DIFFUSION

BUDDHIST IDEAS IN THE WEST THROUGH THE INTERNET.

OF

Introduction

Min Bahadur Shakya

ne of the most important contributions of Lord Buddha is his teaching, which he delivered throughout his life times thereby bringing millions of suffering human beings to peace and happiness. His teaching of non-violence and peace is more relevant today than his days. Concerning the importance of Buddhist teaching, Albert Einstein has this to say: The religion of the future will be a cosmic religion covering both the natural and spiritual, it should be based on a religious sense rising from the experiment of all things, natural and spiritual, as a meaningful unity; Buddhism answers this description. Remarks of this nature coming from a man highly acknowledged and highly esteemed throughout the world as one of the greatest scientists the world has ever known, gives us an added conviction that Buddhism may yet suffice as an antidote of war and strife. As a Buddhist, one must oppose the use or the threat of force against other nations except in certain circumstances, for self-defense. In the process of drafting the UN charter, those who promulgated this document, closely linked international peace and security with progress in arms limitations, disarmament, the cessation of violent conflicts through mutual trust and co-operation. The first of the UN Charters principles was the commitment to save succeeding generations from the scourge of wars.1 There is seemingly no end to the armed intervention and violent conflicts in the various regions of the world. One of the most important goals of the United Nations includes achieving World Peace and security. The UN has helped end conflicts around the world through the negotiation of cease-fires and through peace agreements.
1

Article 26 of the UN Charter.

Diffusion of Buddhist Ideas in the West.......

Mr. U. Thant, the Secretary General of United Nations (1967) declared the following:Disclosing the universality and significance of Buddhas message, that, to quote the Secretary General At no time in history has it been more so relevant as it is today. In spite of its profound values Buddhist ideas could not get through in the West in the past millennium and not even until eighteenth century of the present era. That's why A. Arnold called the Buddha "Light of Asia" It is true that the whole of Asia is flooded with Buddhist monasteries with huge amount of manuscripts on Buddha's teachings, monuments, festivals, caves and teaching centers. A legacy beyond imagination indeed! Buddhism: In a Scientific Perspective In the West, Buddhism has aroused extensive interest and sympathy. There are many eminent personalities in western societies who are either Buddhists or who are sympathetic towards Buddhism. This is most clearly exemplified by the remark made by Albert Einstein in his autobiography, the remark that he was not a religious man, but if he were one he would be a Buddhist. This is quite surprising, and offhand we would not expect such a remark to be made by the Father of Modern Science One of the reasons that a westerner appreciates about Buddhism is the face that it is not culture bound, not bound to any particular society, race or ethnic group. That is why we have Indian Buddhists, Thai Buddhists, Chinese Buddhists, Nepalese Buddhists, Srilankan Buddhists and so forth. Furthermore, now we have even American Buddhists, and African Buddhists. It moves very easily from one culture to another because its emphasis is on internal practice rather than on external behavior. The second reason is its pragmatic approach dealing with problems rather than taking an interest in metaphysics and academic theory. The third reason is the Buddha's teaching on the importance of verification through experience. This point is made clearly in his advice to the Kalamas contained in the Kesaputtiya sutta. The Kalamas were people like ourselves in our modern day where we are exposed to so many diverse teachings. They went to the Buddha and enquired that

{2}

Diffusion of Buddhist Ideas in the West.......

as there were so many different teachers and as all of them claimed that their doctrine was true, how were they to know who was telling the truth. The Buddha told them not to accept anything out of authority; not to accept anything because it is written in sacred shastras; not to accept anything out of reverence for their teacher; or out of hearsay; or because it sounds reasonable. We can see a striking parallel between the Buddha's own approach and approach of the science to the problem of knowledge. Observation is in a sense the key to the Buddha's method of knowledge. It is observation that yields the theory of the Four Noble Truths. We find that not only is the method of science-observation, experiment and analysis-anticipated by the Buddha, but that some of the very specific conclusions about the nature of man and the Universe that are indicated by the latest developments in quantum physics were also indicated by the Buddha. For instance, the importance of the mind. A noted physicist not long ago has remarked that the Universe is really something like a great thought. Dhammapada states that the mind precedes all things, and the mind is the maker of all mental states. Similarly the relativity of matter and energy, the fact that there is no radical division between mind and matter. All these indications are now gradually being revealed by the latest development in science. Problems on the diffusion of Buddhist literature in the West. One of the major sources of Buddhist teachings in the Asian countries is the abundance of Buddhist literature in the vernacular languages, which includes Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Thai, Sinhalese, Nepalese, Tibetan, Mongolian, Central Asian, Sanskrit, Pali and so forth. Even now most of these literatures have not been translated into English or other International Languages. Sanskrit: It was not until the advent of Sir Brian B.Hodgson (1824-1842 AD.) a British diplomat in Nepal, discovered a great number of Sanskrit Buddhist manuscripts in Nepal. The existence of these before his time was unknown, and his discovery entirely revolutionized the history of Buddhism, as Europeans knew it in the early part of this century. Copies of these works, totaling 381 folio manuscripts have been distributed so as to render them accessible to European scholars. Of these eighty-six manuscripts comprising 179 separate works, many were presented to Asiatic Society of Bengal: 85 to the Royal Asiatic

