Siamese Edition of Buddhist Scriptures
By C.R. Lanman
Journal of the American Oriental Society
vol 16. pp 244-254
p. 244
16. The King of Siam's edition of the Buddhist
Scriptures; by Professor C. R. Lanman, of Harvard
University, Cambridge, Mass.
It is perhaps not generally known to the present
members of the Society that His Majesty, Pawarendr
Ramesr, Second King of Siam, was an Honorary Member
of the American Oriental Society. A letter from him,
acknowledging and returning thanks for his election,
was presented in October, 1865 (see Proceedings for
that date, Journal, vol. viii., p. lxxxi), and
contains the following passage: "It is gratifying to
learn, through your Society's published works, of the
interest taken in the United States in Oriental
learning. Allow me to hope that this interest, as
well as the benefit derived from such studies, may
continue to increase and result in much good." One of
the greatest benefactors of the Society, the Hon.
Charles W. Bradley, of New Haven, was deeply
interested in Siam. "In 1857, he returned home as
bearer of the new treaty with Siam, and, on his
outward passage to Ningpo, he took with him its
ratification, being invested for the purpose with
plenipotentiary powers" (Proceedings for May, 1865,
Journal, vol. viii., p.lxi). In his paper On the
Kings and the Kingdom of Siam (Proceedings for May,
1859, p. 7, not in the Journal), Mr. Bradley speaks
"of the First and Second Kings, their character,
their uncommon attainments in European languages and
science, their knowledge of and interest in all that
takes place in the political and intellectual world
of the West, and their especially friendly feeling
toward America and Americans." In this connection,
attention may be called to the very interesting work
of Mrs. A. H. Leonowens, The English Governess at the
Siamese Court.
Mr. Lanman ]aid before the Society one volume of
the King of Siam's edition of the Tipitaka, in 39
volumes, which had already been mentioned by the
Librarian. The books are printed books, and are in
the Pali language and in the Siamese alphabet.
Affixed to the fly-leaf of the first volume is the
following circular letter:
CONSULATE-GENERAL OF SIAM,
NEW YORK, March 20, 1895.
SIR:
I have forwarded to the address of your
Institution, a Siamese edition of the sacred writings
of the Southern Buddhists, the Tripitaka, sent as a
present by His Majesty, Somdetch Phra Paramindr Maha
Chulalonkorn Phra Chula Chom Klao, King of Siam, in
commemoration of the 25th anniversary of his reign.
It may be interesting to His Majesty to receive
some account of your Institution, showing what has
been accomplished in Sour quarter of the "New World"
in the cause of letters and education during the last
twenty-five years.
Will you therefore have the kindness to send
a copy of your last Report by mail to His Royal
Highness, Prince Devawongse Varaprakar, Minister for
Foreign Affairs, Bangkok, Siam, and one copy, if you
please, to me.
Will you also acknowledge receipt of the books
to His Royal Highness, and send a duplicate receipt
to me.
I have the honor to be, Sir, Faithfully yours,
ISAAC TOWNSEND SMITH, Consul-General of Siam,
1 East 39th St., New York.
To the Librarian of the ---.
p. 245
The courtesy of the Consul-General has enabled me
to give the following list of public libraries that
were chosen to be the fortunate recipients of this
royal gift. They are:
Cal., ...Berkeley, .... University of California.
Palo Alto, ... Leland Stanford Junior University,
San Francisco, Mercantile Library.
Conn., ..Hartford, .... Trinity College.
New Haven, ... Amerlcan Oriental Society.
Yale University.
D. C., ..Washington, .. Catholic University of America.
Library of Congress.
Smithsonian Institution.
Ill., ...Chicago, ..... Newberry Library.
McCormick Theological Seminary.
University of Chicago.
Evanston, .... Northwestern University.
Ind., .. Bloomington,.. Indiana University.
Kans., ..Lawrence, .... University of Kansas.
La., ... New Orleans, . Tulane University.
Me., ....Brunswick, ... Bowdoin College.
Md., ....Baltimore, ... Johns Hopkins University.
Mass., ..Amherst, ..... Amherst College.
Boston, ...... Public Library.
Boston University.
