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818
GĪTĀ-RAHASYA OR KARMA-YOGA
there is a similar statement in another Tibetan book. It is true that this book of Tārānātha is not very ancient : but, I need not say that the statements in it have not been made without the authority of ancient works; because, it is not likely that any Buddhist writer will, without any reason, make a reference in this way to saints from another religion in explaining the principles of his own religion. Therefore, the fact that a Buddhist writer has himself, clearly and by name, referred to Sri Krsna, is a matter of very great importance; because, as there is no other book in Vedic religion dealing with the path of Activistic Devotion except the Bhagavadgītā written by Sri Krsna, this reference clearly shows that not only the Bhāgavata religion but also the Bhagavadgitā written by Sri Krsņa for expounding the Bhāgavata religion, were already is existence before the Mahāyāna sect; and Dr. Kern is of the same opinion. When it is proved that the Gītā existed before the date of the Mahāyāna sect, one can immediately draw the inference that the Mahābhārata must also have then been in existence. It is true that it is stated in Buddhistic treatises that the doctrines expounded by Buddha were collected together immediately after his death. But from that it does not follow that the very ancient Buddhistic treatises which are now available had also been written at that date. The Mahāparinibbāna-sutta is considered to be a very ancient treatise out of the now available Buddhistic treatises. But Prof. Rhys-Davids has shown that this book could not have been written for at least a 100 years after the death of Buddha, having regard to
* See Dr. Kern's Manual of Indian Buddhism p. 122 “He (Nāgārjuna) was a pupil of the Brahmana Rahulabhadra, who himself was a Mahayanist. This Brahmana was much indebted to the sage Krishna and still more to Ganesha. This quasi-historical notice, reduced to its less allegorical expression, means that Mabayanism is much indebted to the Bhagavadgita, and more even to Shaivism". It would seem that Dr. Kern understands the word 'ganesa' as indicating Saivism. Dr. Kern has translated the book Saddharma-Pupdarīka in the Sacred Books of the East
Series; and this, opinion has been advocated by him in the • Introduction to that book (8. B. E. Vol. XXI. Intro. pp. XXV-xxviii),