{3}

Diffusion of Buddhist Ideas in the West.......

Society of London; 30 to the Indian Office Library; 7 to the Bodleian Library, Oxford; 174 to the Socit Asiatique, and to French scholar Eugene Bernouf. The last two collections have since been deposited in the Bibliothque Nationale of France.2 Prof. Jaya Deva Singh writes in his Introduction to Madhyamika Philosophy: "Books on Mahayana Buddhism were completely lost in India. Their translation existed in Chinese, Japanese and Tibetan. Mahayana literature was written mostly in Sanskrit and mixed Sanskrit. Scholars who have made a study of Buddhism hardly suspected that there were also books on Buddhism in Sanskrit." In a similar manner Suniti Kumar Chatterji writes: "One great service the people of Nepal, particularly the highly civilized Newars of the Nepal Valley, was to preserve the manuscript of Mahayana Buddhist literature in Sanskrit. It was the contribution of Sri Lanka to have preserved for human kind the entire mass of the Pali literature of Theravada Buddhism. This went also to Burma, Cambodia, and Siam. It was similarly the great achievement of the people of Nepal to have preserved the equally valuable original Sanskrit texts of Mahayana Buddhism." It is in Nepal that most of the Sanskrit Buddhist documents have been found. Most of the manuscripts originally preserved in Nepal have been carried out of the country by the pioneers of the modern Indology. An earliest illustrated Manuscript of Aasaha Prajpramit dated 1015 rik AD is now in the collection of the Cambridge University Library. This Manuscript offered new material to students of South Asian and Central Asian art history. Pali: Concerning Pali literature of Buddhism, it was until the advent of Prof. Rhys Davids, Hermann Oldenburg and others who translated some of these literatures into English and published them. Before their time the Western scholars have no access to the literature of Pali canon in translations. Besides, H.C.Warren's Buddhism in Translation is a superb collection of translation from Pali sources arranged according to subject. These and other modern translations of Pali canon have contributed a significant growth in the studies of Buddhism. It should be acknowledged that through the energetic efforts of these pioneering Giant scholars of the west those Buddhist teachings were
2

See R.L.Mitras The Sanskrit Buddhist Literature of Nepal, Calcutta (reprint) 1971,p.xxxv-vi

{4}

Diffusion of Buddhist Ideas in the West.......

transmitted into West. At present, we have many outstanding Buddhist scholars who contributed a lot in translating these Buddhist scriptures in western languages and these can be surfed through Internet. How did Internet solve these problems? Thanks to the scientific development of computers and the Internet that these Buddhist literatures could be made available very easily today through Internet using CD-ROMS: Vipassana Research Institute (VRI)-Igatpuri, Maharastra, India, was established in 1985 under the guidance of S.N.Goenka.The VRI research work focuses on two main areas: translation and publication of the PALI texts, and research into the application of Vipassana in daily life. The Pali sources are the Tripitaka (the Pali canon), the commentaries and sub-commentaries. Myanmar and other southeastern Asian countries maintained a tradition of preserving the words of the Buddha in their original form. Unfortuntely, the Pali texts and the practice of Vipassana were lost in India.VRI undertook the task of publishing the entire Pali canon and allied commentarial literature.This work supplemented the efforts of Nalanda Mahavihara.VRI has taken the Chatta Sangayana version in Burmese script as the authentic, authoritative version.Pali scholars from India and other countries, including many learned bhikkhus and research scholars in Burma, assisted in this work. The work product has provided an authentic version of the Tripitaka and allied literature in Devanagari script in printed book form. The digitally encoded text is published on a CDROM. The New version 2.0 CDROM was launched in Thailand in July 1998. Some of the features are as follows: Besides, the main Pali-Tripitaka volumes, it contains the most comprehensive collection of the commentarial literature and other Pali texts. It has a total of 183 volumes, extending to 59150 pages. One can easily open any volume, view any chapter, paragraph or page. The text can be viewed in the following seven scripts at the clock of a button. Its information is posted in its website www.tipitaka.org. Thus the entire Pali literature has been put into CDROM discs without need of large amount of space of displaying 183 volumes of Books in shelves. A wonderful feat indeed! Asian Classics Input Project-USA was formed for the purpose of preserving the endangered Indo-Tibetan Buddhist literature and

