92 
Sarat Chandra Das —Rise and Progress 
[No. 2, 
In China there were five Buddhist schools: 
I. The Vinaya or Hinayana school. 
II. The Mantra or Tantrik school. 
III. The Mahayana school. 
IV. The Gabhira Darsana school. 
V. The Sarartha Tantra. 
I. Vinaya or Hinayana School. 
The Indian sage Matanga who first carried Buddhism into China was 
the first of this school in China. His successors, for a length of time 
maintained his school, but latterly it dwindled away when Kumara STi was 
invited to China. Kumara STi was a great scholar and deeply read in the 
sacred literature of the Buddhists. He had also a great fame for 
prodigies and foreknowledge. During this time Chandana Prabhu 9 was 
also invited. King Hun-shi showed great reverence to him. Che-u- 
Hwashan and 800 other pupils of the Prabhu were engaged in the great 
work of translating the sacred scriptures into the Chinese language. Sermons 
and instructions in Mahayana philosophy were copiously given, and more 
particularly the vows of monkhood and of the Bodhisattva order were taken 
by many. Henceforth the Hwashan of China introduced the system of 
entering into the Bodhisattva order—a stage which is only attained after 
fulfilling the duties of asceticism of the first order. Kumara STi, together 
with Buddha Jnana, professor of Vinaya, Vimala Chakshu, and Dharma- 
ruchi and the most eminent of his colleagues, translated the four Vyakaranas 
of the Vinaya portion of the sacred literature, and thereby succeeded in 
enhancing the teaching of the Hinayana philosophy to the monks. 
Sthavira Sanga Varma, another illustrious Buddhist teacher, came from 
India to this country (China). The system of the Vinaya school, introduced 
by Kumara STi and matured bjr Sanga Varma, still prevails in China. 
There is an account of the arrival in China of a famous Sinalese nun 
named Devasara, accompanied by ten nuns from India. It is not known 
whether she was successful in her attempt to organize the convent system 
and of extending the vows of chastity and religious devotion to females. 
In the four fundamental truths of religion and in works respecting the 
solution of disputes and doubts about them, the Chinese do not differ 
from the Tibetans. From among the large body of books of instruction 
they selected those which suited them most in respect of their habits and 
ways of life ; in consequence of which they differ in some external obser¬ 
vances from their co-religionists in other countries. They have their own 
9 The Chankya Lama, the spiritual guide of the Emperors of China, is believed 
to be an incarnation of Chandana, one of the disciples of Buddha. 
