The World Bewitched, Chapter 7
CHAP. VII. That the ſame Sentiments are to be found amongſt moſt of the Nations of Aſia.
Sect. 1. THE Inhabitants of Aſia, as far as that Continent is known to us, are not ſo dull as the Northern Europeans. The Chineſe, Japanders, Sianeſe, Peguans, thoſe Indians that are known from ancient times, and thoſe from the Weſt of Bengala, ſurpaſs all the reſt in civility and ingenuity; but the Chineſe carry it before all other Nations. Let us allow them to explain their own Sentiments, and give us an account of their practiſes. We ſhall hear them unanimouſly grant, that to ſpeak properly, there is but one Divine Being, whoſe virtue extends every where. However, when they came to conſider the various objects of the Divine Adminiſtration, and his different effects. they divided the Government of the World, betwixt two Principal, and many Inferior Gods, as the Ancient Heathens, of whom we have ſpoken.
Sect. 2. Thus the Japanders have intruſted Chaca and Amida with the ſupream adminiſtration of all things, and Tanconida, Benjamonda, Homocanda Zoiola, Pipi and Jiſus, with the particular directions of the Heavens, whither the laſt leads the Souls of the deceaſed. The principle Sect amongſt the Chineſe, is that which follows the Sentiments of Conr futius, who is eſteemed a great Saint amongſt them. That Sect, ſays Carobius, in the words of Trigaltius, acknowledges and adores one only God, believing that he governs and keeps all things here below. They alſo venerate the Spirits, but much leſs than that Deity; neither do they aſcribe to them ſo great a Power. All theſe People imagine a graduation from the Great Gods to the Inferior Gods, and from them to the Spirits; for theſe pretend that the Soveraign God, has ſet over the Heavens Laocon, that is, the Miniſter of the Great God, and upon the Inferior World Canſai, who has under him three Spirits, Tanduam, Teiquam, and Tſuiquam: the firſt of whom has the direction of the Air; the ſecond of the Earth, and the third of the Sea. Amongſt the inferior Gods, who are very numerous, they reckon the Inventors of Arts, eſpecially Sichia, Quanina, and Neoma, a God and two Goddeſſes. Amongſt the Tartars, thoſe of Sarmacande, who border on the Empire of the Great Mogul, are Mahometans. But amongſt the others, particularly thoſe of Niuche, on whom the Empire of Chinais now depending. The Deity is likewiſe divided into two; the one is the God of Heaven, and the other of the Earth; but they make the condition of the firſt, ſo high and ſublime, that it may be eaſily perceived, they acknowledge but one God indeed.
Sect. 3. The Peguans believe a Supream Deity, called Duma, who is Good, but admit alſo of a 2d, who is Bad, and for that reaſon is accounted to be the Devil by the Chriſtians. They eſteem beſides, that there are a great number of Gods, each of whom has his particular Office; the Chief are Carco vitas, the moſt ancient of all, on whom the other depend, Oiſnna, the mover of all things, Apalita, the Leader of the Pilgrims, Fotoco their Interceſſor by Duma, who eſpecially prays for the Souls of the deceaſed, that are condemn'd to the darkneſs or the Gulf, in the Houſe of Smoak. The Siamois acknowledge one God, who inhabits the Heavens, with many other Gods inferior to him, amongſt whom they place the deceaſed, who have been their Lawgivers.
Sect. 4. Amongſt the Inhabitants of Java, in which Iſland is ſituated the City of Batavia, belonging to the Dutch Eaſt-India Company; ſome believe the Tranſmigration of Souls. The Cingalois in the Iſle of Ceilon worſhip four Gods, betwixt whom they believe the Goverment of the World to be divided; and withal, venerate the Souls of the deceaſed, whoſe Lives have been virtuous; ſo that both the one and the other, believe the exiſtence of Demons. But thoſe of the Javanois may be good or bad, whereas thoſe of the Cingalois can be but good.