{5}

Diffusion of Buddhist Ideas in the West.......

making it available to scholars, libraries and researchers. This important body of literature, widespread throughout Central Asia for hundred of years, was almost completely lost in this century due to unfavorable political and economical circumstances. Moreover, it has been almost impossible for these books to reach the people who can use them the most: the more than 10,000 Tibetan Buddhist monkscholars who are living as refugees near the venue of this conference and elsewhere in India and Nepal. The ACIP electronic database now contains over 100000 pages of Buddhist literature from Kanjur, Tanjur, and the collected works of Great Tibetan Masters. The typing of the books are put on CD-ROMs and the Internet (http://www.asianclassics.org, and are distributed to scholars and researchers around the world, freely and without charge. CBETA-Taiwan: The Chinese Buddhist Electronic Text Association (CBETA), is a project to digitized the hundred million words of the Taisho Tripitaka.The results may be viewed at http://ccbs.ntu.edu.tw/cbeta. This project, providing Buddhist literature for both popular and scholarly consumption, has already won commendations from many organizations and scholars at home and abroad. It has produced CD's containing entire Taisho edition of Chinese Buddhist Tripitaka. Besides, since 1995,"The Comprehensive Cyberspace Buddhist Studies http://ccbs.ntu.edu.tw" at National Taiwan University has established many Internet databases, including over twenty websites on such topics as " The Retrieval Bibliography of Buddhist works",The digital full text of Buddhist works" and The Electronic Buddhist Tripitaka Series".Over one hundred thousand entries and thousands of full texts are included in these bases. Sanskrit Buddhist Text Input Project (SBTIP) -Nepal: Concerning Sanskrit Buddhist literature our Nagarjuna Institute has initiated a SBTIP 1999, to create a database on Sanskrit Buddhist literature especially on Mahayana Sutras, Dharanis, Strotras, Caryagitas and so forth. Dharanis: The Dharanis are the least explored branch of Buddhist Sanskrit literature although most of the monks of the northern Buddhist schools used them in their daily life. The Dharanis have paramount importance not only for Nepal Buddhists but also for all believers of Mahayana Buddhism around the world. The recitation of these dharanis is believed to bring into great merit and they are worn as amulet to avert evils including thieves, fire, and noxious animals to ensure long life. The bhikkhus and people in those days were much prone to these fears and compassionate Bodhisattvas wanted means of getting rid of

{6}

Diffusion of Buddhist Ideas in the West.......

them. The healing effects through recitation of dharanis are dramatically amazing no less than scientific treatment of western medicine. It is believed that Buddha had given these teachings on these Dharanis according to the request of Bodhisattvas.For Example: Aparimitayur Dharani is a good example for its efficacy in acquiring the longevity of life. It is said that great Madhyamika philosopher Nagarjuna had benefited from the Dharani to save himself from his early death. These Dharanis were used as an antidote to these fears. Nagarjuna Institute alone has a collection of more than 600 titles of Dharanis., 400 titles of strotras and 500 titles of Charyagitas composed by Mahasiddhas of India and Nepal. Besides, the Asha Archives of Kathmandu has a rich collection of 64 Dharani Manuscripts. Among them 24 are dated NS 584-1064.( 1464-1944.A.D).Almost all the Dharanis are written in Sanskrit. Strotras: In prosperity or distress, the Nepalese people worship and pray to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas for protection, good health, prosperity, family welfare and also for liberation from cyclic existence. The strotras or hymns throws light on various aspects of Buddhist doctrines.The strotras are sung by sadhakas during their meditation or act of devotion.The contents of these strotras are of varied nature ranging from simple act of confession,qualities of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, praises of deities of both mundane and supramundane , iconopgraphic data of various tantric deities and also explanation of Buddha's teachings themselves in the form of verses. These strotras can be sung with melodious music and can imprint the devotees significantly even in this modern world through the multimedia device. Caryagita: Caryagita is the song or hymn used to sing in Tantric Buddhist ceremonies. Most of the authors of those songs or dohas were the Mahasiddhas of India and Nepal. Mahasiddha Sarahpada's Dohakosha was the most popular one.Caryagita is said to be the song of enlightenment where profuse words of wisdom are met. In Newar Buddhist tradition these tantric songs are still sung by Buddhist Vajracharyas in special ceremonies like ordination ceremony or Acharya abhiseka.The importance of these hymns cannot be overemphasized for the students of Prakrit, Apavramsa,Sanskrit or Hybrid Sanskrit.If we could not preserve it now, the fast disappearance of these Asian wisdom is easily discernible. A loss for the whole world indeed. Seeing the vulnerability and need for preservation of these Sanskrit Buddhist manuscripts Nagarjuna Institute has launched the input of these texts within its constraints. World Wide Web: database on Buddhism

{7}

Diffusion of Buddhist Ideas in the West.......

