in self and in all
mankind.

But I must not pause to trace the contrasts further. Enough has been
said to show the source of Occidental belief in the infinite worth of
man. In almost diametrical contrast to the Buddhist conception,
according to the Christian view, man is a real being, living in a real
world, involved in a real intellectual problem, fighting a real
battle, on whose issue hang momentous, nay, infinite results. So great
is man's value, not only to himself, but also to God, his Father, that
the Father himself suffers with him in his sin, and for him, to save
him from his sin. The question will be asked how widely the Buddhistic
interpretation of the universe has spread in Japan. The doctrine of
illusion became pretty general. We may doubt, however, whether the
rationale of the philosophy was very generally understood. One Sutra,
read by all Japanese sects, is taught to all who would become
acquainted with the essentials of Buddhist doctrine. It is so short
that I give it in full.[DD]

THE SMALLER-PRAGNA-PARAMITA-HRIDYA-SUTRA

"Adoration to the Omniscient. The venerable Bodhisattva
Avalokitesvara performing his study in the deep Pragna-paramita
[perfection of Wisdom] thought thus: There are the five Skandhas,
and these he considered as by their nature empty [phenomenal]. O
Sariputra, he said, form here is emptiness, and emptiness indeed is
form. Emptiness is not different from form, and form is not
different from emptiness. What is form that is emptiness, what is
emptiness that is form. The same applies to perception, name,
conception, and knowledge.

"Here, O Sariputra, all things have the character of emptiness;
they have no beginning, no end, they are faultless and not
faultless, they are not imperfect and not perfect. Therefore, O
Sariputra, in this emptiness there is no form, no perception, no
name, no concepts, no knowledge. No eye, ear, nose, tongue, body,
mind. No form, sound, smell, taste, touch, objects.... There is no
knowledge, no ignorance, no destruction of knowledge, no
destruction of ignorance, etc., there is no decay and death, no
destruction of decay and death; there are not the four truths,
viz., that there is pain, the origin of pain, stopping of pain, and
the path to it. There is no knowledge, no obtaining of Nirvana.

"A man who has approached the Pragna-paramita of the Bodh