I have shown, however, that the capacity for suffering is
less in animals than in man. Any further explanation that may be given
of their fate will be in the nature of hypothesis, if not actually
mythical in its character; and I may leave the reader to speculate
upon the matter for himself.
[Footnote 1: Cf. _Welt als Wille und Vorstellung_, vol. ii. p. 404.]
_Brahma_ is said to have produced the world by a kind of fall or
mistake; and in order to atone for his folly, he is bound to remain
in it himself until he works out his redemption. As an account of the
origin of things, that is admirable! According to the doctrines
of _Buddhism_, the world came into being as the result of some
inexplicable disturbance in the heavenly calm of Nirvana, that blessed
state obtained by expiation, which had endured so long a time--the
change taking place by a kind of fatality. This explanation must be
understood as having at bottom some moral bearing; although it is
illustrated by an exactly parallel theory in the domain of physical
science, which places the origin of the sun in a primitive streak of
mist, formed one knows not how. Subsequently, by a series of moral
errors, the world became gradually worse and worse--true of the
physical orders as well--until it assumed the dismal aspect it wears
to-day.
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