Buddha: His Life, his Doctrine, his Order c7.s2.7

c7.s2.7

A point which seems highly characteristic of the religious tone of this Vedic monasticism, is the strongly maintained esoteric character of the faith. There was a consciousness of possessing a knowledge which could and must belong to but a few, to chosen persons, a sort of select doctrine, which was not intended to penetrate the national life. The father might impart the secret to his son, and the teacher to his pupil, but, in the circle of the believers in the Âtman, there was wholly wanting that warm-hearted enthusiasm which holds that it then, and then only, properly enjoys the possession of its own goods, when it has summoned all the world to participate in their possession.