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.