Art Magic

Buddhism, the ruling faith of the Mongolians, is said to be professed by over four hundred millions of the world's inhabitants, or about one-third of the human race, and to have been imported by Fo, from Thibet, some four thousand years ago. The doctrines of Buddhism differ widely from Brahminism. It teaches the total annihilation of Caste, the unity of the whole human family; it is kind, just, merciful - conservative of life- respecting the rights of every creature, from the highest man to the lowest worm - from the mammoth to the animalculae. It admits of no superiority except in morals, no difference, save in educational culture and degrees of civilization. Its sweet and gracious teachings divide the power with Brahminism in India where in all probability it originated, and spread over the territory inhabited by the Mongol tribes. The Buddhists allege that to those who in truth, purity and constancy, put in force the doctrines of Buddha, the following ten powers will be granted:

1. They know the thoughts of others.
2. Their sight, piercing as that of the celestials, beholds without mist all that happens in the earth.
3. They know the past and present.
4. They perceive the uninterrupted succession of the Kalpas or ages of the world.
5. Their hearing is so fine that they perceive and can interpret all the harmonies of the three worlds and the ten divisions of the universe.
6. They are not subject to bodily conditions, and can assume any appearance at will.
7. They distinguish the shadowings of lucky or unlucky words, whether they are near or far away.
8. They possess the knowledge of all forms, and knowing that form is void, they can assume every sort of form; and knowing that vacancy is form, they can annihilate and render nought all forms.
9. They possess a knowledge of all laws.
10. They possess the perfect science of contemplation.

With all this vast claim for occult power, their means of attaining it are chiefly moral, and will be found in the following transcript of their belief:

"From its birth to the present moment, true Buddhism stands alone as a religion without offerings. It is confined to good works, to prayers, to charity, to meditation, to the presentation of fruits and flowers in temples of the Most High. Buddhist priests perform few, if any functions that are sacredotal; they are confraternities of pious men who live on alms, who act as patterns of the sternest forms of self-renunciation, or as teachers of the highest and purest morality. They are celibates who devote themselves wholly to religion; who abstain from animal food, and who drink only water; who live in nervous fear lest they may destroy even the life of an insect."

It will thus be seen that the contemplative life, the practices of asceticism, chastity, purity and good works are made the foundation stones of the extraordinary powers attained to by numbers of the Buddhist priests, no less than subordinate personages in that beautiful system of belief.

The doctrine which assumes that the soul of the great founder, Fo, or Buddha, is not only re-incarnated in the great High Priest and Ruler of their nation, the grand Lama, but that his divine spirit may also be distributed through thousands and tens of thousands of such subordinates as devote themselves to a religious life, has flooded China, Japan, Tartary and Thibet with Lamas, who swarm in every district and city of Mongolian rule. Like the Fakeers of India, the Dervishes of Egypt, and the Christian Friars of the Middle Ages, these Lamas represent every grade of intelligence, every class, from the richest to the poorest, and every quality of character from the most pious to the most degraded and impious. Lamaeries are established all through the Mongolian territories, where the good and the true, no less than the ignorant and vicious, can receive their education and become fitted for the work, if not the duties of their semi-priestly office, and thus it is that thousands who are too lazy to devote themselves to mechanical toil, or others who are simply ambitious to excel in the arts of the magician, fortune-teller, or wonder-worker, enter these lamaseries and spend years in the routine of their discipline, for the sake of going forth with the coveted prestige of Lamaism. Many of these disciplinarians prove themselves to be excellent mediums and natural spiritists; a still larger number endure frightful penances, and pass years in self-mortification and abstinence, simply for the purpose of becoming great wonder-workers, and earning a miserable and precarious living in the arts described in our last section, namely in fire-eating, the mutilation of the body without ultimate injury to the tissues, the execution of great magical feats, even the power which many of these Lamas actually possess, of transporting themselves invisibly from place to place through the air. The capacity to work these marvels, like the most ponderable and astonishing feats of physical force effected in the presence of modern spirit media, are never enacted through the most refined, or philosophical of the great Brotherhood. They are assumed to be produced by strong and earth-bound spirits; also by the Ginn or evil Elementaries, who abound in the lower parts of the arth, and who delight to serve mortals as gross and physically inclined as themselves.

During the author's residence in Tartary, he witnessed feats of magic which could scarcely be credited, yet, though the media through whom they were produced, had led ascetic lives, and changed their physical systems by long years of self-inflicted tortures, they were never highly intellectual persons, and rarely endowed with qualities which entitled them to much respect.

In the magical practices of these lamas they generally use fumigations consisting of narcotic or stimulating vapors, and drinks of the same character. Also they induce ecstasy by loud noise, the beating of drums, crashing of cymbals, braying of wind instruments, shrieks, yells, prayers, and invocations, far more calculated as would suppose, to scare of the Gods than to attract them. Sometimes they dance in circles or spin around until they drop down in foaming epilepsy, or insensibility.

