THE LEARNING OF THE HINDUS.

Throughout the wide extent of Hindustan there are three hundred and sixty systems of philosophy and conduct. By such means is the war­fare with the malice of the spirit carried on, and the hand of violence extended against the deceits of our internal foes. The desire unto evil leadeth to perdition and the worship of the Lord exalteth the heart. The writer of this work has mixed with many of the leaders of thought and has made himself acquainted to some extent with the discussions of the different schools. A considerable body do not rise beyond the experience of sight and hearing. They consider argument as idle discussion and accept no proof other than tradition of the past. Another school profess acceptance of demonstration, but from interior blindness remove not the rust of doubt. Another sect urge on the swift and light-paced dromedary of vision to the halting-place of truth in some questions, and from self-esteem imagine that they have likewise attained the same goal in others. And yet another body submit their intellects to those who affect stoicism and indifference, and in pursuit of their desire, lend to what is not the deceptive gloss of what is. Volumes would not contain the full tale of these. Who thinks to break his fast at the board of the parasite? But for the benefit of real seekers of knowledge, I here set down the series of funda­mental systems which may be considered as nine in number and present the doctrines of each without discussion of their merits. It is my hope that inquirers may carefully study them and compare them with the principles of the Platonists, the Peripatetics, the Ṣúfis and dogmatic theologians, and removing the obstructíons of prejudice, seek alone for demonstration, and putting aside the estrangements of ignorance, exercise scrutiny with caution.

In this country there are eight sects who professedly teach the doc­trines of the emanation of the world, of a life to come, of the essence and attributes of the verities that underlie superior and inferior cosmic phenomena, and the ceremonial and modes of worship and the forms of monarchical government both visible and sy??bolic: the ninth denies the existence of God and rejects the belief in a beginning or end of existenee. Each of these have their special doctrines and rules of conduct and an ample nomenclature, but the system is that of the Greeks before the time of Aristotle. Formerly they wrote with an iron style on the leaves of the palm and the túz,* but now on paper, and from left to right. The leaves are kept separate and it is not the practice to stitch them together. Their mystic idealism enlightens the understanding and invigorates the soul. But how shall I proceed? for my heart inclines from speech to silence. Time after time, the ordinary subjects of knowledge, sinking deep into any mind oppress me to use true science, by which stair the soul might rise to insight into truth, as a means to procure rank and wealth, and again, at times, my understanding is luminously inspired not to make bread-winning and pencraft the end of knowledge. The searcher after a formula is unable to express it, or if discovered, the mind suffices not for its full cognition. For this reason, the tongue of speech adheres to the palate of silence and the head of thought sinks into the collar of depression, although it is said that he whose leisure is undisturbed, may in stillness be inspired to eloquence and the lover of taciturnity find voice though the inspired himself shall be dumb. But in truth to sully the tongue with utterance is to expose oneself to error. My own spirit is weary with discussion and my tongue oppressed by declaiming. I know not if this be lassitude of the disposition or the first revelation of truth, whether darkness overshadow my path with confusion or the leader of the caravan on this long journey be not yet arrived. Speech is a beverage filled with poison, and silence is a desert of sweet waters, the hidden source whereof flows from the possessors of truth. I have taken no quarry better than prayer and have seen no lamp brighter than silence. If my state were not one of such perplexity, and my mind not so averse from lengthened discussion, I would expound the philosophy of the Hindus after the systems of the Greeks, but as it is, in accordance with my design, I here set down what befits the scope of this work and my leisure permits.