phic Buddhism as fairly accurate,
it is plain that the attainment of this consciousness of the unity of
the individual self with the universal is the result, according to
Buddha, and also according to the advocates of "impersonality," of a
highly developed consciousness of self. It is not a simple state of
undifferentiated mind, but a complex and derivative one--absolutely
incomprehensible to a primitive people. The means for this suppression
of self _depends entirely on the development of the consciousness of
self_. The self is the means for casting out the self, and it is done
by that introspection which ultimately leads to the realization of the
unity. If, then, Japanese Buddhism seeks to suppress the self, this
very effort is the most conclusive proof we could demand of the
possession by this people of a highly developed consciousness of self.

It is one of the boasts of Buddhism that a man's saviour is himself;
no other helper, human or divine, can do aught for him. Those who
reject Christianity in Christian lands are quite apt to praise
Buddhism for this rejection of all external help. They urge that by
the very nature of the case salvation is no external thing; each one
must work out his own salvation. It cannot be given by another.
Salvation through an external Christ who lived 1900 years ago is an
impossibility. Such a criticism of Christianity shows real
misunderstanding of the Christian doctrine and method of salvation.
Yet the point to which attention is here directed is not the
correctness or incorrectness of these characterizations of
Christianity, but rather to the fact that "ji-riki," salvation through
self-exertion, which is the boast of Buddhism, is but another proof of
the essentially self-conscious character of Buddhism. It aims at
Nirvana, it is true, at self-suppression, but it depends on the
attainment of clear self-consciousness in the first place, and then on
prolonged self-exertion for the attainment of that end. In proportion
as Buddhism is esoteric is it self-conscious.

Such being the nature of Buddhism, we naturally ask whether or not it
is calculated to develop strongly personalized men and women. If
consciousness of self is the main element of personality, we must
pronounce Buddhism a highly personal rather than impersonal religion,
as is commonly stated. But a religion of the Buddhistic type, which
casts contempt on the self, and seeks its annihilation as the only
means of salvation, h