Sect. 5. Thoſe that inhabit the North of the Cape Comorin, and reach to the Dominions of the Great Mogul, tho' they be much divided in their Sentiments; yet agree in this point, that there is a Supream Deity, called either Viſtenau or Eſuara, who, however Governs the world only by the Miniſtry of inferior Gods, of whom Brama, who is the Creator and Director of all things, is the Chief. Some ſay, that all theſe three depend upon Tſechti, as upon the only Sovereign God. But after all, the difference is not ſo much in the thing as in the name. They all believe that Brama gives to Indre or Deuendre a Supream Authority, over 8 principal Directors of the Superior World, who they place higher than the Earth, and nevertheleſs under Bramalocon, which is the abode of Brama. Of theſe eight, ſeven receive the Souls of the dying, who have led a good Life, and the eighth receives that of the Damned. They likewiſe believe that thoſe Gods have been begotten and married after the manner of Men; that they have ſometimes appeared upon Earthy, in a bodily ſhape, and that Viſtenau himſelf has been ſeen under more than ten Forms as Rogerius relates to have learned it from the mouth of a Bramine.
Sect. 6. Going farther Northward into the Kingdoms of Guſuratte or Cambaie, Decan and Bengale, ſubject to the Great Mogul, you will find above fourſcore Sects, amongſt which there are four Principal, whereof one called Chevravac, hardly believes the exiſtence of one God: However taken together, they all confeſs that there is one, who preſides over all the reſt, and on whom they all depend. Even that Sect, that will ſcarce believe the Exiſtence of Gods worſhip. Tiel Tenquer, who is eſteemed a general Saint, ſhewing thereby that it is eaſier to forſake God with the Mouth, than with the Heart. The Sect named Samaraet conſtituted, under Permiseer their Soveraign▪ God, three other Gods, each of whom has a ſhare in the Government of the World. They ſay that Brama has power over all the Souls, and diſtributes them to Men and Beaſts, as he pleaſes; that Baffiuna teaches Men the Commandments of Permiſeer, and provides with all things in this life, thoſe that are obedient to him; and that Mais calls to Judgment before Permiſeer, the Souls ſeparated from the Bodies, who ſends them according to their deſerts, into the Bodies of Men or Beaſts, to be afterwards with them purified of their Fits in a certain purging Fire. The Gentives in the Kingdom of Goleonda, believe alſo one only God, who has been from all Eternity; but in proceſs of time, has aſſociated himſelf to ſome inferior Gods, choſen from amongſt Men; which notion is agreeable with the Semidii Indigetes, or Heros of the Ancient Romans.
Sect. 7. Thoſe Ancient Perſians who have remained in their Religion, ſince Mahometiſm has ſetled in their Country, deſerve to be taken notice of. Some remained in Perſia, and live for the moſt part at Iſpuhum, the Capital of that Empire. Others have retired into the Indies, eſpecially into the Kingdom of Guſuratte, where they are in great numbers. Here you have the belief of the people in the very words of Carolinus, extracted from de Laat, Varenius, and Tuiſt, They believe that there is one God preſent every where, who Governs all things a… pleaſure, without needing the aſſiſtance of any one; tho' in the mean time he has ſeven Miniſters by him, almoſt of the ſame Dignity with himſelf, who have each their particular Office, of which they are accountable to him. The 1ſt. is Hamalda, the Governour of Men. The 2d. is Baman, who has inſpection over the Beaſts, and the Creatures of the Sea. The 3d. is Ardi Beſt, who preſerves Fire, and hinders it from going out. The 4th. is Sariuard, on whom Metals and Minerals depend. The 5th, is Eſpendaar, who takes care leſt the Earth ſhould be fill'd with filthineſs, and grow wild; The 6th. is Arendaar, who has the direction of the Waters, and who takes care that they be not ſoiled with naſtineſs: The laſt is Amadaat, who has the inſpection of the Trees and Fruits of the Earth, and of Herbs. All theſe Gods are only Inſpectors and Directors; it being not in their power to inflict death upon any thing, or to give it a new Life, for they are ſolely eſtabliſhed to give an account to the Sovereign God, and to inform againſt thoſe that have ill uſed, corrupted, or violated the things, that are under their keeping:
