ABSTRACT
The epoch of the kings, the epoch of ‘the earlier dissemination of the gospel’, was chiefly marked by its receptive character, whilst the period of ‘the later dissemination’ was characterized by the exceptional vigour and independence of spiritual life. The basic Tantra itself, from which gradually a voluminous literature has developed, belongs to the class of so-called ‘Mother Tantras,’ which occupy themselves with the transmission of teachings concerning transcendental wisdom, whilst the ‘Father Tantras’ are devoted to the active realization of the ideal of compassion. The story of the conversion of thirty-five million seers led by Suryaratha is also of historical religious significance, as it is obviously a reference to a clash with some foreign religious system. The history of the Kalacakra, the ultimate phase of Buddhism in India, is largely unknown and it will represent an important subject for future research.
