PREFACE

Because Tibet remains a "forbidden land," communication with the Tibetan lamas in their own country is practically impossible. Among the Japanese Buddhist priests, however, there are some very learned men.

Through the kindness of the late Professor Arthur Lloyd, whose death has recently deprived Japan of one of its greatest authorities on Japanese Buddhism, I was put into communication with Mr. S. Tachibana, a Buddhist priest and Sanskrit scholar, who has kindly conducted many research projects for me. I also wish to thank Śramaṇa A Sanskrit term for a wandering monk or ascetic Kawaguchi of Tokyo, and Śramaṇa Jeshu Oda, Rector of the Chomoji Monastery at Nagoya, for their help in making certain research possible.

I owe special thanks to M. A. Foucher for his kindness in reading through my manuscript and—as I am not a Sanskrit scholar—for revising the accent marks of the letters in the Sanskrit words used in the text. I am also much indebted to him, as well as to Sir Aurel Stein, the explorer in Central Asia; to Herr von Le Coq, the explorer in Chinese Turkestan who is attached to the Museum of Ethnology original: Museum für Völkerkunde in Berlin; to Mr. E. Denison Ross, the officer in charge of the Records of the Government of India and the secretary of language studies original: philological secretary for the Asiatic Society of Bengal, for their kindness in giving me opportunities to study Buddhist temple paintings, frescoes, and miniatures which are not accessible to the general public.

My introduction into the complexities of the Mahāyāna The "Great Vehicle" school of Buddhism prevalent in North Asia system I owe to M. J. Deniker. His general study of the vast and complicated doctrines of Buddhism in its various branches will serve as a sufficient introduction to the subject for the general reader, and will enable them to approach the detailed discussion of the individual deities, their symbols, and characteristics found in the following pages with a good foundation of knowledge.

I place my book under the protection of the goddess Sarasvatī The Hindu and Buddhist goddess of knowledge, music, art, speech, and learning. May she inspire her consort Mañjuśrī The bodhisattva associated with transcendent wisdom to draw his sword of Wisdom and "cleave the clouds of Ignorance," so that in time the West may come to a clearer understanding of the East.