Cambridge, ... Harvard University.
Newton Center, Newton Theological Institution.
Worcester, ... American Antiquarian Society.
Mich., ..Ann Arbor, ... University of Michigan.
Detroit, ..... Public Library.
Minn., ..Minneapolis,.. University of Minnesota.
Mo., ....Columbia, .... University of the State of Missouri.
St. Louis, ... Public Library.
Washington University.
Springfield, . Drury College.
N. H., ..Hanover, ..... Dartmouth College.
N. J.,...Madison, ..... Drew Theological Seminary.
Princeton, ... College of New Jersey.
N. Y., ..Ithaca, ...... Cornell University.
New York, .... Astor Library.
Columbia College.
Union Theological Seminary.
Ohio, ...Cincinnati, .. Public Library.
Oberlin, ..... Oberlin College.
Pa., ....Bryn Mawr, ... Bryn Mawr College.
Haverford, ....Haverford College.
Philadelphia, .Mercantile Library.
University of Pennsylvania,
R. I., ..Providence, ...Brown University.
Tenn., ..Nashville, ....Vanderbilt University.
Sewanee, ....University of the South.
Va., ....Charlottesville, University of Virginia.
Wis., ...Madison, ....University of Wisconsin.
[Total, 49.]
These volumes of the Tipitaka have no duplicate
title-pages in English; and, in the absence of
experts at many or most of the above-mentioned
libraries, it is probable that the boobs will fail to
be properly catalogued and will thus also fail to
attract possible students and to be made known to
those already interested. Accordingly, for the
practi-
p. 246
cal purpose of increasing the chances of usefulness
of the widely distributed Siamese edition the
following lists are given.
The Harvard copy of this work has already been of
great use to Mr. Henry C. Warren of Cambridge, in the
prosecution of his studies in Buddhism. He drew up a
numbered list of the 39 volumes and wrote out in
briefest form the contents of each volume. A similar
service for the Library of the University of
Edinburgh was rendered by Dr. James Burgess. Each of
the volumes has a Kittana-patta or `Table of
Contents.' These it may be quite desirable to print
in our Journal in extenso for the use of Pali
students; giving, for instance, the 152 suttas of the
Majjhima-nikaya. For the present purpose, however, I
have disregarded systematic completeness, and even
consistency, and have given in general only so much
as is desirable for the identification of the
contents of the several volumes. But for the
Maha-niddesa, the Culla-niddesa, and the
Patisambhida-magga, I have given the tables in full.
It will be seen, as Mr. Warren observes, that the
Vimana-vatthu, Peta-vatthu, Thera-gatha, Theri-gatha,
Jataka, Apadana, Buddhavamsa, and Cariya-pitaka,
given by Childers in his Dictionary as belonging to
the Khuddaka-nikaya and so forming part of the canon,
are not included in the Siamese edition.
Reprints of this paper will be sent, first. to
all the above-mentioned libraries. The cataloguers
will thereby be enabled easily to identify or cause
to be identified all the 39 volumes of the set; to
note the contents of each volume on its fly-leaf; and
thus to catalogue the work properly and make it
accessible to students. Mr. H. C. Warren authorizes
me to say that he is willing to identify each of the
volumes of the set for any Library that will send the
books to his address (12 Quincy st., Cambridge,
Mass.). The Library concerned must pay the carriage
both ways; but there will be no other expense.
Secondly, reprints of this paper will be sent, so
long as the supply lasts, to any Pali students who
may ask for them. (Apply to C. R. L., 9 Farrar st.,
Cambridge, Mass.) They will thus be enabled to find
out where copies of the Tipitaka may be consulted or
borrowed.
I. Table showing the distribution of the main
divisions of the Tipitaka over the 39 volumes of the
Royal Siamese Edition.
A.-- Vinaya-pitaka (8 vol's).--Volumes 1-8. Volumes.
A. 1. Maha-vibhanga -------------------- 1, 2
A. 2. Bhikkhuni-vibhanga --------------- 3
A. 3. Maha-vagga ----------------------- 4, 5
A. 4. Culla-vagga ---------------------- 6, 7
A. 5. Parvara -------------------------- 8
B.-- Suttanta-pitaka (20 vol's).--Volumes 9-28.