The Chinese sacred books abound with directions for the invocation of spirits, and the use of talismans, spells, amulets, fumigations, and other means of inducing trance, and spiritual vision.

A vast number of both males and females in China are natural mediums. Writing, rapping, seeing, trance, and even materializing mediums abound in the Mongol Empire, and in nearly all the exhibitions of spirit power, the media are more strongly gifted, more honest and far more reliable, than the professional spiritists of Europe and America.

Visitors in some parts of the "Celestial Empire" are invited to witness trials of strength between parties of spirits controlling rival practitioners.

The author was present on an occasion when a large eight-oared boat being brought into a public hall in broad daylight, where about a hundred spectators were ranged around the sides of the hall, leaving the central space free, four Lamas and their attendants followed the boat, and placed it at one end of the cleared space. One of the party then read aloud the names of eight spirits engraved on the oars, and as each name was pronounced, that one of the oars thus inscribed was tossed up in the air, and then returned to its appropriate place by invisible power.

Subsequently, certain spirits responding to the cries of the Lamas who invoked them by turns, began to move the boat; some sliding it the entire length of the hall, others moving it backwards or forwards a few feet; and others only an inch or two from its place. After these feats were ended, the four Lamas produced miniature pagodas beautifully carved and fitted up, in which, as they claimed four genii or familiar spirits had taken up their residences. These toy houses being placed each on a stand, and appropriate invocations having summoned the invisible tenants, one of them commenced by swiftly carrying his pagoda up to the ceiling, where it remained like a fly adhering to its roof and pinnacles for upwards of twenty minutes, when it was as swiftly and suddenly replaced. At this token of spiritual power, the other Lamas redoubled their songs and incantations, calling upon their familiars by name, to put their successful rival to shame by their superior power. Moved as it would seem by these representations, one of the invisibles slid his house along the floor, causing it to gyrate like a dancer; still another responded by jumping his house about in the air, mimicking the well-known movements of the grasshopper, after which creature the Ginn supposed to be operating was named. The fourth spirit who was called after the sacred Stork, caused his mansion to float majestically some six feet in the air; there it became balanced, then fluttering like the wings of a bird it swooped around in a circle, and lighted back again upon its stand.

At the conclusion of teach feat the spectators clapped, shrieked and uttered yells of commendation, at which the pagodas were moved to bend with all the grace and aplomb of a popular dancer receiving the plaudits of a fashionable assembly. During these performances, the Lamas stood apart, each chanting his prayer or invocation, whilst the space devoted to the exhibition was parted off with a rope, making it impossible for any one to intervene with, or disturb the operations of the invisible performers.

In the mountain regions of Burmah, reside a people called Karens, who dwell in small settlements, or villages, and live lives of singular temperance, purity and honesty. Their religious teachers are called Bokoos, or Prophets, and their office is to inculcate moral principles, predict the future, and interpret the will of the Great Spirit. Besides these are an inferior class called Wees, or Wizards, who cure the sick by spells and charms, fly through the air, bewitch cattle or exorcise the evil spirit out of them, besides performing, or professing to perform, other very wonderful things.

A Christian Missionary, who had long been a resident amongst these simple mountaineers, assured the author their faith in the presence and ministry of the spirits of their ancestors was immovable. They declared they saw them by night as well as day; they conversed freely with them by signal knockings, voices, the ringing of bells and sweet singing. They performed works of good service and warned their friends of danger, death and sickness. One of the Christian Missionaries, writing to the New York Examiner, a strictly religious paper, says:

"The Karens believe that the spirits of the dead are ever abroad on the earth. 'Children and great grandchildren!' said the elders, 'the dead are among us. Nothing separates us from them but a white veil. They are here, but we see them not.' Other genera of spiritual beings are supposed to dwell also on the earth; and a few gifted ones (mediums, in modern language), have eyes to see into the spiritual world, and power to hold converse with particular spirits. One man told my assistant - he professed to believe in Christianity, but was not a member of the church - that when going to Matah he saw on the way a company of evil spirits encamped on booths. The next year, when he passed the same way, he found they had built a village at their former encampment. They had a chief over them, and he had built himself a house, larger than the rest, precisely on the model of the teacher's without, but within, divided by seven white curtains into as many apartments. The whole village was encircled by a cheval de frise of dead men's bones. At another time, he saw an evil spirit that had built a dwelling near the chapel at Matah, and was engaged with a company of dependents in planting pointed stakes of dead men's bones all around it. The man called out to the spirit: 'What do you mean by setting down so many stakes here?' The Spirit was silent, but he made his followers pull up a part of the stakes.

