Reviews Of Diffeent Books

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

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REVIEWS
attention to the very interesting account found in the Lokapainatti, which was studied by Eugène Denis, 10 although the bibliography lists both this article by Denis and his edition and translation of the Lokapanfatti. 11
As an example of Strong's exegetical methods, we refer to the pages he devotes to "The Doctrine of Essence" (pp. 148-155). Strong translates a passage from the Divyāvadāna, from which we quote the following verse: "Once one has enjoyed curds, ghee, fresh butter, and buttermilk, the best part of the milk - its essence - is gone. If the jar is then accidentally broken, it is hardly something to get upset about. So too there should be no sorrow at death if one has already extracted from one's body, its essence - good conduct" (pp. 149-150). Strong's translation is based upon Mukhopadhyaya's edition: dadhighrtanavanitaksiratakropayogād varam apahṛtasāro mandakumbhovabhagnah / na bhavati bahuśocyam yadvad evam sariram sucaritahrtasāram naiti śoko 'ntakāle // (p. 74.5-8). Needless to say, Strong's translation has only a remote relation to the Sanskrit text which, as edited by Mukhopadhyaya, is not comprehensible. If Strong had not only quoted Lüders' Bruchstücke der Kalpanāmanditika but also read it, he would have found on p. 147 Lüders' emendations which establish an acceptable sense for this verse: dadhighrtanavanitaksiratakropayogāt param apahrtasäre. mandakumbhe 'vabhagne / na bhavati bahu socyam yadvad evam sarire sucaritahrta sare nästi śoko intakäle //. According to Strong the similes used in the passage translated by him intriguingly recall those used by the Sarvāstivādin teacher, Dharmatrā ta, to explain how an element, although it changes as it moves through the three times, nonetheless remains the same. 12 The similes used by Dharmaträta relate to the unchangeableness of colour (varna) in a golden pot which is broken, or in milk which is transformed into curd, Cf. Abhidharmakosabhāsya, p. 296.10--12: yathā suvarnabhājanasya bhittvá 'nyatha kriyamanasya samsthananyathātvam bhavati na varnanyathătvam / yathā ca ksiram dadhitvena parinamad rasavīryavipakan parityajati na varnam. In the Divyavadana the simile relates to the fact that once the essence has been taken out of the pot, it does not matter when the pot is broken. It is difficult to see how this simile intriguingly recalls those used by Dharmaträta.
Strong's translation of the Aśokāvadāna is based upon Mukhopadhyāya's edition, which is not a very good choice. As already shown above, Mukhopadhyāya does not know the work done by scholars such as Lüders who have suggested many excellent emendations. Moreover, Mukhopadhyāya freely changes the readings of his text to make them agree with Przyluski's translation of the A-yü-wang-chuan. 13 It would have been much better to translate the editio princeps by Cowell and Neil, also referring to the emendations proposed since its publication. Strong mentions Burnouf's translation and remarks that there are a number of mistakes in his work (p. 171). It seems therefore appropriate to compare Strong's renderings of several passages with those found in Burnouf's Introduction à l'histoire du buddhisme indien (Paris, 1844). The meaning of iryāpatha seems to be unknown to Strong, who translates it by various ascetic performances" (p. 175) and by the practices of a religious mendicant" (p. 181). Iryāpatha signifies "the deportment" or "the four bodily attitudes", and there is no ground for attributing to it the meaning of 'heretical practices" as done by Edgerton with reference to Divyāvadāna 350.7 (Mukhopadhyāya 4.3). Burnouf correctly translates praśānteneryāpathena (Divyāvadāna 354.4; Mukhopadhyāya 10.13) by "avec une démarche recueillie" (p. 147). Strong translates lokālokavara (Divyāvadāna 423.28; Mukhopadhyaya 62.11) by "the best in this world and beyond" (p. 227). Burnouf has la première des lumières du monde" (p. 420). Asoka advises his brother Vitaśoka to exercise himself in begging: bhaikse tävad abhyasah kriyatām (Divyāvadāna 4 24.16; Mukhopadhyāya 63.9). Strong translates: "why don't you do your begging near at hand?" (p. 228). Burnouf has: "commence ici ton apprentissage de mendiant" (p. 4 20). Sthavira Upagupta thinks that when Asoka goes to see him, Upagupta, there will be injury to a great number of people and to the country: yadi rajāgamisyati mahajanakāyasya pidā bhavisyati gocarasya ca (Divyāvadāna 386.6-7; Mukhopadhyāya 77.4-5). Strong translates: "If the king did come, it would be difficult to find provisions for the large number of men in his escort" (p. 240). Burnouf has: "Si le roi vient ici, il en