B. 1. Digha-nikaya ---------------- 9, 10, 11
B. 2. Majjhima-nikaya ------------- 12, 13, 14
B. 3. Samyutta-nikaya--------15, 16, 17, 18, 19
B. 4. Anguttara-nikaya------ 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
B. 5. Khuddaka-nikaya -------- 25, 26, 27, 28
p. 247
C.-- Abhidhamma-pitaka (11 vol's).--Volumes 29-39.
Volumes.
C. 1. Dhammasangani ---------------------- 29
C. 2. Vibhanga-ppakarana ----------------- 30
C. 3. Kathavatthu ------------------------ 31
C. 4. Dhatukatha ------------------------- 32
C. 5. Puggalapannatti -------------------- 32
C. 6. Yamaka-ppakarana ------------ 33, 34, 35
C. 7. Patthana-ppakarana ------- 36, 37, 38, 39
II. Table showing more particularly the contents of
each of the 39 volumes.
A. -- Vinaya-pitaka.
Volume.
1. Maha-vibhanga, Part i.:
1. (Veranja-) Parajika-kanda;
2. Terasa-kanda (the "13" Samghadisesa rules);
3. Aniyata-kanda;
2. Maha-vibhanga, Part ii.:
4. Nissaggiya-kanda;
5. Pacittiya-kanda;
6. Patidesaniya-kanda;
7. Sekhiya-kanda.
3. Bhikkhuni-vibhanga:
1. Parajika-kanda;
2. Sattarasa-kanda (the "17" Samghadisesa rules);
3. Nissaggiya-kanda;
4. Pacittiya-kanda;
5. Patidesaniya-kanda;
6. Sekhiya-kanda;
4. Maha-vagga, Part i:
1. Maha-khandhaka;
2. Uposatha-kkhandhaka;
3. Vassupanayika-kkhandhaka;
4. Pavarana-kkhandhaka;
5. Maha-vagga, Part ii.:
5. Camma-kkhandhaka;
6. Bhesajja-kkhandhaka;
7. Kathina-kkhandhaka;
8. Civara- kkhandhaka;
9. Campeyya-kkhandhaka;
10. Kosambi-kkhandhaka;
6. Culla-vagga, Part i.:
1. Kamma-kkhandhaka;
2. Parivasika-kkhandhaka;
3. Samuccaya-kkhandhaka;
4. Samatha-kkhandhaka;
p. 248
7. Culla-vagga, Part ii.:
5. Khuddakavatthu-kkhandhaka;
6. Senasana-kkhandhaka;
7. Samghabheda-kkhandhaka;
8. Vatta-kkhandhaka;
9. Patimokkhatthapana-kkhandhaba;
10. Bhikkhuni-kkhandhaka;
11. Pancasatika-kkhandhaka;
12. Sattasatika-kkhandhaka.
8. Parivara.
B.--Suttanta-pitaka.
9. Digha-nikaya, Part i., Silakkhandha-vagga:
1. Brahmajala-sutta;
2. Samannaphala-sutta;
3. Ambattha-sutta;
4. Sonadanda-sutta;
5. Kutadanta-sutta;
6. Mahali-sutta;
7. Jaliya-sutta;
8. Maha-sihanada-sutta;
9. Potthapada-sutta;
10. Subha-sutta;
11. Kevatta-sutta;
12. Lohicca-sutta;
13. Tevijja-sutta.
10. Digha-nikaya, Parti ii., Maha-vagga :
1. Mahapadana-sutta;
2. Mahanidana-sutta;
3. Mahaparinibbana-sutta;
4. Mahasudassana-sutta;
5. Janavasabha-sutta;
6. Mahagovinda-sutta;
7. Mahasamaya-sutta;
8. Sakkapanha-sutta;
9. Mahasatipatthana-sutta;
10. Payasirajanna-sutta.
11. Digha-nikaya, Part iii., Patika-vagga:
1. Patika-sutta;
2. Udumbarika-sutta;
3. Cakkavatti-sutta;
4. Agganna-sutta;
5. Sampasadaniya-sutta;
6. Pasadika-sutta;
7. Lakkhana-sutta;
8. Singalaka-sutta;
9. Atanatiya-sutta;
p. 249
Volume.
