New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-01-23
BUDDHIST BOOKS AND THEIR HISTORY

PROFESSOR RIIYs-DAvIDs's SECOND LECTURE IN
CHAMBER MUSIC HALL
Buddhist Books and Their History was the title
Of the second lecture Of the course when IS behH
delivered under the auspices of the University Fac
ulty Of Philosophy of Columbia College. by Professor
T. w Rhys- Davids. in Chamber Music Han. on sue
cessve Tuesday evenings. The Buddhist canonicai
books were said to be written IN the Pail language.
and put together about the days OF the Buddha HIM
self between 500 and 800 b. C.. but only few OF the
manuscripts have thus far been edited and trans
lated.
I'm 1896" continued the speaker. "a complete text
of the Pail literature. which was called. when trans
lated The Great Chronicles OF Ceylon was pub
lished by Turner. but his death there was no one
to carry the work. and his book remained IKE u
landmark OF an unexplored country. until 1854 wheh
the first portion Of the Buddhist books was trans
lated and published by Professor Fausbo OF Copen-
hagen He has devoted the greater part OF his HE
10 this work. and Is very old. but his collec-
ton Of folklore. which is part OF the BUDDHIST
library Is wonderful. and lasting tribute 10
his labors Until 1870 there had appeared but two
Pail texts which accessible 10 the students OF
the West, although a large member OF books on
Buddhism had been published by European authors
but not one Of these writer's had read the Buddhist
Bible IN the original From the year 1870 to ls75 the
only Pail dictionary published by Robert caesar
Childress, Of the Ceylon Civil Service
Buddhist scripture is divided into three parts
which correspond with the Oh N"'io
tan Scriptures The first division, or part, contains
227 rules which pertain to the Buddhist Order; the
second part contains the declarations. or truths. OF
the religion Itself accompanied by description or
the psychological system which buddhism IL
based and the third part is but supplementary
and detailed description OF this system
The speaker then referred to the different Pan
books which were said TO number twenty mine
giving their names and "A brief summary OF their
contents The various tredtises relating 10 The
order were spoken OF. and the peculiar customs or
the time. one hundred and eighty-three dialogues
OF Buddha, in which Gotama was the principal IN
terlocutor said remind Of the dialogues
of Plato and the speaker declared That. wnen
understood. students would value this book as one
OF the prizes OF literary antiquity one book IN me
list mentioned said 10 be especially worthy OF
note as II was the only Buddhist canon OF winch
the author and date known. Other works
were referred TO. In particular "A collection OIL
eghty-two lyrics which were uttered by Goama
under strong emotion important crises In his HE:
Several short read by the lecturer ana
when the list of works finished he said: There
Is very little all these books Of what IS popularly
called the essentials Of religion little OF God, ana
OF the soul; but nevertheless. Buddhism is a re-,
ligion and Is nearer Christianity than Is any other .
In closing an appeal made for the support OF
! the Pail Text Society and for the study of the
lanq