Synthesized answer
According to the passages, Lowell states that miracles are performed "largely with an eye, at least one eye, to the public" [1], implying that the practitioners' motivations are partly about demonstrating their purity to an audience and inspiring wonder in the multitude [1]. This suggests a concern with external validation and public spectacle, as the miracles serve as "tests of the proficiency already attained" and are done "to the wonder of an open-mouthed multitude" [1].
In contrast, Lowell describes incarnations as involving a "loss of self" that is "the necessary price of an instant part in the kingdom of heaven" [2]. This implies a motivation focused on direct spiritual exchange with the divine, rather than public display. The incarnations are "foregone for directly profitable ends" [2], meaning the practitioner seeks personal spiritual benefit through self-surrender, not public acclaim. Thus, the contrast is between miracles performed partly for public effect and incarnations requiring a loss of self for divine connection.
The passages do not explicitly state Lowell's own perception of the practitioners' sincerity or whether he views the public motivation as cynical. They…
Synthesized from the book passages below. Chat with the book on Feynman for follow-up.
From the book
← Miracles Occult Japan by Percival Lowell Incarnations Pilgrimages and the Pilgrim Clubs → 2400321 Occult Japan — Incarnations Percival Lowell INCARNATIONS. I. FTER the miracles, or possessions of things, follow, in order of esoteric ascension, the incarnations, or possessions of people. The miracles, as I have hinted, are performed largely with an eye, at least one eye, to the public. To drench one's self with scalding water or to saunter unconcernedly across several yards of scorching coals are not in themselves feats that lead particularly to heaven, difficult as they may be to do.…
nd, are the objects the pious promoters have in view. Not so the incarnations. They too, indeed, serve a double purpose. But whereas they are, like the miracles, measures of the value of the purity of the man, they are also practical mediums of exchange between the human spirit and the divine. Foregone for directly profitable ends, loss of self is the necessary price of an instant part in the kingdom of heaven. Perhaps the most startling thing about these Japanese divine possessions is their number; unless it be that being so numerous they should have remained so long unknown. But it is to be…
← Shintō Occult Japan by Percival Lowell Miracles Incarnations → 2400320 Occult Japan — Miracles Percival Lowell MIRACLES. I. ULLARDS will always deem delicacy incompatible with strength. To touch a subject lightly is for them not to touch it at all. Yet the phrase "dead in earnest" might perhaps hint to them that there is more virtue in liveliness than they suspect. It is quite possible to see the comic side of things without losing sight of their serious aspect. In fact, not to see both sides is to get but a superficial view of life, missing its substance. So much for the people. As for…
od-possession of things and god-possession of people. The one gives rise to the miracles; the other to the incarnations. Both kinds of possession occurred spontaneously, that is, at the will of the gods, in olden times, and presumably so occur at the present day; but the gods have also graciously granted pure men the power to pray for them acceptedly. In the case of people the act of possession is nowadays known as kami-oroshi , kami-utsushi or kami-utsuri , that is, "the causing of the god to come down," "the causing the god to transform" or "god transformation." The first two names thus…
inity quite transcending the simply not feeling at all. Yet he was unconscious at the time, and conscientious afterward. By partially spoiling the miracle, then, it would seem that I had considerably improved it. III. The second miracle of the Three Great Rites is the Huvatari or the Walking Barefoot over a Bed of Live Coals. To the faithful this is one of the regular stock miracles, and when you become well known to the profession for a collector of such curios, you shall have offers of performance in your own back-yard. If also you be friend to the high-priest of the Shinshiu sect, you…
More questions about this book
- How does Lowell distinguish between "miracles" and "incarnations" in terms of their purpose, the nature of the "possession," and their intended audience or spiritual significance?
- Explain, in your own words, what Lowell means by "loss of self" being the "necessary price" for an "instant part in the kingdom of heaven" during an incarnation. What spiritual or psychological benefits might such a "loss" confer in this context?
- The text describes "miracles" as "tests of the proficiency already attained in the Way of the Gods." What specific qualities or spiritual advancements would these "feats," such as walking on coals, demonstrate to both the practitioner and the public?
- Considering Lowell's descriptions of both "miracles" and "incarnations," what larger understanding does he present about the "Way of the Gods" itself, particularly regarding the relationship between human effort, divine connection, and public demonstration?