10. Sangitii-sutta;
11. Dasuttara-sutta.
12. Majjhima-nikaya, Part i., Mula-pannasaka:
1. Mulapariyaya-vagga;
2. Sihanada-vagga;
3. Opamma-vagga;
4. Mahayamaka-vagga;
5. Culayamaka-vagga.
13. Majjhima-nikaya, Part ii., Majjhima-pannasaka:
1. Gahapati-vagga;
2. Bhikkhu-vagga;
3. Paribbajaba-vagga;
4. Raja-vagga;
5. Brahmana-vagga.
14. Majjhima-nikaya, Part iii., Upari-pannasaka:
1. Devadaha-vagga;
2. Anupada-vagga;
3. Sunnata-vagga;
4. Vibhanga-vagga;
5. Salayatana-vagga.
15. Samyutta-nikaya, Part i., Sagatha-vagga
1. Devata-samyutta;
2. Devaputta-samyutta;
3. Kosala-samyutta;
4, Mara-samyutta;
5. Bhikkhuni-samyutta;
6. Brahma-samyutta;
7. Brahmana-samyutta;
8. Vangisa-samyutta;
9. Vana-samyutta;
10. Yakkha-samyutta;
11. Sakka-samyutta.
16. Samyutta-nikaya, Part ii., Nidana-vagga:
1. Abhisamaya-samyutta (Feer, 12 and 13);
2. Dhatu-samyutta (14) ;
3. Anamatagga-samyutta (15);
4. Kassapa-samyutta (16);
5. Labhasakkara-samyutta (17);
6. Rahula-samyutta (18);
7. Lakkhana-samyutta (19);
8. Opamma-samyutta (20);
9. Bhikkhu-samyutta (21).
17. Samyutta-nikaya, Part iii., Khandhavara-vagga:
1. Khandha-samyutta (22);*
--------------------------------------------------
*With 3 pannasa's, each of 5 vagga's. See Feer's
edition, vol. 3, " Contents" and "Introduction." So
the Salayatana-samyutta (35) fills more than half of
volume 18.
p. 250
Volume.
2. Radha-samyutta (23);
3. Ditthi-samyutta (24);
4. Okkanta-samyutta (25);
5. Uppada-samyutta (26);
6. Kilesa-samyutta (27);
7. Sariputta-samyutta (28);
8. Naga-samyutta (29);
9. Supanna-samyutta (30);
10. Gandhabbakaya-samyutta (31);
11. Valahaka-samyutta (32);
12. Vacchagotta-samyutta (33);
13. Samadhi-samyutta (34).
18. Samyutta-nikaya, Part iv., Salayatana-vagga:
1. Salayatana-samyutta (35) ;
2. Vedana-samyutta (36);
3. Matugama-samyutta (37);
4. Jambukhadaka-samyutta (38);
5. Samandaka-samyutta (39);
6. Moggallana-samyutta (40) ;
7. Cittagahapatipuccha-samyutta (41) ;
8. Gamani-samyutta(42) ;
9. Asamkhata-samyutta (43) ;
10. Abyakata-samyutta (44).
19. Samyutta-nikaya, Part v., Mahavara-vagga:
1. Magga-samyutta ;
2. Bojjhanga-samyutta ;
3. Satipatthana-samyutta ;
4. Indriya-samyutta;
5. Sammappadhana-samyutta ;
6. Bala-samyutta ;
7. Iddhipada-samyutta ;
8. Anuruddha-samyutta ;
9. Jhana-samyutta ;
10. Anapana-samyutta ;
11. Sotapatti-samyutta ;
12. Sacca-samyutta.
20. Anguttara-nikaya, Part i.:
1. Eka-nipata ;
2. Duka-nipata ;
3. Tika-nipata;
21. Anguttara nikaya, Part ii.:
4. Catukka-nipata;
22. Anguttara-nikaya, Part iii.:
5. Pancaka-nipata;
6. Chakka-nipata;
23. Anguttara-nikaya, Part iv.:
7. Sattaka-nipata;
8. Atthaka-nipata;
9. Navaka-nipata;
p. 251
Volume.
