Anagarika Dharmapala - Colonel Olcott in Japan

Availing myself of the first opportunity since my convalescence, I beg to thank, through the medium of your journal, those friends who so kindly made inquiries as to the state of my health, and who were so anxious about my recovery. Extreme lassitude, brought on by overwork in the Ceylon Section, broke down my constitution; a change was necessary, remaining in Colombo was injurious to my health, and Colonel Olcott thinking that change of air, perfect rest from work, and a sea-voyage would bring me round again, brought me over here. He also wished me to become known to the Japanese in view of future international intercourse.

So far as Hong Kong everything went well. Saigon is a French Colony, and by-the-way, a beautiful city, eminently French in its appearance; having a limited trade, almost entirely in the hands of the Chinese. Hong Kong, a British colony, was quite a contrast to that quiet and tropical city, Saigon. Here was that activity and bustle which one sees in a busy commercial city. Standing near the clock tower, it was a most striking experience to see the unending stream of jinrickshas and the throngs of busy Chinamen in their picturesque dresses, passing to and fro. The day of our arrival was the one after the Chinese New Year. Here, too, the Chinese carry on a brisk trade. Hong Kong was cold, and overcoats were found indispensable. From Hong Kong to Shanghai we had a rough sea, cold winds and rain. In Shanghai the temperature had fallen to 34 deg. Fah. To one from the tropics, who had never experienced a winter, this sort of weather was an unpleasant, not to say dangerous, novelty; at least I found it so. From Shanghai to Kioto was a trying passage; I could not bear the cold, I felt as if I would freeze to death. At last my debilitated constitution succumbed; I was attacked first with rheumatism in the extremities, which subsequently changed into an agonising neuralgia, preventing my moving about Japan with Colonel Olcott, and serving him as Secretary. Mr. Noguchi having also fallen ill, the President has been left to get on in the best way he could, to our deep regret.

On the 9th of February we arrived in Kobe. As soon as the s.s. Djemnah anchored, the members of the “Col. Olcott committee,” and a few of the Chief Priests, came on board to welcome the “Imastraka” Olcott. On the pier about a hundred priests, representing all the sects having temples in Kobe, were waiting to present him with an address of welcome. After the presentation of the address, Colonel Olcott and party were escorted to a famous local temple of the Tendai sect, where arrangements had been made for our entertainment. The temple is an admirable construction in the Japanese style of architecture and excited our admiration, so neat, so beautifully decorated in that perfect taste and

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delicacy of touch for which the Japanese are famous. On the 9th Colonel Olcott in a short address made the audience understand that Buddhism is a philosophy whose ethics were now gaining ground among the intellectual minds of Europe and America, and that they should cling to their national religion. On the following morning he spoke again before leaving Kobe for Kioto, the religious and ancient capital of Japan, where we arrived in the evening. The Kioto Railway Station was the scene of tumultuous activity. Thousands of men, women and children had gathered; all the students of the Western and Eastern Honganjis, numbering about 1,100, lined the streets to do honour to the welcome guest. We were taken to the Cheonin temple of the Pureland sect, a venerable and imposing structure, the very sight of which impresses one with a feeling of awe. Here reigns a supreme calm. It stands amid beautiful scenery and for contemplative minds seems a paradise. In the vast preaching Hall of this venerable pile, to an audience of thousands of people, Colonel Olcott made his first public lecture. The greatest enthusiasm was provoked by his fiery address, the audience listened with rapt attention save when they broke out into thundering applause. Just near the shrine where the image of Lord Buddha is placed, Colonel Olcott stood on a raised platform. His venerable figure and dignified presence instantly commanded attention. He raised his hand to enforce quiet, repeated the “Pansil,” and then began his discourse in a clear, strong voice that reached the furthest auditor. Mr. Noguchi, surprised at the calmness of the audience in the Patcheappah Hall, Madras, had made Colonel Olcott understand that a Japanese audience would always be turbulent. Quite the contrary, it proved; this and all his other monster audiences have listened to catch his every word; and he has held them under his perfect command.

