his subject.

XXXIII

TRACES OF PERSONALITY IN SHINTOISM, BUDDHISM, AND CONFUCIANISM

Regret as we sometimes must the illogicalness of the human mind, yet
it is a providential characteristic of our as yet defective nature;
for thanks to it few men or nations carry out to their complete
logical results erroneous opinions and metaphysical speculations.
Common sense in Japan has served more or less as an antidote for
Buddhistic poison. The blighting curse of logical Buddhism has been
considerably relieved by various circumstances. Let us now consider
some of the ways in which the personality-destroying characteristics
of Buddhism have been lessened by other ideas and influences.

First of all there is the distinction, so often noted, between
esoteric and popular Buddhism. Esoteric Buddhism was content to allow
popular Buddhism a place and even to invent ways for the salvation of
the ignorant multitudes who could not see the real nature of the self.
Resort was had to the use of magic prayers and symbols and idols.
These were bad enough, but they did not bear so hard on the
development of personality as did esoteric Buddhism.

The doctrine of the transmigration of the soul was likewise a relief
from the pressure of philosophic Buddhism, for, according to this
doctrine, the individual soul continues to live its separate life, to
maintain its independent identity through infinite ages, while passing
through the ten worlds of existence, from nethermost hell to highest
heaven; and the particular world into which it is born after each
death is determined by the moral character of its life in the
immediately preceding stage. By this doctrine, then, a practical
appeal is made to the common man to exert his will, to assert his
personality, and so far forth it was calculated to undo a part of the
mischief done by the paralyzing doctrine of fate and illusion.

But a more important relief from the blight of Buddhistic doctrine was
afforded by its own practice. At the very time that it declared the
worthlessness of the self and the impotence of the will, it declared
that salvation can come only from the self, by the most determined
exercise of the will. What more convincing evidence of powerful,
though distorted, wills could be asked than that furnished by Oriental
asceticism? Nothing in the West exceeds it. As an _idea_, then,
Buddhism interfered with the development of the conception of
personality; but by its _practice