Page:An Essay On Hinduism.pdf/67

completely Hinduized, that is, brought into contact with the civilized portion of the population, but many nations like Burma and Siam were brought under Hindu influence. For example, even to-day in Siam not only Buddha is respected and revered, but Indian heroes like Rāma are also revered, and I feel sure that if a number of Hindus go to Siam and become men of influence, it would be difficult in future to give a reason for separating the Siamese from the Hindus.

Thus considered in a true light, process of Hinduization is the only process of universal application. The process of uniting communities by "religions" has succeeded greatly, but, in future, the chances for such a process to do their work are doubtful. Would all Christians ever give up their "religion" and become Mohamedans or vice versa? Missionary work for the propagation of religion means propagation of antagonism and social conflict and not the promotion of any "universal religion."

But the process by which Hinduism is formed is capable of being carried to its logical extent. All civilizations are capable of being united into one civilization. There would be a stock of moral ideas common to all the world, which people would follow whether embodied in any scriptures or not. They will have some common ideas of God. The great teachers of mankind would be universally revered. All the religions in the world would hold the same status as the different sampradāyas hold in India. Religions would become tribal traditions, and Bible, Vedas and Koran would be looked upon as tribal documents, of merely historical interest. The respect for great teachers of mankind would not remain tribal but would become universal.

I have already said that there was no "Hindu conscious-