Book Reviews

Author(s): J W De Jong
Publisher: J W De Jong

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REVIEWS
NOTES
1 See my dissertation: Sources for a History of the bSam yas Debate (Indiana University, Jan., 1976) soon to appear in the Monumenta Tibetica Historica series. 2 See H. Guenther's Kindly Bent to Ease Us (3 volumes, Dharma Publishing, 1975, 1976) and my forthcoming translation of Klon chen pa's History of Buddhism in Tibet to be published by Dharma Press hopefully by 1980.
See my forthcoming book: Wings of the White Crane to be published by Motilal Banarsidass.
Étienne Lamotte (tr.), The Teaching of Vimalakirti (Vimalakirtinirdesa). Rendered into English by Sara Boin (Sacred Books of the Buddhists, vol. XXXII). London, The Pali Text Society, 1976. CXVI, 335 pp. £ 22.50.
Robert A. F. Thurman (tr.), The Holy Teaching of Vimalakirti. A Mahāyāna Scripture. The Pennsylvania State University Press, 1976. X, 166 pp. $ 14.
The simultaneous publication of an English translation of Lamotte's French rendering of the Vimalakirtinirdesa and of a new translation by Thurman testifies to the growing interest in this important text. Lamotte's French translation, published in 1962, was the first translation in a Western language based upon the Tibetan version. Lamotte also consulted the three Chinese versions, especially that of Hsüan-tsang, and translated from the Chinese those passages which differed from the corresponding ones in the Tibetan version. Lamotte's lengthy introduction, his scholarly notes and the various appendices add considerably to the value of his excellent translation. This carefully done English translation will make his work accessible to a larger public. Lamotte has added a new preface and references to recent publications but, as far as I have been able to see, has made no major changes in the translation itself.
In 1970 Oshika Jisshū published an edition of the Kanjur text of the Tibetan translation (Acta Indologica I, Naritasan Shinshoji, pp. 137–240). This edition is based upon the Derge, Narthang and Peking editions. A list of important variants of the Lhasa edition was published by Bhikkhu Pasadika (A List of Important Variae Lectiones of the Lhasa Edition (Nalanda Xylograph) of the Vimalakirtinirdesa Sutra', The Tibet Journal, II, 1, 1977, pp. 77-79). Oshika published also a Japanese translation, mainly based upon the Tibetan version (Sekai no daishiso II, 2: Butten, Tökyö, 1969, pp. 203-288). In 1967 Nagao Gajin brought out a Japanese translation from the Tibetan (Sekai no meicho II: Daijo butten, Tokyo, 1967, pp. 83-194). This translation appeared separately in 1973 (Tokyo, Chuokoronsha), and a third edition of it was published in 1974 (Daijo butten, vol. 7, pp. 5-180 and 372-392)."
According to his preface Robert A. F. Thurman's goal is to present the authentic teaching of Vimalakirti, and his main focus is philosophical rather than philological. He has taken great pains with the language of the translation, which is indeed extremely readable. Although Thurman has of course carefully consulted Lamotte's French translation, he does not always follow his interpretation. It is a pity that Thurman has not consulted Nagao's excellent translation which, in several instances, is more correct than the one by Lamotte. We are fortunate to have now at our disposal three very good translations of the Tibetan version of the Vimalakirtinirdesa. It is of course not possible to compare them in their entirety but it is perhaps instructive to examine a few passages. Quotations of the Tibetan texts are made from