Researches in Buddhist Studies

The Volume comprises sixteen research papers appeared time to time in the reputed journals of the country and abroad like East and West (Roma), BSR (London), Bukkyogaku Genkyu (Kyoto), SEAR (Varanasi), ICO in Japan (Tokyo). and others, and such collected works as Studies in pali and Buddhism edited by A.K. Narain, Studies in Indian Philosophy edited by N.J. Shah and D. Malavania, Nalanda: Past and Present edited by C.S. Upasak and others. These papers cover different aspects of the developments in the history of Buddhist thought, early Buddhist literature (Nikayas and Chinese Agamas), Vinaya rules, Nalanda and its Ancient University and its contribution in fostering relation with China and Tibet, and of Xuan zhuang and his Works. These shed light on important problems discussed therein on the basis of materials collected directly from Pali, Prakrit, Sanskrit and Chinese scriptures and of course, the works of modern scholars..

After serving his alma matter. the Institute for Study & Research in Pali and Buddhism, Nalanda for 23 yrs, Chandra S.Prasad retired as the HoD of Chinese and Japanese. Before he joined the Institute, he was in the Dept. of Indian Philosophy and Buddhism, Tokyo Univ., Tokyo working as a research scholar first under the supervision of Prof. Hajime Nakamura and after him under his successor Prof. Akira Hirakawa.
The author was first introduced to the method and nuances of research by Prof. K.V. Ramanan when he started research work under him at Cheena-Bhavan, Visva-Bharati, Santiniketan. He was there for years in the capacity of student of Chinese and Tibetan langages, research fellow and lastly librarian in charge of the Chinese Library.
The author devoted most of his time and energy in research and editing. As a result he has to his credit above 50 research papers, several of them published in esteemed journals of India and abroad and well-received collections by distinguished scholars, and also some edited research Volumes including The Proceedings and Papers, 2nd International Conf. of the IABS, Wasconsin, USA.

The Researches in Buddhist Studies is a collection of "Attitude of Buddha and Early Buddhism towards Metaphysics" and other assorted research papers, revised and supplied with original Chinese excerpts from Chinese Buddhist scriptures and travelogues and biographies of Chinese travellers. These papers cover different aspects of the developments in the history of Buddhist thought, early Buddhist literature (Pali Nikayas and corresponding Chinese Agamas), Vinaya rules, Nalanda and its Mahavihara (Ancient University), contribution of the Mahavihara in fostering relation with China and Tibet, and of Chinese traveller Xuan-zhuang, an alumnus of the Mahavihara and his Works. These shed light on important problems discussed therein on the basis of materials collected directly from Pali, Prakrit, Sanskrit, and Chinese scriptures and, of course, the works of modern scholars, and have appeared time to time in the reputed journals of the country and abroad like East and West, Buddhist Studies Review, Bukkyogaku Genkyu, South East Asian Review, International conference of Orientalists in Japan and others, and such collected works as Studies in Pali and Buddhism edited by A. K. Narain, Studies in Indian Philosophy edited by N. J. Shah and D. Malavania, and others.
The problems discussed and conclusions reached therein were well-received and frequently quoted and still hold good. Some of the materials collected, particularly from Chinese scriptures, give firsthand information and help judge the position of earlier conclusions or remarks and inadvertent assertions or sweeping generalizations. The underlying approach is critical and comparative, objective and free from preconceived notions, and accommodative in accepting limitations. The author, therefore, feels an impulsive desire to present them together in a single volume for readers of Buddhism today.
For the convenience of the readers, the author introduces individual papers one by one. The paper "Attitude of Buddha and Early Buddhism towards Metaphysics" formed the first chapter of the Study in Indian Philosophy, edited by N. J. Shah and D. Malvania for the L. D. Institute, Ahmadabada, 1981. It sheds better light on the silence of the Buddha over the metaphysical questions. For him issues such as the eternality of the world, etc., are not to be known through sensory perception or extrasensory perception or logical reasoning. All speculations about them are inconclusive, not conducive to solving the basic problem and thus futile. He was a pragmatist. His sole concern was suffering in life and its cessation by uprooting its cause. The cause being hankering for what is impermanent without substance. One given to such metaphysical speculations is compared with a person pierced with deadly poisoned arrow insisting on getting all information about the shooter before allowing a physician to treat him. Like the wounded person in this example, one will certainly die without addressing oneself to the very problem of suffering and liberation from it.