Knowledge and Sympathy_
These questions make it plain that the worker who is to deal with
Buddhists should have a broad background of general culture. He must be
thoroughly humanized. He should have a good knowledge of the history of
philosophy and religion, including the work of the modern philosophers.
A knowledge of the life of Buddha and of the doctrines of the Hinayana
or Southern Buddhism, as well as the tenets of the Mahayana should be in
his possession. The psychology of religion should interpenetrate his
historical learning; the best methods of pedagogy should guide his
approach to men. Of course he must speak the language of the Buddhist,
not only the spiritual language, but his everyday patois. He will find
it an advantage to know some Sanskrit. While this requirement is not
very urgent at present, it will rapidly become a necessity for doing the
best work.
This knowledge should be interpenetrated by a genuine sympathy, that is,
imagination tinged with emotion. The worker should be able to view
doctrines, values and actions from the point of view of the Buddhist and
his past history. He must have a genuine interest in and a great
capacity for friendship. The Buddhists are very human, responding to
friendship very quickly. Such friendship forms a link between the man
and the larger friendship of Christ.
_3. Emphasis on the Aesthetic in Christianity_
A Chinese Christian leader described his idea of a church as a place
removed from the din of the street, approached by a walk flanked with
trees and flowers and adorned within by symbols speaking to the heart of
the Chinese.
Pages:
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105