rdinary Chinese Buddhism and
Lamaism are distinct, but are divided not so much by doctrine as by
the race, language and usages of the priests. Chinese Buddhism has
acquired some local colour, but it is still based on the teaching and
practice imported from India before the Yuan dynasty, whereas Lamaist
tradition is not direct: it represents Buddhism as received not from
India but from Tibet. Some holy places, such as P'uto and Wu-t'ai-shan
are frequented by both Lamas and Chinese monks, and Tibetan prayers
and images may sometimes be seen in Chinese temples, but as a rule the
two divisions do not coalesce.

Chinese Buddhism has a physiognomy and language of its own. The
Paraphrase of the Sacred Edict in a criticism, which, though
unfriendly, is not altogether inaccurate, says that Buddhists attend
only to the heart, claim that Buddha can be found in the heart, and
aim at becoming Buddhas. This sounds strange to those who are
acquainted only with the Buddhism of Ceylon and Burma, but is
intelligible as a popular statement of Bodhidharma's doctrine.
Heart[855] means the spiritual nature of man, essentially identical
with the Buddha nature and capable of purification and growth so that
all beings can become Buddhas. But in the Far East the doctrine became
less pantheistic and more ethical than the corresponding Indian ideas.
The Buddha in the heart is the internal light and monitor rather than
the universal spirit. Amida, Kuan-yin and Ti-tsang with other radiant
and benevolent spirits have risen from humanity and will help man to
rise as they have done. Chinese Buddhists do not regard Amida's vows
as an isolated achievement. All Boddhisattvas have done the same
and carried out their resolution in countless existences. Like the
Madonna these gracious figures appeal directly to the emotions and
artistic senses and their divinity offers no difficulty, for in China
Church and State alike have always recognized deification as a natural
process. One other characteristic of all Far Eastern Buddhism may be
noticed. The Buddha is supposed to have preached many creeds and codes
at different periods of his life and each school supposes its own to
be the last, best and all inclusive.

As indicated elsewhere, the essential part of the Buddhist Church is
the monkhood and it is often hard to say if a Chinese layman is a
Buddhist or not. It will therefore be best to describe briefly the
organization and life of a monastery, then the ser