..续本文上一页throughout India, is now almost extinct there
A. Buddhism was at first pure and noble, the very teaching of the Tathâgata; its Sangha were virtuous and observed the Precepts; it won all hearts and spread joy through many nations, as the morning light sends
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life through the flowers. But after some centuries, bad bhikkhus got ordination (Upasampada), the Sangha became rich, lazy and sensual, the Dharma was corrupted, and the Indian nations abandoned it.
313. Q. Did anything happen about the ninth or-tenth century A.D. to hasten its downfall
A. Yes.
314. Q. Anything besides the decay of spirituality, the corruption of the Sangha, and the re-action of the populace from a higher ideal of man to unintelligent idolatry
A. Yes. It is said that the Mussalmâns invaded, over-ran and conquered large areas of India; everywhere doing their utmost to stamp out our religion.
315. Q. What cruel acts are they charged with doing
A. They burnt, pulled down or otherwise destroyed our vihâras, slaughtered our bhikkhus, and consumed with fire our religious books.
316. Q. Was our literature completely destroyed in India
A. No. Many bhikkhus fled across the borders-into Tibet and other safe places of refuge, carrying. their books with them.
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317. Q. Have any traces of these books been recently discovered
A. Yes. Rai Bahâdur Sarat Chandra Dâs, C.I.E., a noted Bengali paṇ.dit, saw hundreds of them in the vihâra libraries of Tibet, brought copies of some of the most important back with him, and is now employed by the Government of India in editing and publishing them.
318. Q. In which country have we reason to believe the sacred books of primitive Buddhism have been best preserved and least corrupted
A. Ceylon. The Encyclopædia Britannica says that in this island Buddhism has, for specified reasons, "retained almost its pristine purity to modern times."
319. Q. Has any revision of the text of the Pitakas been made in modern times
A. Yes. A careful revision of the Vinâya Pitaka was made in Ceylon in the year 1875 A. D., by a convention of the most learned bhikkhus, under the presidency of H. Sumangala, Pradhâna Sthavira.
320. Q. Has there been any friendly intercourse in the interest of Buddhism between the peoples of the Southern and those of the Northern Buddhist countries
A. In the year 1891 A.D., a successful attempt was
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made to get the Pradhâna Nayakas of the two great pisions to agree to accept fourteen propositions as, embodying fundamental Buddhistic beliefs recognised” and taught by both pisions. These propositions, drafted by Colonel Olcott, were carefully translated into Burmese, Sinhalese and Japanese, discussed one by one, unanimously adopted and signed by the chief monks, and published in January 1892.
321. Q. With what good result
A. As the result of the good understanding now existing, a number of Japanese bhikkhus and samaneras have been sent to Ceylon and India to study Pâlî and Samskrit.
322. Q. Are there signs that the Buddha Dharma is growing in favour in non-Buddhistic countries
A. There are. Translations of our more valuable books are appearing, many articles in reviews, magazines and newspapers are being published, and excellent original treatises by distinguished writers are coming. from the press. Moreover, Buddhist and non-Buddhist lecturers are publicly discoursing on Buddhism to large audiences in Western countries. The Shin Shu sect of Japanese Buddhists have actually opened
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missions at Honolulu, San Francisco, Sacramento and other American places.
323. Q. What two leading ideas of ours are chiefly taking hold upon the Western mind
A. Those of Karma and Re-incarnation. The rapidity of their acceptance is very surprising.
324. Q. What is believed to be the explanation of this
A. Because of their appeals to the natural instinct of justice, and their evident reasonableness.
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Footnotes
93:* See Appendix.
《Part IV· The Rise and Spread of Buddhism》全文阅读结束。