Evening star., 1937-12-26
Rx THEOS BERNARD.


The remoteness of Tibet from the
world in which most of us live has
helped to make 1t an almost legendary
land Of mystery. Despite the sober
accounts which have been brought
back to us by the few Europeans and
Americans who have briefly visited
there, Tibet is still a country about
which a great deal of romantic mis-
information exists.
Having just returned to New York.
want now, first, to explain the Tibet
which appreciate and understand in
matter-of-fact terms; and, second, to
pursue serious researches into the
origins and backgrounds Of Tibetan
Buddhism. Only to the extent to
which I can do this in an effectual
and scholarly manner has my long
journey been justified or has the conf
dence Of my Tbetan friends In me
been justified.
At the outset had no intention of
visiting Tibet. I started of on what
I thought was going to be a relatively
short trip to India. None would have
been more surprised than I to hear a
year ago last July that in the ensuing
IS months some of the most interest
ing and inspiring events of my life
were to take place-in Tibet.
Literature Is Limited.
7 have long been interested in the
religious outlooks and insights OF the
East, and particularly so in the Tan
ira, the social and philosophical ground
out of which Buddhism sprang. My
graduate studies were in anthropology
and philosophy; through these I
scanned the bulk of the literature on
Buddhism, Tantra and Tantric ritual.
1 found that this literature Is quite
limited, particularly in so far as
original material and sources are con-
cerned. It was in quest Of further
material that undertook the trip to
India and, later, Tibet, which cul-
minated in my finding a veritable
storehouse Of literature and informa-
ton from the sacred scripts Of the
Tibetains and from the mouths OF
some Of the most learned lamas them
selves.
return to America convinced that,
although Tibet Is potentially rich in
the goods of the world, 1t is far richer
In 4 religious and philosophical sense.
For there I found = living page of
what the school texts call ancient
history" I found out great deal
about one OF the worlds Oldest reli-
gions, its history and its daily appli-
cation in the only theocracy yet in
existence.
return = sincere friend Of the
Tbetans, devoted to them. and to their
religious teachings In a scholarly and
critical sense. have great faith in
the philosophical principles on which
the sects Of modern Buddhism are
based. say this in no mysterious or
mythical sense. I subscribe to the
philosophical teachings OF Tibetan
Buddhism, not because of any esoteric
and miraculous happenings, but on the
basis Of reasoned conviction.
Went to Kalimpong.
spent last winter in the City Of
Kalimpong, the nearest city in India
to the mountains, separating that
large part of the British colonial en-
pire from the Plateau of Tibet. I
went to Kalimpong in search Of the
religious and philosophical material
which had gone to India to seek,
for it is in that part of India that the
traces of the origins of Buddhism are
most clear. In addition. there are q
number of Buddhist scholars there,
and through there pass Tibetan lamas
on pilgrimages.
It is, to large extent, through
Kalimpong that Tibet has its contact
with the outside world. Tibetan wool
is sent out by pack train to Kalim-
pong, where it is bought by dealers,
who. in turn, ship it on to various parts
of the world. The bulk of this is now,
incidentally. shipped to a firm Of
American importers in Philadelphia.
And, conversely, most OF the things
which are imported into Tibet are car
ried back to Gyantse and Lhassa by
the same pack trains that bring out
the wool.
As sought for literature in Kalim-
pong, I became acquainted with a
Tibetan who was to become my lopon
(Tibetan for teacher in secular, rather
than religious, education) and my fast
friend. Through him and with him 1
did what research I could do in Kali
impong, and through him I met a
number of lamas who came from Tibet