. Indian historical studies . rapidlyrose to power. The Kushan Empire reached itshighest point under Kanishka, in the first centuryafter Christ, who ruled over the whole of India northof the Narmada, together with the greater part ofTibet, Afghanistan and Turkestan. Kanishka becamean enthusiastic convert to Buddhism, and it appearsprobable that the teachings of the Master reachedChina in his reign. When Kanishka conqueredKhotan—Eastern Turkestan—he took certain Chinesehostages back to India, one of them being a son ofthe Emperor. During their long exile in the Panjab,these hostages were hospit
. Indian historical studies . rapidlyrose to power. The Kushan Empire reached itshighest point under Kanishka, in the first centuryafter Christ, who ruled over the whole of India northof the Narmada, together with the greater part ofTibet, Afghanistan and Turkestan. Kanishka becamean enthusiastic convert to Buddhism, and it appearsprobable that the teachings of the Master reachedChina in his reign. When Kanishka conqueredKhotan—Eastern Turkestan—he took certain Chinesehostages back to India, one of them being a son ofthe Emperor. During their long exile in the Panjab,these hostages were hospitably entertained at variousmonasteries, and doubtless they learned from themonks something of their religion. In any case, theconquest of the provinces on the Chinese frontierbrought Buddhism to the very borders of the sprang up in Tibet and Khotan, and fromthem, as well as from the caravans which began togo to and fro between India and China, rumours ofthe new creed must have spread northwards. China. Peajnapaeamita. A Mahayana Goddess from Java. (Bn pennissioH of Dr. A. K. Conmaranwam}).) \_To face page 59. CHINESE PILGEIMS IN INDIA 59 was ripe for conversion. In spite of their earnest dis-position, the Chinese had not succeeded in evolving areligion of their own. A vague system of ancestorworship, and a series of rather dreary discoursesupon ethical subjects, were all that their own teachershad produced. Confucius, an early contemporary ofGautama, is supposed to have prophesied that aSage should arise in the West. The fame of Buddhamay possibly have reached his ears.^ However thismay be. Buddhism began to attract ever-increasingattention in China during the first three centuries ofthe Christian era. Certain difficulties, however, stoodin the way : the journey from China to India was longand dangerous; the Indian tongue was difficult toacquire, and Chinese was ill-adapted for renderingabstruse and novel metaphysical terms. Such manu-scripts as reached
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