As was to be expected, Colonel Olcott’s arrival has frightened and excited the Christians. You will see in the following extract from a Japanese influential magazine – the Dando Kai – the silly things Christians say of him; just as they have done in India and Ceylon these past ten years, but to no purpose.

The arrival of Colonel Olcott has caused great excitement among the Christians in Japan. They say that he is an adventurer, a man of bad principles, and an advocate of a dying cause. How mean and cowardly are these Christians! They may use the unprincipled pens at their disposal as much as they choose, but they cannot weaken the effects of his good principles, nor fasten upon him any of their scandalous insinuations. They do not produce the least effect upon Colonel Olcott or upon Buddhism. When he was told in Tokyo that the Christians were abusing him, he only smiled and said: ‘This has been the case in all countries: these are the weapons that they ‘employ. I do not mind their slanders in the least; it is like the chirping of ‘birds in the trees, or the croaking of frogs in a swamp. Do not worry, my ‘Japanese Brothers, they can never beat us; our Religion is based upon ‘Truth!’ We thoroughly concur in these ideas, and recommend our Japanese Brothers and Sisters to pay no attention to these slanderers. It is a common observation of the world that an ugly woman hates a beautiful one, and evil hates righteousness. We feel great pity, however, for those who are Christians that, while ignorant entirely of our doctrines, they are crying out their fantastic ideas to the four corners, as when one dog barks all the others imitate him.

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How ridiculous this all is! How great has Colonel Olcott’s influence become in Japan.

Colonel Olcott’s first lecture in the religious capital was on the 12th February, and the promulgation of the Japanese New Constitution occurred on the 11th. It has been noted as a “curious coincidence.” If I remember aright, Colonel Olcott’s first lecture after his arrival in Bombay was given on the 13th of March 1879, and that day has proved the commencement of a New Era of thought in India.

The most important event at the opening of Colonel Olcott’s Japanese Mission was the Convention he called of Chief Priests of all sects, to give them clearly to understand the absolutely mental attitude he intended to maintain between them. In response to his invitation, 17 chief priests, representing the 12 Buddhist Sects, assembled together on the 13th of February in the Emperor’s Room of the Cheonin Temple. He read his address with solemn earnestness, and it was interpreted to them. Subsequently the Sanskrit letter of the High Priest Sumangala, addressed to his Japanese co-religionists, which Colonel Olcott had brought with him, was also read and interpreted. The assembled priests were brought to a sense of duty, and the result was so complete an unanimity that a committee of Priests was formed, representing all the Sects, to manage his tour and defray all the expenses. On the 23rd of February Colonel Olcott left for Tokyo, and remained there almost a month, during which time he delivered eleven addresses; nine on Religion, and one each on Education and Agriculture. His work there was a complete success. His address before the Education Society of Japan was so much appreciated that the Vice-Minister of Education sent him an official letter thanking him. He was also elected an Honorary Member of the Japan Agricultural Society in appreciation of his discourse on agriculture, and presented with a pair of cloisonné vases.

The Governor of Tôkyô, Baron Takasaki, gave a dinner-party in honour of our President, and invited all the Ministers of the Cabinet then in the city. All the principal ministers, including the Prime Minister, and several high officers of the Imperial Household, were present. Colonel Olcott, upon invitation, gave his views upon the political and religious state of Japan. His main point was that, unless politics go hand in hand with Religion, anarchy would be the result. The stability of a Government rests on a moral basis, and is represented by the average conscientiousness and patriotism of the masses; it is therefore of the utmost importance that the morality of the people should be cared for in any scheme of national education, and Buddhism, which brought civilization into Japan, offers the highest guarantees for its future greatness. The Empire is now passing through a crisis, brought about by the strife of two different factors. European material civilization and Buddhism. These two can never agree, for they regard man from two different standpoints: the one tends to brutalising, the other to ennobling the individual.

