Brief History Of Buddhist Studies In Europe And Maerica

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

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THE EASTERN BUDDHIST
At the same time such bibliographical surveys would be useful for young Japanese scholars.
It may seem that this proposal is only meant to assist Western scholars in finding their way in the overwhelming mass of Japanese publications and therefore of less interest to Japanese scholars. However, such systematic bibliographical information will not only also be useful to Japanese scholars, but it will help in bringing about a greater exchange of ideas and methods between Western and Japanese scholars to the benefit of both of them. If Western scholars will make greater use of Japanese publications and, will react to them, it will be of use to Japanese scholars. It is exactly because Japanese and Western scholars have been brought up in different worlds, that an exchange of opinions will be fruitful. For instance, Japanese scholars will be able to learn from the philological methods developed in the West, whereas Western scholars have much to learn from Japanese scholarship in the study of Chinese Buddhist texts which have been closely scrutinized by Japanese scholars for many centuries. The number of Buddhist scholars in the West is limited and will probably always be limited. Most of them are working more or less in isolation, because there are very few universities in which one will find more than one or two specialists in this field. Moreover, Western scholars are scattered over many countries and write in several languages. It is difficult for them to cooperate in research projects. Nevertheless, some important publications have been realised by international co-operation: The Pali Text Society, the Bibliotheca Buddhica, and the Bibliographie bouddhique. At present the Critical Pali Dictionary is one of the most important undertakings in this respect. Japanese scholars have produced lasting achievements through cooperation. One must be extremely grateful to the great energy of Takakusu for having organized the publication of such epoch-making works as the Taishō Daizōkyō, the Nanden Daizokyo and the Kokuyaku Issaikyō. Thanks to the tireless energy of Miyamoto Shōson, the Index of the Taishō Daizokyo is at present being published at regular intervals.
The fact that Japanese scholars in the past have been able to produce such collective works of lasting value to Buddhist studies and continue to do so at present, justifies the hope that it will be possible to organise other projects of similar scope. The Taishō Daizōkyō was published fifty years ago and is still the basis for serious study of the Chinese Buddhist canon. However, the
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