The Great Debate - Buddhism and Christianity Face to Face

r_

THE

I

I GREAT DEB^A,TE BUDDHISM and

Ch

ristianity

FACE

to

FACE

WITH

lntroduction and Annotations

..DY I

I I I

I. M.

PEEBLES M. D.,

M.A., Ph. D.

l BU DDH ISM (

AND

CHRISTIANITY BEING AN ORAL DEBATE HELD

AT

PANADURA

oetween

Rev. I,IIGETTUWATTE

GUi{ANANDA

a Buddhist Priest &

The Rev. DAYID DE

STLYA

a Wesleyon Clergyman.

INTRODUCTION AND ANNOTATIONS By

l.

M. PEEBIES, M. D., M. A., Ph. D. l,athot, Lactutc., fravclcr, U.S. A, Ex4oistl; Gcogr.phicrl Socf.ty, WrstrinSton, D.C.;

ftllwt ofth. Mcmbcr

of th. V.to e lnstlt te of londoa; of thc Pslcho-lhenpcutic Soci.tf of

Vice-Prcsident London; Fclkw

of the Academy of Sciencat, Naw OtLens, U.S.i.; Cofi.spondiig M.m,,. ttlc Otientel Sei.ty, C.lcutt , lndi.

k.

P. K. W. SIRIWARDHANA EOOK-SELLER & FUBLI!'HER 520, MARADANA ROAD. COLOMIO.

PREFACE. With an admiration of the calmness that charactcrisos

thc Oriental mind, .nd a decp interest in the rymbolisms thst undcrlie thc Eastern religions, I h8d long dGsfucd to se€ thcso rcligions, csPccially Buddhism, brought into thc arcna of dircussion faco to fsc€ with the Christian tcligion' tbat each syst€m miSbt be subjeoted to rhe test of controvcrry' This was panially done awhile sirce at Pantura, Ccylon' wherc a Buddhist pricat mct' in an oral debatc, thc Rcv' Mr. Silva, a Wesleyan ministcr,

d!ys, belore an almost from fivc to scven nurnbering at times brcathlesc audiencc, partics had thoir of the Each thousand in attendance' the victory' usual, claimed and ss both, sympathising friends ' to be seemed from what S-o far as f heard expressions Buddhist lhe the end that impartial ninds, thcy were to priest, being the most graceful spcakcr, and adapting Thc