Colonel Olcott’s lectures being all extemporaneous and upon topics suggested at the moment by the Committee, I am unfortunately unable to give you their substance. I myself having been confined to my sick room and unable to read the full reports with which the newspapers of Japan have teemed. There can be no doubt, however, from all I hear that they have created a profound impression,

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not only upon the masses but upon the higher classes as well. His portrait has been lithographed and engraved for various papers, new magazines have been started at Tokyo, Nagoyâ and other places to commemorate his visit. The Governors of provinces have entertained him at dinners, and had him address invited audiences of the élite. The Priests of different sects have presented him with more than a thousand volumes for the Adyar Library, and a joint committee representing all the Sects has travelled with him throughout the Empire. His name, which was already familiar to the peoples of India and Ceylon, has now become known to the whole Japanese Nation, and invitations keep pouring in from the most distant places for him to visit them. Thus this single mission, undertaken by one man against the well-meant protest of a few short-sighted friends, has at a single stroke effected that friendly union between the Buddhists of Japan and Ceylon which the earnest Buddhists of the latter country had hoped for but thought impossible.

As for the kindness shown to me by my co-religionists during my long illness I have no words to describe it. For sixty days and nights they watched, nursed and took care of me as tenderly as a mother would take care of her child. Such heartfelt sympathy I could only expect from my dearest ones; but the hearts of the Japanese are overflowing with kindness. That system of Philosophy, based on Love, which has “made Asia mild” has imbued the Japanese heart with kindness, and I have been the gainer. I shall never forget them.

From Colonel Olcott’s diary I get the following additional particulars: Among the notable men he met in Tokyo were Mr. Hinton, author of “A Persian King,” and other philosophical monographs which are included in the Theosophist Manager’s Book List; Mr. Basil Hall Chamberlain, Secretary of the Asiatic Society; Mr. Satow, a well known Sinalogue; Capt. J. M. James, another; Professors Fennelosa and Divers of the University; Capt. Brinkley, R.A., Editor of the Japan Mail; and General C. W. Legendre, an old companion in arms, whom he saw desperately wounded in the Battle of Newbern. On the 23rd March he left Tokyo for Sandai, far away to the north, where he was honoured with a public dinner by the Governor, and lectured to audiences which almost broke the floor of the building. Utsonorniya, Mayabashi, Tagasaki, Yokohama, Shizuoka, Hamamatsu, Okasaki, Nazoya, Narumi, Gifu and Ogaki were in turn visited, and the same success repeated at each station. A gratifying circumstance was the hoisting of the new Buddhist Flag, introduced by our Society into Ceylon two years ago, and now universally adopted there, at each Japanese town where he lectured. Upon arrival he found it hoisted at the temple, sometimes also over the gate of his hotel, and even at the railway station. Its beauty makes it popular, and its non sectarian or local character commends it as a common symbol of their faith for all Buddhists. I should here mention that his Imperial Majesty has accepted a copy of it offered by Colonel Olcott along with a stone relic from Buddha Gaya, leaves of the Bo trees of Gaya and Anaradhapura, and some photos of sacred shrines in Ceylon sent by the Buddhists of our Island. The collection has been placed in the Imperial Museum.

After a few days’ rest at Kioto, the President began the final portion of his tour by visiting and lecturing at Nara, Osorka, where the Governor and General commanding, Baron Takashima, entertained him at a dinner, to which the leading military and civilian officers were invited; Ho-din-ji, Nagahama, Nogasuma and

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Hikone, the last-named three lying along the shore of the beautiful Lake Birvah. He is again in Kioto for a few days to organize a large branch of the Theosophical Society, and will presently start for Nagasaki and other places in the extreme south, whence he is to work his way back to Kobe, at which port he will take steamer – probably on the 14th June – for Colombo and Madras.

H. Dhammapala.

Footnotes