PREFACE.
After the Turkish War (1877-1878) I made a series of travels in the Orient. From
the little remarkable Balkan peninsula, I went across the Caucasus to Central Asia
and Persia, and, finally, in 1887, visited India, an admirable country which had
attracted me from my earliest childhood. My purpose in this journey was to study
and know, at home, the peoples who inhabit India and their customs, the grand and
mysterious archæology, and the colossal and majestic nature of their country. Wandering
about without fixed plans, from one place to another, I came to mountainous Afghanistan,
whence I regained India by way of the picturesque passes of Bolan and Guernaï. Then,
going up the Indus to Raval Pindi, I ran over the Pendjab--the land of the five
rivers; visited the Golden Temple of Amritsa--the tomb of the King of Pendjab, Randjid
Singh, near Lahore; and turned toward Kachmyr, "The Valley of Eternal Bliss." Thence
I directed my peregrinations as my curiosity impelled me, until I arrived in Ladak,
whence I intended returning to Russia by way of Karakoroum and Chinese Turkestan.
One day, while visiting a Bhuddist convent on my route, I learned from a chief
lama, that there existed in the archives of Lhassa, very ancient memoirs relating
to the life of Jesus Christ and the occidental nations, and that certain great monasteries
possessed old copies and translations of those chronicles.
As it was little probable that I should make another journey into this country,
I resolved to put off my return to Europe until a later date, and, cost what it
might, either find those copies in the great convents or go to Lhassa--a journey
which is far from being so dangerous and difficult as is generally supposed, involving
only such perils as I was already accustomed to, and which would not make me hesitate
at attempting it.
During my sojourn at Leh, capital of Ladak, I visited the great convent Himis,
situated near the city, the chief lama of which informed me that their monastic
library contained copies of the manuscripts in question. In order that I might not
awaken the suspicions of the authorities concerning the object of my visit to the
cloister, and to evade obstacles which might be opposed to me as a Russian, prosecuting
further my journey in Thibet, I gave out upon my return to Leh that I would depart
for India, and so left the capital of Ladak. An unfortunate fall, causing the breaking
of a leg, furnished me with an absolutely unexpected pretext for returning to the
monastery, where I received surgical attention. I took advantage of my short sojourn
among the lamas to obtain the consent of their chief that they should bring to me,
from their library, the manuscripts relating to Jesus Christ, and, assisted by my
interpreter, who translated for me the Thibetan language, transferred carefully
to my note-book what the lama read to mc.
Not doubting at all the authenticity of this Preface, chronicle, edited with
great exactitude by the Brahminic, and more especially the Buddhistic historians
of India and Nepaul, I desired, upon my return to Europe, to publish a translation
of it.
To this end, I addressed myself to several universally known ecclesiastics, asking
them to revise my notes and tell me what they thought of them.
Mgr. Platon, the celebrated metropolitan of Kiew, thought that my discovery was
of great importance. Nevertheless, he sought to dissuade me from publishing the
memoirs, believing that their publication could only hurt me. "Why?" This the venerable
prelate refused to tell me more explicitly. Nevertheless, since our conversation
took place in Russia, where the censor would have put his veto upon such a work,
I made up my mind to wait.
A year later, I found myself in Rome. I showed my manuscript to a cardinal very
near to the Holy Father, who answered me literally in these words:--"What good will
it do to print this? Nobody will attach to it any great importance and you will
create a number of enemies. But, you are still very young! If it is a question of
money which concerns you, I can ask for you a reward for your notes, a sum which
will repay your expenditures and recompense you for your loss of time." Of course,
I refused.
In Paris I spoke of my project to Cardinal Rotelli, whose acquaintance I had
made in Constantinople. He, too, was opposed to having my work printed, under the
pretext that it would be premature. "The church," he added, "suffers already too
much from the new current of atheistic ideas, and you will but give a new food to
the calumniators and detractors of the evangelical doctrine. I tell you this in
the interest of all the Christian churches."
Then I went to see M. Jules Simon. He found my matter very interesting and advised
me to ask the opinion of M. Renan, as to the best way of publishing these memoirs.
The next day I was seated in the cabinet of the great philosopher. At the close
of our conversation, M. Renan proposed that I should confide to him the memoirs
in question, so that he might make to the Academy a report upon the discovery.
This proposition, as may be easily understood, was very alluring and flattering
to my amour propre. I, however, took away with me the manuscript, under the pretext
of further revising it. I foresaw that if I accepted the proposed combination, I
would only have the honor of having found the chronicles, while the illustrious
author of the "Life of Jesus" would have the glory of the publication and the commenting
upon it. I thought myself sufficiently prepared to publish the translation of the
chronicles, accompanying them with my notes, and, therefore, did not accept the
very gracious offer he made to me. But, that I might not wound the susceptibility
of the great master, for whom I felt a profound respect, I made up my mind to delay
publication until after his death, a fatality which could not be far off, if I might
judge from the apparent general weakness of M. Renan. A short time after M. Renan's
death, I wrote to M. Jules Simon again for his advice. He answered me, that it was
my affair to judge of the opportunity for making the memoirs public.
I therefore put my notes in order and now publish them, reserving the right to
substantiate the authenticity of these chronicles. In my commentaries I proffer
the arguments which must convince us of the sincerity and good faith of the Buddhist
compilers. I wish to add that before criticising my communication, the societies
of savans can, without much expense, equip a scientific expedition having for its
mission the study of those manuscripts in the place where I discovered them, and
so may easily verify their historic value.