Sect. 8. Beſides thoſe 7 Miniſters, there are yet 26, of an inferior Order, each of which has his particular diſtrict. Sorach is the firſt, whoſe Office it quickly to bring the Souls ſeparated from the Bodies before their Judges, viz. Mees, Reſna and Saros. The 4th. is Beram Carraſedaats, who directs War at his pleaſure. The 5th is the Sun. The 6th, is Anoa, who has dominion over the Waters. The 7th. is Ader, who is eſtabliſhed over Fire. The 8th is Maho, who governs the Moon. The 9th. is Tiera, that is the Rains, 10th. Gos governs and preſerves Cattle. 11. Tavardi takes care of the S…uls who are in Heaven. 12th. Aram brings Joy to t…e World, and baniſhes Pains and Sorrows from thence. 13th. Goada rules the Winds, tho' he be not the Wind himſelf. 14th. Dien gives to Nations information and underſtanding of the Laws, and inclination to keep them. 15. Apperſone affords Riches. 16th. Aſtaat gives Ʋnderſtanding and Memory. 17 th. Aſſamaan has the inſpection of Wares. 10. Gimninaat, has the conduct of the Earth. 19. Mariſipant is the God of Goodneſs, which he communicates to thoſe that have recourſe to him. 20. Armira is the director of Money. 21. Hoem is the Author of the conception of Women, and gives life to their Fruit. 22, 23. Dimnia and Baſe are eſtabliſhed to ſuccor thoſe that ſtand in need of them. The three laſt, Befadeer, Defemeer and Defyn, ſtand by God to ſerve him, and are always ready to perform his Orders. Theſe are the Names of thoſe 26 Miniſters, whom the Country men of Perſia honour with the Title of Geſtio, or Saint, and whom they believe to have Authority and Power all the things that are under their direction: For which reason they alſo adore them, truſting that they will be their Interceſſors to God, and obtain from him whatever ſhall be neceſſary for their good.
Sect. 9. Having thus ſufficiently ſpoken, as to the Gods, we'll now treat of the Spirits, tho' we find but little information upon this point in Authors, ſaving in what concerns China, and the Eaſt-Indies, on this ſide the River Ganges. I only find mention made, that the Japanders, in a place not farr from Oſacca, venerate a God or Spirit, named Tiedebaie, leſt he ſhould hurt them, and that another God called Goquis, frequently appears to them in a humane Shape. In the Town of Micao. They worſhip in a Statue of a frightful Figure, another Spirit, to whom the Chriſtians give the name of King of the Devils. There is no Pagod in all Japan, ſaith Carolinus, which is ſo frequented, nor enriched with ſo great Preſence, becauſe thereby they think to redeem their ſins.
Sect. 10. Martinius, Kircher, and Trigaltius, three Jeſuits, have written large Hiſtories of China, but very little inſiſted upon this matter: However, conſidering what they obſerve of the Worſhip of that People, it may be concluded that they believe the exiſtence of Spirits, as we ſhall ſhow hereafter. The Siameſe likewiſe venerate ſome wicked Gods, though againſt the ſentiment of many of their Doctors, under pretence of charging thoſe bad Spirits of ſuch evils, of which they will not make God the Author. It is ſaid of the ſame Nation, that they give two Spirits to every Man, one of which makes them to be good, and the other evil.
Sect. 11. But the greateſt knowledge we have of the Opinions of thoſe Countries comes from the Coaſt of Choromandel. Carolinus, who has gatherd what Rogerius ſays of it in many places, ſays, That they believe good and bad Spirits, that is, Angels and Devels; They name the Angels Deuetas, and the Devils Ratſiaſias: They hold that both were begotten by Men; and that their common Father was Caſſiopa, the firſt Bramaine, or Prieſt and Legiſlator; The Mother of the Deuetas was Diti, and that of the Ratſiaſias was Aditi; both Wives of Caſſiopa.
Sect. 12. There are two ſorts of Deuetas; For ſuch Men as go after their Deceaſe into the Happineſs of the Worlds under the Sun, and above the Earth, are alſo called Deuetas, but thoſe places are not for them an eternal abode, ſince after the ſucceſſion of ſome Ages, they muſt come back into the World, and be Born again. As to the other Deuetas, who are in great numbers, they never depart from their Abode. The Sun, Moon and Stars are in that number, they aſcribe unto them both Soul and Life.
