Book Reviews

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

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232
REVIEWS
Number 1 of Buddhist Research Information is based upon bibliographies of doctoral dissertations. One of the sources is Theses on Asia. Accepted by Universities in The United Kingdom and Ireland, 1877-1964. The first item is taken from this bibliography: "1. Reference works: MALALASEKERA, G. P. (1) Dictionary of Pali Proper Names. (2) Vamsatthappakini, (sic!) or Commentary on the Mahāvamsa. (3) The Extended Mahavamsa. D. Litt. University of London (London), 1938". Of these three works only the first can be classed as a reference work. All three have been published but this is not mentioned. It seems completely contrary to common sense to list theses submitted in the U. K. and Ireland in the period 1877-1964 without indicating which ones have subsequently been published. In many cases it would be sufficient to give references to existing bibliographies, such as Shinsho Hanayama's Bibliography on Buddhism (Tokyo, 1961) and the Bibliographie bouddhique. On page 1 of this issue the following advice is given to the reader: "To determine whether a manuscript, conference paper, or dissertation/thesis listed in BRI has been published as a monograph, periodical article, or in other form, please consult relevant bibliographies, periodical indexes, publishers' trade catalogues, National Union catalogues, or ask the author." It is, of course, the task of the compilers of this bulletin to furnish this kind of information. .
According to the editors, the information given in this Bulletin is intended to supplement that provided by other bibliographies. There would seem to be, therefore, no reason at all for including theses which were later published and listed, for instance, in the two bibliographies mentioned above. It is very much to be hoped that the present editorial policy for this Bulletin will not be continued.
The first number of Sikh Religious Studies Information lists reference works, general works and introductory works. Other categories will be listed in future issues. It must be left to specialists in Sikh religious studies to give their opinion on the usefulness of this bulletin.
Australian National University
J. W. DE JONG
Tibetische Handschriften und Blockdrucke, Teil 7. Beschrieben von Friedrich Wilhelm und Jampa Losang Panglung (Verzeichnis der orientalischen Handschriften in Deutschland, Band XI, 7). Wiesbaden, Franz Steiner Verlag GmbH., 1979, XIII, 195 pp. DM 90.
The seventh volume of the catalogue of Tibetan manuscripts and blockprints describes the Tibetan collections in the Staatsbibliothek Preussischer Kulturbesitz Berlin, the Seminar für Kultur und Geschichte Indiens der Universität Hamburg and the Indisch-Ostasiatisches Seminar der Universität Marburg. The three collections together contain 523 items (blockprints, manuscripts and pictures). The catalogue is divided into the following sections: A. Texte aus dem Kanjur; B. Rituelle und tantrische Texte; C. Wissenschaften; D. Geschichte und Ortsbeschreibungen; E. Lieder; F. Erzählende Literatur; G. Abbildungen; H. Sonstiges; I. Sammlungen und zusammengehörige Handschriften. The second section contains the greatest number of texts (nos. 17-223) but most of them are very brief rituals. In this section there is a great number of manuscripts belonging to the Staatsbibliothek. The authors of the catalogue do not give any information on the history of the collections as Taube did in his introduction to the first volume (pp. XI-XII). It would be useful to know how the Staatsbibliothek acquired such a great collection of Tibetan manuscripts. The Staatsbibliothek possesses also a Kumbum blockprint of Mkhas-grub's great Kālacakra commentary, the Dus-'khor tik-chen (nos. 312322). Another interesting item in this catalogue is the collection of songs by the Karmapa Mi-bskyod rdo-rje (nos. 261-264).