24. Anguttara-nikaya, Part v.:
10. Dasa-nipata;
11. Ekadasa-nipata.
25. Khuddaka-nikaya, Part i.:
1. Khuddaka-patha;
2. Dhamma-pada.;
3. Udana;
4. Itivuttaka:
5. Sutta-nipata.
26. Khuddaka-nikaya, Part ii., Maha-niddesa :
Atthaka-vaggika:*
1. Kama-sutta-niddesa;
2. Guhatthaka-sutta-niddesa;
3. Dutthatthaka-sutta-niddesa;
4. Suddhatthaka-sutta-niddesa;
5. Paramatthaka-sutta-niddesa;
6. Jara-sutta-niddesa;
7. Tissa-metteyya-sutta-niddesa;
8. Pasura-sutta-niddesa;
9. Magandiya-sutta-niddesa;
10. Purabheda-sutta-niddesa;
11. Kalaha-vivada-sutta-niddesa;
12. Cula-viyuha-sutta-niddesa;
13. Maha-viyuha-sutta-niddesa;
14. Tuvataka-sutta-niddesa;
15. Atta-danda-sutta-niddesa;
16. Sariputta-sutta-niddesa.
27. Khuddaka-nikaya, Part iii., Cula-niddesa:
Parayana-vagga:
1. Vatthu-gatha:
2. Ajita-manavaka-panha-niddesa;
3. Tissametteyya-manavaka-panha-niddesa;
4. Punnaka-manavaka-panha-niddesa;
5. Mettagu-manavaka-panha-niddesa;
6. Dhotaka-manavaka-parnha-niddesa;
7. Upasiva-manavaka-panha-niddesa;
8. Nanda-manavaka-panha-niddesa;
9. Hemaka-manavaka-panha-niddesa;
----------------------------------------------------
*The Atthaka-vagga is the fourth book of the
Sutta-nipata, and has sixteen sutta's, which
correspond in their titles and in their order to the
sixteen niddesa's.
The Parayana-vagga is the fifth book of the
Sutta-nipata. Besides the vatthu-gatha, it has
sixteen puccha's, corresponding in the names and the
order to the sixteen panha's whose niddesa's are here
enumerated.--The Khagga-visana- sutta is the third of
the first book of the Sutta-nipata.
p. 252
Volume.
10. Todeyya-manavaka-panha-niddesa;
11. Kappa-manavaka-panha-niddesa;
12, Jatukanni-manavaka-panha-niddesa;
13. Bhadravudha-manavaka-panha-niddesa;
14. Udaya-manavaka-panha-niddesa;
15. Posala-manavaka-panha-niddesa;
16. Mogharaja-manavaka-panha-niddesa;
17. Pingiya-manavaka-panha-niddesa;
18. Khagga-visana-sutta-niddesa.
28. Khuddaka-nikaya, Part iv., Patisambhida-magga:
Mahavagga:
1. Nana-katha;
2. Ditthi-katha;
3. Anapana-katha;
4. Indriya-katha;
5. Vimokkha-katha;
6. Gati-katha;
7. Kamma-katha;
8. Vipallasa-katha;
9. Magga-katha;
10. Mandapeyya-katha.
Yuganaddha-vagga:
1. Yuganaddha-katha;
2. Sacca-katha;
3. Bojjhanga-katha;
4. Metta-katha;
5. Viraga-katha;
6. Patisambhida-katha;
7. Dhammacakka-katha;
8. Lokuttara-katha;
9. Bala-katha;
10. Sunna-katha.
Panna-vagga:
1. Mahapanna-katha;
2. Iddhi-katha;
3. Abhisamaya-katha;
4. Viveka-katha;
5. Cariya-katha;
6. Patihariya-katha;
7. Samasisa-katha;
8. Satipatthana-katha;
9. Vipassana-katha;
10. Matika-katha.
C. --Abhidhamma-pitaka.
29. Dhamma-sangani.
30. Vibhanga-ppakarana.
31. Katha-vatthu.
p. 253
Volume.
