural propensity of these people
to an adoration of nature。
In Korea and in China； again； Confucianism is the great moral law； as
by reflection it is to a certain extent in Japan。 But that in its turn may be
omitted in the present argument； inasmuch as Confucius taught
confessedly and designedly only a system of morals； and religiously
abstained from pronouncing any opinion whatever upon the character or
the career of the human soul。
Taouism； the third great religion of China； resembles Shintoism to this
extent； that it is a body of superstition； and not a form of philosophy。 It
undertakes to provide nostrums for spiritual ills； but is dumb as to the
constitution of the soul for which it professes to prescribe。 Its pills are to
be swallowed unquestioningly by the patient； and are warranted to cure；
and owing to the two great human frailties； fear and credulity； its practice
is very large。 Possessing； however； no philosophic diploma； it is without
the pale of the present discussion。
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The demon…worship of Korea is a mild form of the same thing with the
hierarchy left out； every man there being his own spiritual adviser。 An
ordinary Korean is born with an innate belief in malevolent spirits； whom
he accordingly propitiates from time to time。 One of nobler birth
propitiates only the spirits of his own ancestors。
We come； then； by a process of elimination to a consideration of
Buddhism； the great philosophic faith of the whole Far East。
Not uncommonly in the courtyard of a Japanese temple； in the solemn
half…light of the sombre firs； there stands a large stone basin； cut from a
single block； and filled to the brim with water。