The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1901-09-01
BUDDHISM SHOWS ITS HAND.
POLITICO-RELI0IOUS PLAN TO
UNITE TIVE FAR EAST.
wsuld Combine CHINA. Japan and Corca
Against the Rest ef the World Visit
ef Pehin Lama to Japan signaiires the
Formal Launching Of The Ne, ement.

while the great nations Of the ccidN
are engaged In the consideration Of plans
for the future Of China and indeed Of the
entire Far East. there has been taking
form quietly among the Buddhist peoples
a movement for an alliance whose function
IL shall b. to take the question into their
own hands and solve IL In a way which
shall be satisfactory first 60 themselves
and ~sftsrward. n possible, to tho world
outside. The tentative launching Of this
movement has now been accomplished
with an adroitness that makes manifest
the diplomatic skill Of tho~e at its head
The time and the plsce were chosen with
I consummats insight Of their op~portuneness.
Japan was judged 10 b. fertile soil and the
DAYS of reckoning following upon the
intervention Of Christian Powers IN China
the proper season for the sowing.
The Lama Of the principal Buddhist
monastery In Pekin has besn put forward
as tho head and front OF this poliiico-
religious movement which can only be
called new la that II has now taken per
hap- its first step In the open, but there
are behind him men who play vastly more
active parts In the affairs Of the three En-
~pir-s-China. japan and Corea-his
propaganda In Intended to include.
Before the arrival II the Lama In Japan
last month the fact that an exalted prelate
OF the Buddhist religion vas about 10
visit the country was srtfu.ly announced.
n there Was thrown about HE personality
and his mission a mystery that piqued
the public c~uriously and aroused an interest
throughout the land exactly fitting the pur-
poses aimed AZ.
At first 1t was Understood that II was
the great Lama 81 Thibet itself who vas to
come among the follOwers Of Buddha in
japan and the impression CAUSED 10y this
IMPORT wa c~orrespondingly deep. ltsprcad
throughout tho length and breadth Of the
Empire, and AZ appear not "a have been
corrected until after the lama had actually
landed on japanese soil and had met with
a spectacular reception.
The English newspapers Of the country
werp not aware for several DAYS that 4
wac the Pekin Lama and not the Thihetan
functionsry who had come. But the secrecy
a. To tho real mission Of the stranger was
more prolonged. and as n sccount Of
the Iams's progress ays there VAS most
shiltllly contr1ved "a cr,scendo Of speschcs
and declarations To ~hich the public listened
almost unconsciou-ly until the climax Was
reached and thu KEY furnished
The frst real intimstion 81 the purpose
Of the lama'- presence In japan seems To
have heen given by himself In al address
before the Educational Society He had
always heard. he ssid. that Japan was
a Buddha -reverencing nation. and II had
therefore caused him some surprise 90 learn
hat her troops were fighting side nv side
with those Of foreign Powers against China
But IL subsequently, Appeared that the con-
A., =, a.. J.n.n..a xa. ,.rv d,S.r.,,
80. - 49,,
irom 'hs conuuc' VI '"en '""'sa~' "'o
that they had behaved with great kindness
and consideration protecting the persons
and property Of Chinese subjects. IL was
through their influence that tho Lama
Temple in Pekin had been saved from any
thing like destruction or outrage. II hap
pened To fall within the Japanese linee,
and the result was that II emerged scathless
FROM the crisis.
He had desired To visit Japan In order 10
return thanks In all tho proper quarters for
such effective protection, but, as his hearers
were aware. thu income of the lama Temple
was derived entirely from the Imperial
Treasury In Pekin. and during the absence
Of the court the resources Of the temple
did not permit any such expenditure. On
communicating his wish. and the impos-
sibilty 81 carrying IL out. To- the japanese
Count Otani. Of the Hongwan TempIe. the
latter had provided the necessary funds
and he was thus enabled 10 present his
tharks in person.
Thus the Lama disclosed the fact that
n titled JAPANESE had furnished the funds
for his tourney, and a little latcr-on July
2e-at a meeting given in HE honor by
several semi-political organizations, NJ.
let IL b. known that there was a political
side TO his mission when he said that he
had previously heard Of the cSistence In
Janan of societi.s formed for the purncse
Of protecting the integrity OF the Chinese
F,npIrc. and declared that II gave him
great pleasure 20 make tho acquaintance
81 such associations.
But IL WAS two DAYS later az n rrrat meet
inc at which sD Buddhist priests wcro
pre-ent that tho complete uncnvcr.ng
came. Tho occasion was as significant
as the sreaches that marked II. OF tina,
meeting IN, following account was printed
by the Yokohama Japdn Ddih Mail.
'-yi-count Miura. who rrpn.sen,ad tho
hosts. and the Lama himself. deliver rcd
srs,ches which. without any very close
analyris show plainl that the purpo.,
OF the Rnddhists has hcen to utilize the
coming Of the pontin Of their crced bv wav
OF public declaration, first. that tho cir
cun,stancrs 81 Tie tlme dictate a close
union lei y,4,n Japan, China and Kora.
same script and deriving the bcginnina-
OF their civilization and enlightenment
from the same source; secondly, that IN