large/12430/twooldfaiths_1901_librivox_64kb_mp3/twooldfaiths_03_mitchell_64kb_49
large/12430/twooldfaiths_1901_librivox_64kb_mp3/twooldfaiths_03_mitchell_64kb
English
12430
The rites, in fact, now threw the very gods into the shade; every thing depended on their due performance. THE RITES IN FACT NOW THREW THE WORTHIED GODS INTO THE SHADE EVERYTHING DEPENDED ON THEIR DUE PERFORMANCE
eling seem gone; all is dead and dry as dust. By this time the Sanskrit language had ceased to be generally understood. The original texts could hardly receive accessions; the most learned man could do little more than interpret, or perhaps misinterpret, them. The worshiper looked on; he worshiped now by proxy. Thus the priest had risen greatly in importance. He alone knew the sacred verses and the sacred rites. An error in the pronunciation of the mystic text might bring destruction on the worshiper; what could he do but lean upon the priest? The latter could say the prayers if he could not pray. All this worked powerfully for the elevation of the Brahmans, the "men of prayer;" they steadily grew into a class, a caste; and into this no one could enter who was not of priestly descent. Schools were now found necessary for the study of the sacred books, rites, and traditions. The importance which these attach to theology--doctrine--is very small; the externals of religion are all in all. LING AND EVEN RELIGIOUS FEELING SEEM GONE ALL AS DEAD AND DRY AS DUST BY THIS TIME THE SANSCRIT LANGUAGE HAD CEASED TO BE GENERALLY UNDERSTOOD THE ORIGINAL TEXT COULD HARDLY RECEIVE ASSISTANCE THE MOST LEARNED MAN COULD DO LITTLE MORE THAN INTERPRET OR PERHAPS MISINTERPRET THEM THE WORSHIPPER LOOKED ON HE WORSHIPPED NOW BY PROXY THUS THE PRIEST HADRIZON GREATLY IN IMPORTANCE HE ALONE KNEW THE SACRED VERSES AND THE SACRED RITES AND EVER IN THE PRONUNCIATION OF THE MYSTIC TEXT MIGHT BRING DESTRUCTION ON THE WORSHIPPER WHAT COULD HE DO BUT LEAN UPON THE PRIEST THE LATTER COULD SAY THE PRAYERS IF HE COULD NOT PRAY ALL THIS WORK POWERFULLY FOR THE ELEVATION OF THE BRAHMANAS THE MEN OF PRAYER THEY STEADILY GREW INTO A CLASS A CAST AND INTO THIS NO ONE COULD ENTER WHO WAS NOT OF PRIESTLY DESCENT SCHOOLS WERE NOW FOUND NECESSARY FOR THE STUDY OF THE SACRED BOOKS RITES AND PREDICTIONS THE IMPORTANCE WHICH THESE ATTACHED TO THEOLOGY DOCTRINE IS VERY SMALL THE EXTERNALS OF RELIGION ARE ALL IN ALL
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