Book Reviews

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

Page 30

256
REVIEWS
the household life in order to enter the homeless life of a monk" (p. 100). Only Nagao (p. 163) correctly translates this passage (nyorai ga mada kono yo ni aru aida ni).
The examination of these passages shows that all three translations have to be consulted in studying the Tibetan version of the Vimalakirtinirdesa. Lamotte's work will always be indispensable on account of the wealth of information given in the introduction, the notes and the appendices. However, in several places both Nagao and Thurman follow the Tibetan translation more strictly. Nagao's translation is meant for the general reader and the notes are mainly limited to the elucidation of Buddhist terms and concepts. Thurman's notes are also in the first place destined for the general reader although he discusses points of interpretation and points out a few differences between the Tibetan version and the Chinese versions. Lamotte's very learned commentary is not primarily concerned with philological problems. In comparing these three translations one is forcibly struck with the impression that a much more detailed philological commentary is required in order to make clear the problem encountered in interpreting the text. Let me quote one example. Chapter one mentions that the bodhisattvas are all perfectly skilled (niryāta) in the ten pāramitās. Lamotte translates: "accédant aux perfections du don, de la moralité, de la patience, de l'énergie, de l'extase, de la sagesse, de l'habileté dans les moyens, du voeu, de la force et du savoir (dā naśīlaksantiviryadhyānaprajñopayakausalya. pranidhanabalajñānaparamitāniryāta)" (p. 99). However, the Tibetan versions adds three expressions between dāna and sila: sbyin-pa dan dul-ba dan mi-'gyur-ba dan yan-dag-par sdompa dan tshul-khrims. Lamotte omits all three without indicating it in a note. Thurman translates: "the transcendences of generosity, subdued, unwavering, and sincere morality...”(p. 10). Nagao translates dul-ba, etc. as nouns "(three kinds of sila, i.e. discipline, unchangeableness and restraint (sanshu no kai - suna wachi kiritsu to fuhen de aru koto to yokusei)" (p. 8). However, Nagao does not explain these three kinds of sila. Of these three the first (dul-ba) and the third (yan-dag-par sdom-pa) are also found in the Chinese translations by Chih Ch'ien and Hsuantsang (Taisho no. 474, p. 519a14 and no. 476, p. 557c14). In chapter two, sbyin-pa is followed by dul-ba and yan-dag-par sdom-pa: sbyin-pa dan dul-ba dan yan-dag-par sdom-pa las skyes-pa "né du don (dāna), de la discipline (vinaya) et de la maîtrise de soi (samyama)" (Lamotte, p. 139). The same three are found in the Chinese translations by Chih Ch'ien and Hsuan-tsang (Taisho no. 474, p. 521b17-18 and no. 476, p. 561a14). This seems to indicate that these three concepts form a triad which occurs twice in the Indian text translated by Chih Ch'ien and Hsuan-tsang. In the Tibetan version this triad is found also in chapter two but, in chapter one, it is expanded by the addition of mi-'gyur-ba. Lamotte gives as Sanskrit equivalent for dul-ba vinaya but dul-ba certainly renders dama. The triad dāna, dama and samyana is common in the Pāli nikāyas (cf. Pali Tipitakan Concordance, s.v. dama). It is also found in an unidentified Sanskrit abhidharma text edited by Sudha Sengupta: katamesāṁ trayāņām yaduta dānasya damasya saryamasya ("Fragments from Buddhist Texts', R. C. Pandeya, ed., Buddhist Studies in India (Delhi, 1975), p. 195.6-71.2 This example shows sufficiently that it is necessary to scrutinize the text much more carefully than has been done so far. The philosophical meaning of the text has been brought out clearly by these three translations but the philological problems are far from being solved or even pointed out. New translations of the Tibetan version of the Vimalakirtinirdesa will certainly be welcome but only if more attention is paid to the text itself.
Australian National University
J. W. DE JONG
NOTES
Nagao published a review of Thurman's translation and of the English version of Lamotte's French translation. The Eastern Buddhist, N.S. XI, 1 (1978), pp. 109-112. 2 Cf. also Jātakamälä (ed. H. Kern), p. 100.11: dänadamasamyamadibhih.