The Buddhist Catechism (Paperback)
One of Henry Steel Olcott's most influential contributions to the resurgence of Buddhism in Sri Lanka is the ‘Buddhist Catechism’, which was written in 1881 and is still in use there. The text delineates what Olcott believed to be the fundamental principles of Buddhism, including the teachings of the Buddha, the Dharma, and the function of the Sangha. The text also discusses the connection between the Buddha's teachings and modern society. Olcott was regarded as a Buddhist revivalist by people from South Asia and other cultures.
Since ancient times, Colonel Henry Steel Olcott (1832–1907) was the first person to convert to Buddhism in the West. He was the Theosophical Society's first president and co-founded the organization. Olcott was able to introduce Eastern concepts to western society because he was the only contributor to the 19th-century southern Buddhist revival who was born a Protestant.
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About the Author
Colonel Henry Steel Olcott (2 August 1832 - 17 February 1907) was an American military officer, journalist, lawyer and the co-founder and first President of the Theosophical Society. Olcott was the first well-known American of European ancestry to make a formal conversion to Buddhism. His subsequent actions as president of the Theosophical Society helped create a renaissance in the study of Buddhism. Olcott is considered a Buddhist modernist for his efforts in interpreting Buddhism through a Westernized lens. Olcott was a major revivalist of Buddhism in Sri Lanka and he is still honored in Sri Lanka for these efforts. Olcott has been called by Sri Lankans "one of the heroes in the struggle of our independence and a pioneer of the present religious, national and cultural revival".