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INTRODUCTION
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of a great part of Asia especially of India, in former ages.” As rcgards the translations, the Sanskrit originals of most of them have disappeared, perhaps for cvcr. Some of them may be discovered in the future in Nepal, Kashmir, Tibet, or Central Asia, but we cannot hope that they will ail cver be found. The contents of these Sanskrit works are now prescrvcd in translation in Tibetan as well as in Chinese and Mongolian. An Indian student desirous of knowing certain lost chapters in the history of literature and culture in his own country can in no way ignore or neglect these translations in Tibetan and other languages. He must bring back from those sources the treasure that has unfortunately been lost to him.