Sect. 13. The Ratſiaſias are alſo of two ſorts, ſome of them are Wicked Men, who are condemn'd for their Sins to wander in the World, and to ſuffer Hunger and Thirſt, which they cannot ſatisfie but by the Alms that Men hand them: Wherefore they often appear in a human ſhape, to beg ſomething from them, but they have no power to hurt them. Beſides theſe, there is another ſort of Devils, or Ratſiaſias, properly ſo called, becauſe they are the Children of Aditi, and are very Malitious. They have power to moleſt Men, and even to cauſe much trouble and vexation to the Angels, or Deuetas. They may walk every where, except ſave in the abode of Brama, and in the Heavens. They are deſcribed with huge, frightful, and ſtinking Bodies, they are ſaid to be Male and Female, to procreate Children, and to be ſubject to Death.
Sect. 14. There's enough concerning the Demons of the Pagans of Aſia; but as moſt of thoſe Nations are Pythagoreans, and believe the Metempſychoſis, they alſo ſupply us with Heroes: For, (ſays Baldaeius, in his Book of the Idolatry of the Eaſt Indies) the Modern Heathens believe that Man is happier in this Life than the Beaſts, by reaſon that he has a Body, by which the Soul may exert her Operation; but they agree not that a Man is more noble than a Beast; nor that he has a Soul more excellent than it has. And when they are ask'd, why Beaſts reaſon not, they anſwer, becauſe they have not Bodies capable of exerting the qualities of a Soul, as a Dumb Man who wants a proper Organ to utter Words, and may be nevertheleſs very Wiſe; or as ſome People, who have a great deal of Knowledge and Learning, but have no more readineſ… to expreſs themſelves than Children who cannot do it. He that ſhall Read this will be leſs surprised at what follows.
Sect. 15. Nothing certain can be ſaid of the Japanders, becauſe the Jeſuits, who relate their Opinions, agree not together. It appears however, that there are amongſt that People three ſorts of Opinions concerning human Souls, and their Eſſence. The firſt is, That the Soul of Man differs not from that of Beaſts. The ſecond, That Men have a Soul of another Nature than that of Beaſts, but ſtill Mortal. The third, That the Soul is Immortal. They likewiſe believe the Metempſychoſis, and that the Soul going out of the Body is determined to enter into another Body, either of Man or Beaſt, by the conjunction that is then made of the Sun and Moon with other Stars.
Sect. 16. The Chineſe are likewiſe Pythagoreans, Martinius teſtifies it very plainly, as to one of their Sects, in theſe Words. Chiquiao is a Sect, which our People eſteem to be the firſt introduced in China, after the Birth of our Saviour. They believe the exchanges of Souls inwardly and outwardly. They Honour Images, and imagine that the Soul after Death paſſes in puniſhment of her Sins from one body into another; for which reaſon they abſtain from what ever has had life. That Narration is confirmed by Trigaltius, who ſays, That the Parents are not afraid of killing their Children to be diſcharged of them, when they are incumbred with too many, aſſerting, that by that means they procure them a better Condition; ſince inſtead of Poverty, they afford them by Death the occaſion of going into other Bodies, and being Born again in the Houſe of Richer People, where they will live more at eaſe. The Peguans ſeem to have the ſame Sentiment by the Relation Piuto, when by the Tomb of their Rolym, or High-Prieſt, they let looſe a great many Birds and Fiſhes, which they kept Priſoners, believing them to be as many human Souls, who will keep company to their Rolym in his way to the other World.
Beſides we read in Corolinus, out of Artus, in his Speculum Mundi, That the Wiſe Men of China have invented three places for thoſe that depart this Life. Nachac is a place of Torment; Schuum one of Delights, ſuch as the Paradiſe of Mahomet; and Miba, or Nibam, ſignifies an entire, privation of being, or a full Deſtruction of Body and Soul. All the Souls have their abode in the two firſt places, or depart from thence, to go to and fro through the World, and often paſs from one Body into another by new Birth, until they deſerve. to enter into the Nibam, that is, to be annihilated. Le Blanc ſpeaks of it ſomewhat differently, in a Relation extracted from a Franciſcan Monk. He ſays, That the Chineſe believe that Men become Gods at laſt, after they have paſſed through the Bodies of ſeveral Beaſts, Birds, and Fiſhes; and that they imagine that the Souls, after the courſe of many Ages, having been well purified in ſome proper places, and returned ſeveral times into new Worlds, are at last introduced into Paradiſe, caſt down to Hell, or reduced to nothing.