'Another individual had a familiar spirit that he consulted and which which he conversed; but on hearing the Gospel, he professed to become converted, and had no more communication with his spirit. It had left him, he said; it spoke to him no more. After a protracted trial, I baptized him. I watched his case with much interest, and for several years he led an unimpeachable Christian life; but on losing his religious zeal, and disagreeing with some of the church members, he removed to a distant village, where he could not attend the services of the Sabbath; and it was soon after reported that he had communications with his familiar spirit again. I sent a native preacher to visit him. The man said he heard the voice which had conversed with him formerly, but it spoke very differently. Its language was exceedingly pleasant to hear, and produced great brokenness of heart. It said: 'Love each other. Act righteously; act uprightly,' with other exhortations such as he had heard from the teachers. An assistant was placed in the village near him, when the spirit left him again, and ever since he has maintained the character of a consistent Christian."

In a series of articles written for the North China Herald, by the celebrated eastern traveler, Dr. Macgowan, there occurs the following description of spirit writing - a mode let it be remembered, by now means rare in the present day in China, Japan and Thibet:

"The table is sprinkled with bran, flour, or other powder, and two persons sit down at opposite sides, with their hands placed upon the table. A basket, of about eight inches diameter, such as is commonly used for washing rice, is now reversed, and laid down with its edges resting upon the tips of one or two fingers of the media. this basket is to act as penholder; and a reed or style is fastened to the rim, or a chopstick thrust through the interstices, with the point touching the powdered table. The ghost in the meantime has been duly invoked with religious ceremonies, and the spectators stand around waiting the result in awe-struck silence. The result is not uniform. Sometimes the spirit summoned is unable to write, sometimes he is mischievously inclined, and the pen - for it always moves - will make a few senseless flourishes on a table, or fashion sentences that are without meaning, or with a meaning that only misleads. This, however, is comparatively rare. In general, the words traced are arranged in the best form of composition, and they communicate intelligence wholly unknown to the operators. These operators are said to be not only unconscious, but unwilling participators in the feat. Sometimes, by the exercise of a strong will, they are able to prevent the pencil from moving beyond the area it commands by its original position; but, in general, the fingers follow it in spit of themselves, till the whole table is covered with the ghostly message."

Numerous other modes of consulting spirits are in vogue amongst the Mongols. Where the Prophet, or Bokt, is good, pious or sincere, such an one works not for pay, and can scarcely be induced to accept the presents that are tendered to him. A faithful devotee of this character having been sent for to cure a case of obsession from an evil spirit that had befallen a favorite servant of the author's, commenced by practicing on him with prayers, invocations, and the usual methods of exorcism. Finding that the demon, who especially manifested his influence in violent and dangerous attacks of epilepsy, resisted all the good man's efforts to dismiss him in pious grounds, this true heathen (Christian, of course, we dare not call him) understood to fast for nine consecutive days, in order, as he said, that he might expel the demon by the spirits of power which Fo would only accord to the self-sacrificing.

For nine days this angel of mercy shut himself up in a remote chamber, subsisting on very small rations of bread, water and a little rice, carefully excluding the light of day, and spending nearly the whole time, except when sleeping from utter prostration, in long and endless repetition of prayers suitable for his purpose. On the ninth night after his voluntary incarceration, he came forth with a stern countenance, a sparkling glance, erect form, and a voice which sounded strangely sweet and mellow, as he chanted his sonorous litanies to his God. The unfortunate patient happened to be in one of his worst crises as the self-devoted physician made his appearance. Laying this hands on the man's head, with a voice of thunder he commanded the demon to depart from him and afflict him no more. Almost at the instant this rite commenced, the sufferer fell into a sound and tranquil slumber, from which he did not awake till twelve hours afterwards, when he arose refreshed and well, and never from that hour was troubled with his tormentor again.

When will our Christian physicians make similar sacrifices, and produce similar results to their suffering victims?

The processes by which the most stupendous powers are excited have been already sufficiently dilated on. They vary not in any land, although in India they become tinctured with the sublime and metaphysical nature of a great and elevated nation of thinkers, whilst amongst the Mongols, the more mechanical and even childlike characteristics of the people lend to their spiritism an air of superstition, or blemish it with an appearance of legerdemain. Jugglery and slight of hand are accomplishments peculiarly in accordance with the supple forms and imitative natures of these ingenious people, but none can remain long in their midst, or study their history and manners attentively, without perceiving that all the efforts of the Christians to quench the spirit that is amongst them, and teach them to despise prophesyings, have failed, and will fail evermore.

Spiritism ever has, ever will find its most fertile soil in the magical East. That land of Prophets, Saviors, Avatars, and Oriental Mystics - that land where matter bends and sways in the grasp of mind as a pigmy writhes in the clutch of a giant; a land where magic shoots up in every plant; gleams forth in many colored fires from lustrous gems and glittering minerals; where stars tell their tales of eternity undimmed by the thick vaporous airs of equatorial lands, and the sun and moon imprint their magical meanings and solemn glories in beams whose radiance goes direct to the inner consciousness of awe-struck worshipers.

Let the magic of the Orient combine with the magnetic spontaneity of Western Spiritism and we may have a religion whose foundations laid in science, and stretching away to the heavens for inspiration, will revolutionize the opinions, or ages, and establish on earth the reign of the true Spiritual Kingdom.