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The Way to Nirvana, by L. de la Vallée Poussin, [1917], at sacred-texts.com


p. ix

CONTENTS

CHAP.

 

PAGE

I.

Origins of the Indian Disciplines of Salvation

1

 

I. Religions and disciplines of salvation, p. 1. II. Old Āryan beliefs, the dead, gods, sacrifice, p. 10. III. Brahman speculation, theology, ritualism, 're-death,' ātman, p. 16.

 

 

 

 

II.

The Buddhist Soul

30

 

I. Buddhism a form of rationalism, p. 30. II. Buddhist psychology; contradictions, p. 34. III. There is no Self: Man is a chariot, p. 35. IV. There is reward of actions in a future life, p. 45. V. Whether Buddhists deny rebirth or migration of a soul, while maintaining migration of karman or character, p. 47. VI. Buddhists admit a sort of soul, p. 50.

 

 

 

 

III.

Buddhist Definition of Karman

57

 

I. Introductory, p. 57. II. Ancient history of Karman, p. 60. III. Karman is volition and voluntary action, p. 67. IV. Karman is moral action, p. 73.

 

 

 

 

IV.

The Doctrine of Karman and Transmigration, Cosmogony, Theogony

80

 

I. Mechanism of transmigration, p. 80. II. Classification of actions and mechanism of their fructification, p. 88. III. Destiny, free-will, solidarity, p. 94. IV. Cosmogony, p. 100. V. Theogony, p. 101.

 

 

p. x

 

CHAP.

 

PAGE

V.

Nirvāṇa

107

 

I. Introductory. Pessimism and deliverance or Nirvāṇa. Difficulties in ascertaining the nature of deliverance, p. 107. II. Etymology and meaning of the word Nirvāṇa. Three opinions on the state of a Saint after death, p. 113. III. Annihilation, p. 116. IV. 'Unqualified deliverance,' p. 123. V. Conclusion. Scholastic views on the conflicting statements in the Scriptures, p. 132.

 

 

 

 

VI.

The Path To Nirvāṇa

139

 

I. The Path is the eradication of desire, p. 139. II. A middle way between asceticism and indulgence, p. 142. III. A threefold training in the Buddhist truths, p. 151. IV. A skilful practice of trances, p. 159. V. Conclusion, p. 166.

 

Index

 

160


Next: Chapter I. Indian Disciplines of Salvation