The Foundations of Buddhism

266 Traditions of Buddhism

his death Nichiren's message attracted a considerable following

in Japan, and today the numerous sub-sects of Nichiren Buddhism

together continue to constitute one of the significant schools of

Buddhism in Japan. Among the important Nichiren sub-sects

is the Nichiren ShOshU or Soka Gakkai, which has been active'

in Japanese politics since the 196os, and must also be reckoned

a significant presence in the context of Buddhism in Europe and

America.^24

Tibet and Mongolia: Northern Buddhism

Tibetan tradition makes reference to a first and second diffusion

of Buddhism in Tibet. Tradition links the introduction of Bud-

dhism to Tibet with the two wives of King Srong-bsan-sgam-po

(d. 649 ), one of whom came from Nepal and the otherfrom China,

who thus introduced both Indian and Chinese forms of Bud-

dhism. But the Buddhist presence in Tibet remained superficial

for another century. It was not until the latter half of the eighth

century, during the reign of King Khri Srong-lde-brtsan (756-

97?), that the Indian monk Santarak~ita was invited to estab-

lish the first monastery, bSam-yas. In order to accomplish his

purpose, Santarak~ita is said to have had to call on an Indian

yogin, Padmasambhava, to assist in the task of subduing the local

demons hostile to Buddhism. Tradition records a dispute at bSam-

yas or Lhasa in 792-4 between an Indian faction, headed by

Santarak~ita's disciple Kamalasila, and a Chinese faction, headed

by the teacher (hva-shang) Mahayana.^25 The dispute is charac-

terized as centring on the question of gradual (the Indians) or

sudden (the Chinese) awakening; the Indian opinion supporting

gradual awakening is said to have prevailed, but all this is prob~

ably a simplification of a complex history, and we can assume some

influence of Chinese forms of Buddhism on Tibetan Buddhism.

A 'second diffusion' of Buddhism in Tibet occurred after its

suppression during the reign of gLang-dar-ma (838-42), and is

associated especially with the activity of the Indian monk and

yogin Atisa (982-1054), which led to the founding of the mon-

astery of Rva-spreng by his disciple 'Brom-ston in 1057, and the