Book Reviews

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

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238
REVIEWS
Theravadins. On p. 44 she states that Pali texts are preserved only in a very fragmentary state. On p. 46 it is said that the second half of the Lotus sutra contains entire chapters which bring almost nothing new but are identical even as far as the name of the reciters are concerned. On p. 47 the 'Zuwendung des Verdienstes' is considered to be a characteristic feature of Central Asian Buddhism, although it is well-known that the transference of merit is found even in Ceylonese Buddhism (cf. Gregory Schopen's references, IIJ 21, 1979, p. 16, n. 8; Heinz Bechert, 'Buddha-Feld und Verdienstübertragung: Mahāyāna-Ideen im Theravada-Buddhismus Ceylons', Bull. de la Cl. des Lettres et des Sc. morales et politiques de l'Ac. R. de Belgique, 1976, pp. 27-51). On p. 66 the author states that Hybrid Sanskrit arose in the basin of the Tarim. On p. 114 she mentions the three bodies of the Buddha: "den unvorstellbaren, wirklich seienden (dharma-kaya), den verherrlichten (nirmāṇa-kaya) und den irdischen (sambhogakāya).”
It is a pity that the author has tried to deal with many subjects on which she is obviously not well informed. There is no doubt that she could have written an excellent book on the Turkish peoples in Central Asia, for in that field she is one of the leading specialists. Several chapters in her book contain useful information such as Chapter VI (Philologie) which studies in some detail such topics as materials used for writing, paper and book sizes, writing instruments, scripts, etc. Also the chapters dealing with archaeology contain much information, but here also there are two few references to recent publications. As an introduction to Central Asian studies in the pre-Islamic period this book is entirely unsatisfactory and one can only wish that it will be replaced by a publication which is as carefully planned and written as the Einführung in die Indologie.
Australian National University
J. W. DE JONG
NOTES
1 When referring to passages in this book, I follow the author's transcription.
2 I have not yet been able to consult the other contributions in this book on which see also IIJ 22, 1980, pp. 174-175.
Burmese Manuscripts, Part 1. Compiled by Heinz Bechert, Daw Khin Khin Su and Daw Tin Tin Myint (Verzeichnis der orientalischen Handschriften in Deutschland, Band XXIII, 1). Wiesbaden, Franz Steiner Verlag GmbH., 1979, XLII, 223 pp., 5 pl. DM 110,-.
In the preface to this volume Heinz Bechert draws attention to the fact that it is the first catalogue of Burmese manuscripts to give detailed descriptions. Burmese language and literature have been little studied in the West and the information given in the introduction on the history of the literature of Burma and on previous studies of Burmese literature is therefore very welcome. Bechert mentions that no more than five larger works of pre-modern Burmese literature are translated into European language. The first work which was translated is a biography of the Buddha, the Malalankäravatthu, composed in 1798 A.D. A manuscript of it is described in the catalogue (no. 109). This work was translated by an American Baptist missionary, Chester Bennett (JAOS 3, 1853, pp. 1-164). Better known in the West is The Life or Legend of Gaudama the Buddha of the Burmese by Bishop Paul Ambrose Bigandet