Book Reviews

SR No.: 269677
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: J W De Jong
Publisher: J W De Jong
Total Pages: 48
Language: English
Classification: Article
File Size: 5 MB

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REVIEWS
The present catalogue includes about 1600 titles of Pāli texts and translations from Pāli, In the preface M. O'Keefe writes that the collection is strong in nineteenthand early twentieth-century text editions. During the period 1867-1948 the (Indian) Press and Registration of Books Act made it possible for the Library to acquire by copyright acquisition any work printed or lithographed in India and Burma. Except for the period 1796-1802, Ceylon was governed by the Colonial Office, not by the East India Company or its successors. Although the India Office Library does not have a copy of every Pāli text published in Theravāda countries since 1836, the year in which appeared Turnour's edition of the Mahā-vamsa, chs 1-20, there is probably no other library which possesses such a large collection of Pāli texts and translations.
The texts are arranged according to title (with cross-references from alternative titles), author, editor, compiler, series, commentary, commentator. Texts published in journals or included in books are not listed, with the few exceptions probably due to the fact that the library possesses offprints. For instance, under Dhammapada one finds P. S. Dhammarama's edition and translation which appeared in volume LI of the Bulletin de l'École Française d'Extrême-Orient (not de l'ExtrêmeOrient as written in the catalogue). Under Kamma-vācā only one text is mentioned, one published in Chittagong in 1912. One is surprised to note the absence of Spiegel's edition published in Bonn in 1841. As to Thai editions of the Tipitaka, only one edition is mentioned in the catalogue: Pra Tripitaka Syāmarattha: Published as a memorial to King Rāma VI. Sinhalese characters (sic!). 45 vols. 25 cm. Bangkok 1931. According to René Lingat the first volumes of this edition, were published in December 1925 and the last in August 1928 (Bibliographie bouddhique, 1, Paris, 1930, p. 8). A few non-Pāli texts published by the Pali text society are included, cf. Manicūdāvadāna and Vimalakirtinirdesa (sic!). There are a few misprints in German titles: p. 7 Buche der Charaktere; p. 13 Worte der Wahreit; p. 17 Die Reden Gotambo Buddhos. On p. 25 Tuxen's translation of a number of Jätakas is mentioned twice, once as Æventyr fra det gamle Indien and once as Eventyr fra det gamle Indien.
This catalogue is extremely useful for Pāli scholars who will be particularly interested in the many Burmese and Ceylonese editions of Pāli texts which it contains. One of the desiderata of Pāli studies is the compilation of bibliographies of Pāli texts published in Europe, India and the Theravāda countries. With the help of this catalogue it will be possible to trace many texts which are practically unknown outside their country of origin. We must be grateful to the India Office Library for having undertaken to publish this catalogue and to Mr.T.C.H. Raper (1922–1979) and Mr. M.J.C. O'Keefe for having edited the entries from the card catalogue.
Australian National University
J. W. DE JONG