There are many web servers who provides large database on Buddhism related website and pages. Yahoo alone has 501 websites and has links with 1,45,000 WebPages. Whereas Altavista search engine has registered 1, 89,235 web pages concerning Buddhism alone. Furthermore, Google Search engine, devised by Stanford University, USA has registered 2, 51,000 web pages on Buddhism. These web pages deal with all aspects of Buddhism as much as 100 categories. However, we are providing few popular websites to study following subjects. Theravada Buddhism Many organizations have created a number of websites with the Pali Texts translated into English and made available online in the website for the general public, they are as follows: The Theravada Buddhism Web Directory: http://quantrum.com.my/sadhu/ and for English translation of Pali Tripitaka on line please visit the website: http://www.accesstoinsight.org and http://www.mahidol.ac.th/budsir Sri Lanka Tripitaka Project: http://www.gold.ac.uk/jbe/ibrc.html Mahayana Buddhism For the English Translation of some of Mahayana Sutras translated from Chinese please visit http://www.sinc.sunysb.edu/Clubs/buddhism/ and http://www.buddhism.org/link/jump.cgi?ID=832 An organization that gives people the chance to receive higher education. Chinese Buddhism For the study of Chinese Buddhism, Center for Buddhist Studies, Taiwan has posted a vast resources in its website:http://cctb.ntu.edu.tw where one can find Chinese journals, texts, articles on Buddhism and so forth.In this website, a Buddhist resources has enlisting of more than 100 pages of Buddhist web pages dealing with all sorts of categories. Tibetan Buddhism and Vajrayana Again, Tibetan Studies Virtual Library www.ciolek.com, Australia has provided extensive resources for Tibetan Buddhist Studies. Another website called LinksPitaka (http://www.villege.ch/musinfo/ethg/ducor/intro.htm provides a comprehensive information on Vajrayana Buddhism of Tibet Electronic Journals:

{8}

Diffusion of Buddhist Ideas in the West.......

Concerning electronic journals: Journal of Buddhist Ethics seems to be a very popular website where one can find current and back issues of the journal online. Its web address:www.gold.ac.uk/jbe or http://jbe.la.psu/ and International association of Buddhist Journal: http://wwworient.unil.ch/ is another worldwide recognized academic journal. Buddhist Books Store: Amazon is said to be the largest bookstore where one can order books online. www.amazon.com;.There are others too which facilitates for eshopping of the Buddhist books. www.mlbdbooks.com www.snowlionpub.com www.indiamart.com/ibc Discussion and mailing lists There are several discussion list where scholars discuss among themselves on the points of doctrine through emails in the mailing list.For instance-dhammalist, fpmt group and so forth. Conclusion So far we have produced a very brief outline of extent of contribution made by Internet in disseminating Buddhism in the world. Many more evidences can be cited. It has definitely created awareness among scientific mind of the world about the value of good heart i.e potentiality of Mind. Throughout our history the supremacy of mind over matter or viceversa has been the main issue of debate between the occident and oriental religious people. The aim of both the group comes down to the same theme: happiness of this life and hereafter. In this case, the oriental religions especially Buddhism emphasize both ways. In my own opinion, these two should go together rather than create opposite views. Just as the development of science and technology has achieved its climax in exploiting the nature and function of matter, in the same way Buddhism has attained its climax in exploiting the cosmic nature of our human mind and its extensive function in human world as well as in this universe. As we see today, how Buddhist ideas, as indicated in my paper, through use of modern technology such as computers and Internet, have come down to us so easily and make our life happy and peaceful.

{9}

Diffusion of Buddhist Ideas in the West.......

I appeal to the Scholars and scientists of this conference to use one's wisdom in experimenting Buddha's teaching into their daily life and verify if it can bring peace and happiness to the world and to oneself. Now through these computers and Internet Buddha is recognized as "Light of the World" not just" Light of Asia" only. Thank you very much

{10}