Tibetan Studies In Jjapan

Author(s): Hajime Nakamura
Publisher: Hajime Nakamura

Page 10

Tibetan Studies in Japan (H. Nakamura)
pp. Yoshimura made clear that it was compiled in 824 A. D.
(8) The life of these priests was studied by S. Tachibana, Shukyo Kenkyu, NS. vol. 12, No. 2, pp. 120 f.
(9) An index to the Tibetan translators to the Sde-dge edition by Yoshimura, Ryukoku Daigaku Ronshu, No. 350, Oct., 1955, p. 1 ff.
(10) H. Hadano made clear the economic background of printing the Tibetan Tripitaka, (Shoho # April, 1959, pp. 16-18.) (11) The extra-canonical works brought by Tokan Tada and preserved in the library of Tohoku University have been catalogued. (A Catalogue of the Tohoku University Collection of Tibetan Works on Buddhism. Ed. by Yensho Kanakura, Ryujo Yamada, Tokan Tada and Hakuyu Hadano. Published by the seminar of Indology, Tohoku University, Sendai, 1953). They amount to 230 tomes comprizing 2083 numbers. This is the first catalogue of its kind. This was awarded the Japan Academy prize for 1955. The collector stayed and studied at the Se-ra monastery belonging to the Dge-lugs-pa Sect, the collection centers around this sect. Nevertheless it covers all the historical subjects of Tibetan Buddhism. A brief explanation in English is given to each of the item. (12) A brief account of Tibetan Buddhism
(55)
-Kogetsu Zenshu, pp. 130 f; 193 f.; 243 f.; 291 f. Shyuki Yoshimura: Tibetan Buddhistology. The Basic Texts of Historical Lamaism. (English) Sept. 1953. Published by Research Society for the Eastern Sacred Books, Ryukoku University, Kyoto. This is a good and reliable introduction (Engl.) to history of Tibetan Buddhism chiefly based upon studies by Japanese scholars, including his own.
(13) The dates of Santarakṣita and Kamalaśila were fully discussed by H. Nakamura (Shoki no Vedanta Tetsugaku, pp. 109-113). G. Tucci criticized Nakamura's chronology (East and West, year 8, No. 1, p. 109). Alex Wayman stated in a personal letter to the author that in his opinion these dates can be ascertained more exactly. Referring to Paul Demiéville, Le Concile de Lhasa (Bhbliothèque de l'Institut des Hautes Etudes Chinoises, vol. VII, Paris 1952), I, 177, 183, etc., we find the Council of Lhasa placed between 792-794 A. D. Since Kamalaśīla was the chief Indian representative in this Council and did not live long after according to Tibetan accounts, he can be placed c. 740-800. Again, since Santirakṣita was invited to Tibet by King Khri-srion Lde-btsan, who begins his reign 755 according to the Deb-ther snon-po, Śantirakṣita can be placed more exactly as c. 720-780. In any case, both their lives would have to fall within the eighth century A. D. and span most of that century." However, Japanese scholars in general, are highly sceptical about the results of chronological studies by Western scholars, and they esteem the historical authenticity of Chinese documents. (14) The Tibetan text of Bhāvanākrama (sgon-paḥi rim-pa) was critically ed. and tr. into Japanese by Yoshimura in op. cit.
(15) Yoshimura: op. cit. p. 3.
-723