Aspects of Mahayana Buddhism and its Relation to Hinayana c3.12

c3.12

In conclusion, I want to acknowledge my debts of gratitude to the scholars who have rendered me help in various ways in the preparation of this work. I am thankful to Prof. R. L. Turner, Dr. L. D. Barnett and Dr. N. N. Law, under whose directions the plan of the book was matured and who did not spare themselves the trouble of going through it to remove its blemishes. The sympathy with which Dr. Barnett used to come to us, the Indian students, in the Oriental Room of the British Museum to furnish us with the pieces of useful information come across by him in the course of his studies and to help us otherwise in our subjects of research will always be a pleasant memory to me. The help derived by me from Prof. Louis de la Vallée Poussin of the University of Ghent proved very fruitful. Little did he realize the services he was rendering to me through the answers to my "queries" which by their nature and number often taxed to the utmost his delicate health. But his genial temper was never ruffled, and the best efforts were made by him to lead me through the maze of technicalities of the Mahāyāna scriptures. It was indeed a pleasure to meet him at Brussels in his cosy study with the master-minds of the Buddhistic age preserved in the numerous volumes nicely arranged all around. He has increased my obligation to him by contributing a Foreword to this volume. My thanks are also due to Prof. Max Walleser of Heidelberg and Dr. E. J. Thomas of Cambridge for giving me facilities for research, the former by placing his whole library at my disposal during my stay at Heidelberg and guiding me to consult the Tibetan and Chinese works, and the latter by enabling me to have access to the rare Buddhist manuscripts deposited in the Cambridge University Library. I also take this opportunity to express my thanks to the Principal of the London School of Oriental Studies, Dr. E. D. Ross, who is always ready to extend his helping hand to the Indian students, and who took much interest in my Tibetan and Chinese studies.