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Art. XIV.—The Legend of Dipañkara Buddha. Translated from the Chinese (and intended to illustrate Plates XXIX. and L., ‘Tree and Serpent Worship’)
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 15 March 2011
Extract
From a brief examination of a work in the India. Office Library, called “K'ai yuen shĭ kiau,” (one volume of which is unfortunately missing), I find that the number of books included in the Chinese Buddhist Canon, down to the time of Tchi-Shing, the compiler of the work in question (who lived A.D. 730 during the Tang dynasty (618–904 A.D.), and shortly after Hwen-Thsang), amounted altogether to 1076, divided into 5048 chapters (kiouen), and included within 480 wrappers (chih). Of these, 330 belong to the “Little vehicle,” and 968 to the “Great vehicle,” leaving 108 miscellaneous and unclassified. Of the “Little vehicle,” 240 are Sûtras, in 618 chapters, and 48 wrappers; 54 belong to the Vinaya Piṭaka, in 446 chapters and 45 wrappers; 36 belong to the Abidharma Piṭaka, in 698 chapters and 72 wrappers. Of the 968 belonging to the “Great vehicle,” 515 are Sûtras, in 2173 chapters and 203 wrappers; 26 belong to the Vinaya Piṭaka, in 54 chapters and 5 wrappers; and 97 belong to the Abidharma Piṭaka, in 518 chapters and 50 wrappers.
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- Copyright © The Royal Asiatic Society 1873
References
page 382 note 1 Vide Jul. ii. 390, n. Compare this account with pl. xxix. fig. 1, Tree and Serpent Worship. The horned figures on the right of the plate evidently represent Kinnaras. (Vide Jul. ut suprà.)
page 388 note 1 Sien-yeou is equivalent to “Former Existence,” the work therefore would be one of the Pûranas.
page 389 note 1 The Legend is now narrated in the first person, as Megha is one with Sâkya Buddha in a former birth.
page 393 note 1 There can be no doubt, I should suppose, that this legend is intended to be perpetuated on the right hand pillar of plate L., “Tree and Serpent Worship.” The Legend is alluded to by Fahien, (Buddhist Pilgrim, p. 43)Google Scholar.
page 394 note 1 This fable is alluded to in Julien, ii. 97. I think the left hand pillar, plate L., “Tree and Serpent Worship,” represents Gôpâla (or rather Gôpî) with her dishes of cream; whilst the central figure represents the dragon Gôpâla. Vide Jul. ii. 99.