Sect. 18. As to the Opinion of the Siameſe in this point, we muſt learn it from the Relation of the Jeſuits in their Journey to Siam, in the years 1685. and 1686. becauſe that Book is the neweſt and much credited. Thus then writes Tachard, p, 297, 298. Edit. Amſteled. Metempſychoſis is one of the Fundamental Points of their Religion, ſo that the Life of Man paſſes in continual Tranſmigrations, untill he be ſanctified, and deſerves to be God. They admit of Spirits, but ſuch as are nothing elſe than Souls, who always inform ſome Bodies, until they have attained to Holineſs or Deity: Angels are Corporeal, and of different Sexes, and conſequently may beget Sons and Daughters. Thoſe Angels are never Sanctified nor Deified: but to them only belongs to watch over the Government of the World, and the preſervation of Men. They diſtribute them into ſeven Orders, or Hierarchies; ſome of which are more perfect and noble than the others; all which they place in as many different Heavens. Each part of the World has one of thoſe Intelligences to preſide over what is done there. They likewiſe impart them to Stars, to the Earth, to Cities, Mountains and Foreſts, and even to the Winds and Rain. And becauſe they are perſwaded, that thoſe Angels examine the conduct of Men, and are witneſſes of all their actions, to reward thoſe that are commendable, by vertue of the merits of their God; It is therefore to thoſe Intelligences and not to their God, that they uſe to apply themſelves in their neceſſities and miſeries, and to thank them for the favours they ſuppoſe to have received from them.
Sect. 19. They acknowledge no other Demons but the Souls of the wicked, who making their eſcape out of the Hell, in which they were detained; wander through the World a certain time, and do as much hurt to Men as they can. Amongſt thoſe unhappy Spirits, they rank untimely Births, Women dying in Childbed, thoſe that are killed in a Duel, or guilty of ſome crime of that nature.
Sect. 20. The Heathens of Java believe likewiſe Metempſychoſis, as well as thoſe of Sumatra, the Malabars, and the Inhabitants of the Coaſt of Cormandel. All the Benjanes in the hither Eaſt-Indies, agree upon no Article of Religion, better than upon this. Moſt of the Bramines, that are not engaged in any of theſe two Sects Schaaruakka and Paſenda, admit the immortality of human Souls, and ſay that there are ſome, who being ſeparated from the Bodies become Devils, becauſe of their ſins; and that the time of their firſt puniſhment being finiſhed, they muſt wander in the Air, and there induce an intolerable Hunger, it being impoſſible for them to draw ſo much as the Leaf of an Herb, or to ſupply their wants with any other thing, beſides what Men beſtow upon them in Charity. I had mention'd that Opinion, ſpeaking of the Ratſiaſias.
Sect. 21. In a word, when we gather all the Obſervations made in this Chapter, and before it, to diſcover the Opinions of the Heathens; we find that, tho' all their Superſtitions be grounded upon very different Cauſes; yet they all tend in the main to the ſame ſcope, that is, to worſhip one ſole Object, as the Supream Deity, and yet to aſſociate Spirits to him. I cannot better expreſs that Thought, than by the very words of Carolinus, which, are as a re-capitulation of what has hitherto been ſaid. Some eſteem, ſays he, that the Souls are mortal, others eſteem them immortal; ſome eſtabliſh rhe tranſmigration of Souls, others are not of that Opinion: and how much differ thoſe that aſſert the Metempſychoſis between themſelves; ſome, as thoſe of Java believe, that the Soul goes into the firſt Body ſhe meets with; others believe that ſhe is ſent into ſuch or ſuch Body, according as ſhe has merited by the good or evil ſhe has done, which is the Opinion of the Banjanes. Some affirm, that the Souls change their abode but once, others three times, and others teach a vaſt number of Tranſmigrations; others make them paſs only into Men, who muſt alſo be ſtrangers; others again ſend them into Man and Beaſts; but others at laſt make them paſs only in the Females of Men and Beaſts; which is the imagination of the Thearauachs; others have yet quite different Opinions. In a word, it may be rightly ſaid upon this ſubject, Many Men many Minds; for there are almoſt as many Opinions as Perſons.