large/12430/twooldfaiths_1901_librivox_64kb_mp3/twooldfaiths_02_mitchell_64kb_12
large/12430/twooldfaiths_1901_librivox_64kb_mp3/twooldfaiths_02_mitchell_64kb
English
12430
It may not be possible as yet to trace all the windings of the stream or to show at what precise points in its long course it was joined by such and such a tributary; yet much is known regarding the mighty river which every intelligent man will find it profitable to note and understand. IT MAY NOT BE POSSIBLE AS YET TO TRACE ALL THE WINDINGS OF THE STREAM OUGHT TO SHOW AT WHAT PRECISE POINTS IN ITS LONG COURSE IT WAS JOINED BY SUCH AND SUCH A TRIBUTARY IT MUCH IN KNOWN REGARDING THE MIGHTY RIVER WHICH EVERY INTELLIGENT MAN WILL FIND IT PROFITABLE TO NOTE AND UND
han that which is presented in the Homeric poems. Then, the growth--the historical development--of Hinduism is not less worthy of attention than its earlier phases. It has endured for upward of three thousand years, no doubt undergoing very important changes, yet in many things retaining its original spirit. The progress of the system has not been lawless; and it is exceedingly instructive to note the development, and, if possible, explain it. We are, then, to endeavor to study Hinduism chronologically. Unless he does so almost every man who tries to comprehend it is, at first, overwhelmed with a feeling of utter confusion and bewilderment. Hinduism spreads out before him as a vast river, or even what seems at first "a dark Illimitable ocean, without bound, Without dimension, where length, breadth, and height, And time, and place are lost." [Sidenote: The discussion chronological.] But matters begin to clear up when he begins at the beginning, and notes how one thing succeeded another.  WRITINGS OF THE HINDUS AN EXHIBITION OF IT DECIDEDLY MORE ARCHAIC EVEN THAN THAT WHICH IS PRESENTED IN THE HOMERIC POEMS THEN THE GROWTH THE HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF HINDUS IS NOT LESS WORTHY OF ATTENTION THAN ITS EARLIER PHASES IT HAS ENDURED FOR UPWARD OF THREE THOUSAND YEARS NO DOUBT UNDERGOING VERY IMPORTANT CHANGES YET IN MANY THINGS RETAINING ITS ORIGINAL SPIRIT THE PROGRESS OF THE SYSTEM HAS NOT BEEN LAWLESS AND IT IS EXCEEDINGLY INSTRUCTIVE TO NOTE THE DEVELOPMENT AND IF POSSIBLE EXPLAIN IT BEAT THEN TOO ENDEAVOR TO STUDY HIM DOISM CHRONOLOGICALLY UNLESS HE DOES SO ALMOST EVERY MAN WHO TRIES TO COMPREHEND IT IS AT FIRST OVERWHELMED WITH A FEELING OF UTTER CONFUSION AND BEWILDERMENT HE DOES AND SPREADS OUT BEFORE HIM AS A VAST RIVER OR EVEN WHAT SEEMS AT FIRST A DARK ILLIMITABLE OCEAN WITHOUT BOUND WITHOUT DIMENSION WHERE LENGTH BREADTH AND HEIGHT AND TIME AND PLACE ARE LOST BUT MATTERS BEGIN TO CLEAR UP WHEN HE BEGINS AT THE BEGINNING AND NOTES HOW ONE THING SUCCEEDED ANOTHER
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