Page:Discovery Of Living Buddhism In Bengal.djvu/13

[8] its hold on the people of India, not so much because its enemies were powerful, but also on account of its own weakness. The word bhiksu, in later days, was a byeword of reproach, and the idea that the Buddhists were extremely sensual and licentious had been gaining ground in India for a long time. Many sects arose in the bosom of Bauddhadom itself which openly sympathised with the Saivayits and others. The Náthas or saints arose in India and Nepal about the 14th century, who were reverenced both by Hindus and Buddhists. In page 394 Vol. XVIII Journal R. A. S. old scries, Brian Hodgson says that Náthism or saintism was the bridge uniting the orthodox and the heterodox, the Bráhmanical and the Saugata sects. The Náthas were said to have been possessed of supernatural powers. They were not much attached to any creed. They had their own followers who worshipped them as Gurus and considered them identical with the supreme deity. The Bráhhmanas shunned them as much as they shunned any man belonging to any heretical sect. But they had immense influence among the other castes, specially those outside the pale of Orthodox Society i. e., those people whose water the Bráhmanas did not accept. Though there were fourteen or fifteen great Náthas, the number of minor Náthas was very large. In Bengal an entire section of the yogí caste call themselves Náthas, and those were anxious some years ago to assume the holy thread and become Bráhmanas i. e. made an unconscious effort to regain their religious supremacy. The story of the traveller Buddhagupta becoming a Nátha has been given above. An investigation as regards the position of these Náthas in India would be of invaluable use to the student who interests himself in the history of the changes which brought about the present state of religious, social, and moral life of India. The Hindu Tantras are replete with Buddhist ideas and Buddhist words, and some of the rites and ceremonies prescribed therein are purely Buddhistic; though this is not Buddhism of the purest kind.

I may now conclude the first part of my enquiry with the observation that there are many points in this which require clearing up and that there are others which are in a very unsatisfactory stale of progress.