Reviews Of Different Books

Page 29

REVIEWS 71 Composed by Sa-skya pan-chen Kun-dga' rgyal-mtshan (1182-1251), cf. Blue Annals, II, p. 607. IV.8.7 brgya-togser gsum dan gzuns-chen sgra-lna "canonical texts" (S.). For brgyatog-gser see S., vol. I, p.236, n. 1: sgra is probably a mistake for grva, cf. Blue Annals, I, p. 107 (gzuns grva-lna = Pancaraksa); C.G. s.v. grva-lna IV. 17.18-19: the text mentions four chapters of the Abhidharmakosa: phun-po, khams, 'jig-rten and phra-rgyas; phun-po is probably a mistake for dban-po, the title of the second chapter. S. translates phra-rgyas as "the subtle and vast elements" but phra-rgyas renders Sanskrit anusaya, the title of the fifth chapter. IV. 25.3: myan- das "the state of nirvana (S.). Myan- das refers here to the Mahaparinirvanasutra (Sde-dge, No. 120). One reads Snellgrove's translation with great pleasure and profit. His rendering of religious terms is felicitous and his translation of complicated Tibetan phrases clear and precise. Snellgrove translates proper names and technical terms but the Tibetan terms are all listed in the indices. I have some doubts about the appropriateness of rendering bodhisattva as 'would-be buddha' and would have preferred 'future buddha' or 'potential buddha' but, usually, Snellgrove's English equivalents are unobjectionable. The Glossary contains a very useful list of words which are not well explained in the existing dictionaries. Snellgrove notes in each case when an explanation has been given by a Tibetan informant and which words belong to the Dolpo dialect. Some information could have been found in Sumatiratna's dictionary which he does not appear to have used. It is perhaps the most comprehensive of all Tibetan dictionaries and has the added merit of supplying Mongolian translations. For instance the word keg (Glossary, p. 325) is explained by Sumatiratna as indicating the element 'wood' (modun maqabud). Chos-kyi grags-pa explains it as a technical term in astrology indicating a critical juncture. Sku-'gag (Glossary, p. 326) is given in Sumatiratna as equivalent to rin-'gag (cf. J., p. 529). Perhaps Snellgrove could have supplied some additional information in his glossary. To quote one example: chos-'brel = 'sacrament' (Glossary, p. 331). One wonders what is meant with the term 'sacrament' in the context of Tibetan Buddhism. I was puzzled by the meaning of this term in studying Sagaster's translation of the Subud Erike (cf. IIJ, XIII, 1971, p. 219). Snellgrove's translation confirms the fact that this term has a religious meaning but it does not explain it sufficiently. However, one must be grateful to Snellgrove for a glossary which clearly makes a contribution to Tibetan lexicography. One cannot but express the greatest admiration for Snellgrove's excellent translation. I have compared the Tibetan text from beginning to end and learnt much from his rendering of difficult passages. In a few places one can perhaps suggest a different interpretation. The following remarks contain a discussion of some passages in the four biographies. Perhaps they may be of some use in preparing a second edition of the translation which will certainly be required in due course. I.3.8 thun-mon gi rnam-thar che-lon tsam-zig snar-ba yi-ger bkod-na "If my ordinary doings, which are quite brief, are set down in writing" (S.). In the glossary S. explains che-lon as 'briefly, in essence'. C.G. has che-lon tsam = rags-rim tsam 'in outline'. Here che-lor refers to the writing of his life: "If my ordinary life-story is written out in outline", cf. III.66.2 che-lon-zig yi-ger bkod-pa. 1.20.13 tsam-pa tshon-pa "A fair supply of tsamba" (S.). For the meaning of tshon-pa S. refers to tshon-po 'fat' (Glossary, p. 340). More probably tshon-pa is a graphic variant of mtshon-pa, cf. J., p. 457a mtshon-pa 'a handful. 1.26.20 spu-sad"a single hair" (S.). According to C. G. spu-sad = gos-kyi spu smyugsad 'a brush made of bamboo for the hairs of clothes'. See J., p. 428b: smyug-bsad 'comb made of bamboo'. I.31.11-12 'od-gsal snar-ba'i nin-mo "the clear light appeared as daylight" (S.) - "the day on which the clear light appeared".