to orthodox Confucianism.


Buddha, the Law, and the Priesthood

At the head of the Buddhist gods in China we find the triad
known as Buddha, the Law, and the Church, or Priesthood, which are
personified as Shih-chia Fo (Shâkya), O-mi-t'o Fo (Amita), and Ju-lai
Fo (Tathagata); otherwise Fo Pao, Fa Pao, and Sêng Pao (the _San Pao_,
'Three Precious Ones')--that is, Buddha, the prophet who came into the
world to teach the Law, Dharma, the Law Everlasting, and Samgha, its
mystical body, Priesthood, or Church. Dharma is an entity underived,
containing the spiritual elements and material constituents of the
universe. From it the other two evolve: Buddha (Shâkyamuni), the
creative energy, Samgha, the totality of existence and of life. To the
people these are three personal Buddhas, whom they worship without
concerning themselves about their origin. To the priests they are
simply the Buddha, past, present, or future. There are also several
other of these groups or triads, ten or more, composed of different
deities, or sometimes containing one or two of the triad already
named. Shâkyamuni heads the list, having a place in at least six.

The legend of the Buddha belongs rather to Indian than to Chinese
mythology, and is too long to be reproduced here. [18]

The principal gods of Buddhism are Jan-têng Fo, the Light-lamp
Buddha, Mi-lo Fo (Maitrêya), the expected Messiah of the Buddhists,
O-mi-t'o Fo (Amitabha or Amita), the guide who conducts his devotees
to the Western Paradise, Yüeh-shih Fo, the Master-physician Buddha,
Ta-shih-chih P'u-sa (Mahastama), companion of Amitabha, P'i-lu Fo