Understanding the Earliest Chinese Buddhist Translations: A progress report on the An Shigao Dictionary
10 December 2009
16:00 – 17:30 hrs
Leiden, the Netherlands
Buddhist Studies Lecture by Prof. Tilmann Vetter, (Leiden University (ret))
Venue: IIAS, Rapenburg 59 (room 004), 2311 GJ Leiden
The Parthian Prince An Shigao, who from about 148 to 170 lived in Luoyang, capital of the Eastern Han dynasty, is “the first undoubtedly historical personality in Chinese Buddhism. It was probably he who initiated the systematical translation of Buddhist texts” (E. Zürcher). After briefly expanding on this remark, the speaker, an indologist, will mention the motives that led him to compose a dictionary of 24 texts now considered to have been created by An Shigao and his circle. He will present a provisional version of the dictionary (more than 300 pages) which records all characters (more than 1600) found in these texts, and show how he proceeded, and still proceeds, to establish the meanings of (nearly) unknown characters and unusual meanings of known characters by using modern glossaries and dictionaries as well as parallels from Indic texts and later Chinese translations. He will demonstrate how he sometimes emends passages and justifies the emendations. Finally he will give a few examples of discoveries on the lexicographical level as well as on that of the history of ideas.
If you have any questions with regard to the Buddhist Studies Lectures, please do not hesitate to contact IIAS at iias@iias.nl or T +31-71 527 2227.
The Buddhist Studies Lectures are organised by: IIAS and Prof. Jonathan Silk (Prof. in the Study of Buddhism, Leiden University).