32. Dhatu-katha and Puggala-pannatti.
33. Yamaka, Part i.:
1. Mula-yamaka;
2. Khandha-yamaka;
3. Ayatana-yamaka;
4. Dhatu-yamaka;
5. Sacca-yamaka;
6. Samkhara-yamaka;
34. Yamaka, Part ii.:
7. Anusaya-yamaka;
35. Yamaka, Part iii.:
8. Citta-yamaka;
9. Dhamma-yamaka;
10. Indriya-yamaka.
36. Duka-patthana, Part i.
37. Duka-patthana, Part ii.
38. Tika-patthana.
39. Duba-tika-patthana and Tika-duka-patthana.
17. The Harvard copy of the first Sanskrit book
ever printed; by Professor Lanman.
Mr. Lanman laid before the Society a book,
given--together with many other valuable and valued
proofs of his loyalty and affection--by Dr.
Fitzedward Hall, of the Class of 1846, to the Library
of Harvard, his Alma Mater. The volume is one of most
noteworthy character and history. It is a copy of
the first Sanskrit book ever printed. The title
reads: 'The Seasons: A Descriptive Poem, by Calidas,
in the original Sanscrit. Calcutta: M.DCC.XCII.: And
the "Advertisement" of twenty lines on page three
begins with the words, " This book is the first ever
printed in Sanscrit." Neither here nor on the
title-page is there any mention of the editor's name;
but we know his name from the fact that the
"Advertisement" is reprinted (vol. xiii., p. 386, 8vo
ed. of London, 1807) as a part of "The Works of Sir
William Jones,"
The book is an octavo of 4+64 pages, printed in
Bengali letters, on admirable paper of J. Whatman,
with broad margins. As early as 1840, Von Bohlen, in
his edition of the 'Seasons,' says of Jones's edition
: ".......... et primum omnino, id quod memoratu
dignum est, opusculum fuit Sanskritum prelo
subjectum. Europam vero hoc incunabulum, quod vel in
ipsa India jam dudum prorsus evanuit, vix vidit; et
ubi forte, veluti in Chambersiana codicum cellectione
[in the Royal Library at Berlin], invenitur, codicis
manuscripti instar aestimandum est.' There follows
Jones's "preface" entire. And Gildemeister, in his
`Bibliothecae Sanskritae Specimen' (Bonn, 1847, p.
70) , says: "Liber sanscritus omnium qui typis
exscripti sunt primus isque rarissimus."
But this is not all. The title-page bears the
name "Cha. Wilkins," presumably in his autograph.
Now, in the ninth volume of the Journal
VOL XVL.
p. 254
of the American Oriental Society, p. lxxxvii
(October, 1870), are extracts from "thirteen inedited
letters from Sir William Jones to Mr. (afterwards
Sir) Charles Wilkins, " communicated by Prof.
Fitzedward Hall, D.C.L. And in the tenth volume,
pages 110-117, are given these letters in full.
Several extracts may follow: "You are the first
European that ever understood Sanscrit, and will,
possibly, be the last" (Ocotber 6, 1787). "The ships
of this season will carry home seven hundred copies
of our first volume of Transactions;... but unless
the impression should be sold in London, Harington
and Morris (who print the book at their hazard) will
be losers, and we must dissolve the Society [The
Asiatic Society of Bengal!]" (February 27, 1789). "I
am so busy at this season, that I have only time to
request your acceptance of a little Sanscrit poem,
which Morris has printed [i.e. presumably Harington
and Morris], and which you are the only man in Europe
who can read and understand" (January 14, 1793).
As is evident from the date of the last extract,
the "little poem" can be no other than the `Seasons'
of "Calidas." The extract itself is a copy of the
very words of the editor that were sent with the
poem. And the volume itself, without doubt, is no
other than the identical copy given by Sir william
Jones to Sir charles Wilkins. Illustrious owners!
Homer tells of "the handing-down of the sceptre" (of
Agamemnon). Here is a book whose handing-down ought
to have for Oriental students no less interest than
the story of the sceptre had for Thucydides. Dr.
Hall's gift deserves to be held in honor.
--------------------------------------
18. The story of Yayati; by Professor Lanman.
Read by title.