Book Title: Reviews Of Different Books
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Page 27
________________ REVIEWS 69 291) and a general index (pp. 292-302). Volume two contains a photographic reproduction of the Tibetan text in dbu-med script (pp. 11-290), transliterated extracts without translation (pp. 291-295), transliterated extracts with translation (pp. 296-313), notes to the first volume (pp. 314-315), alphabet and system of transliteration (pp. 316-317), examples of abbreviated words (pp. 318-324) and a glossary (pp. 325-345). The texts in volume two do not reproduce the original manuscripts used by Snellgrove, but are new manuscripts written by Tibetan scribes under his supervision. According to Snellgrove the original manuscripts contain many scribal errors which had to be corrected. A reproduction of a few pages of the original manuscripts would have been useful in showing the nature of these errors. However, it would have been impossible to reproduce completely the original manuscripts. Snellgrove's decision to reproduce rewritten manuscripts is undoubtedly the best solution even if sometimes one would like to compare the original manuscripts. In a few cases a correction seems required. To quote a few examples, taken from the first pages of the first biography: 1.3.10 sgro-'dogs spyad. Read sgro-'dogs bcad, cf. 1.10.8, 10.17, 31.10 etc. 1.4.2 dgra-gnen sogs-kyi chags-sdan spans-nas Idum-bu mdzad-pa'i tshul "so abandoning attachment to friends and aversion to enemies, I acted the same towards all." (Note: "I made it all of one piece.") (S.). Vol. II, p. 314 S. proposes the translation: "I acted humbly towards all." Read ldom-bu, cf. I.21.1-2 dgra-gnen sogs-kyi chags-sdan spars-te Idom-bu mdzad-pa'i tshul "avoiding hatred to enemies and attachment to friends, he lived the life of a beggar." (S.). 1.7.1 bka'-drin la 'khor mtha' med-pa'i "whose gracious kindness was unlimited." (S.). Read 'khor thabs med-pa'i, cf. II.17.12-13 bka'-drin la 'khor-ba'i thabs-med"there can be no way of repaying his kindness." (S.). In 1.36.14 the Ms has thabs-med but S. translates mtha'-med: "The graciousness of my lama would be seen to be quite boundless." In I.37.5-6 bka'-drin-la 'khor mtha'-med-pa'i one must make the same correction. It is certainly necessary for Western scholars of Tibetan to have a good knowledge of the dbu-med script. When written by a careless writer, this script is often not easy to read. The manuscripts in volume two are carefully written and present few problems to the reader. In a few cases Snellgrove's readings have to be corrected: 1.8.3 chu-chu-bo (vol. II, p. 291). 1.9.14 Inga-sna (vol. II, p. 292). 1.9.21 rva-rva'i (vol. II, p. 292). 1.9.21 rdzogs-par--rdzogs-pa (vol. II, p. 292). II.33.21 glu-ru len-cin; S. "obtained from the serpents". S. seems to have read klu-ru. II.36.12 bzhol-gzol (vol. II, p. 302). II.56.20 brkyed-bskyed (vol. II, p. 310). III.7.17 bka'-'grel-dka'-'grel. IV. 2.14-15 bTsan-thang-sgo-bzhi-- Btsan-than gor-ma. (The index has both names. Cf. vol. I, p. 289, nos. 529 and 530. In no. 530 sgo is mis-spelt sgro., IV.4.1 rTsod-ma-rTsod-mo. IV. 29.22 Grags Yongs-rdzong-brag yars-rdzon. IV. 41.7 Ling-brgyan-Min-brgyan. In the notes to the first volume (vol. II, pp. 314-315), Snellgrove draws attention to words and phrases omitted in translation. One must add the following passages: 1.3.2-3 gdul-bya mchog dan 'brir-rnams la gzugs-sku rnam-gnis dan||. I.5.18-19 bla-ma grubthob rnams-kyis kyan mkha'-'gro dros yin-par lur-bstan-par gda'). 1.12.3-4 ma-ni bka''bum/. I.24.13 grub rgyal-mal. I.26.18-19 bla-ma rin-po-che gu-ru drag-dmar dros-su mthon-zin/. 1.36.2-3 mgon-ser tshar bcu-gcig/. 1.63.3-4 grub-thob man-po bzugs-pa'i gnas/ dpal mtha'-dkar gyi sgrub-gnas-su. II.11.3 snan rtse-ba. II.28.17-18 lo-gsum son 1 1.62 (p. 72) and III.62 (p.234) must be interchanged. 3 Roman figures refer to the four biographies, Arabic figures to page and line of the Tibetan text. The following abbreviations have been used: C.G. = Chos-kyi grags-pa's Tibetan-Tibetan-Chinese Dictionary (Peking, 1957); Das = S. C. Das, A TibetanEnglish Dictionary (Calcutta, 1902); J. = Jaschke's Tibetan-English Dictionary (London, 1881); Myy. = Mahavyutpatti; S. = Snellgrove; Sum. = Sumatiratna's TibetanMongolian Dictionary (Ulaanbaatar, 1959).

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