still lies an unexplored land for the Western minds. And to
investigate her faith is not to dig out the remains of Buddhist faith
that existed twenty centuries ago, but to touch the heart and soul of
Mahayanism that enlivens its devotees at the present moment.


[FN#5] Hinayanism is, generally speaking, inclined to be
pessimistic, but Mahayanism in the main holds the optimistic view of
life. Nihilism is advocated in some Mahayana sutras, but others set
forth idealism or realism.

[FN#6] (1) The Ten Dai Sect, including three sub-sects; (2) The Shin
Gon Sect, including eleven sub-sects; (3) The Ritsu Sect; (4) The Rin
Zai Sect, including fourteen sub-sects; (5) The So To Sect; (6) The O
Baku Sect; (7) The Jo Do Sect, including two sub-sects; (8) The Shin
Sect, including ten sub-sects; (9) The Nichi Ren Sect, including nine
sub-sects; (10) The Yu Zu Nen Butsu Sect; (11) The Hosso Sect; (12)
The Ke Gon Sect; (13) The Ji Sect. Out of these thirteen Buddhist
sects, Rin Zai, So To, and O Baku belong to Zen. For further
information, see 'A Short History of the Twelve Japanese Buddhist
Sects,' by Dr. B. Nanjo.


The object of this little book is to show how the Mahayanistic view
of life and of the world differs markedly from that of Hinayanism,
which is generally taken as Buddhism by occidentals, to explain how
the religion of Buddha has adapted itself to its environment in the
Far East, and also to throw light on the existing state of the
spiritual life of modern Japan.