Newly printed collated edition of Tibetan Tripitaka.WANG HONG

Editor’s Note: In 1986, special funds were earmarked with the approval of the Central Government for the collation and printing of the Tibetan Tripitaka. In May 1987, a collation bureau was set up in Chengdu. So far, more than 4,500 sutras have been collated and will be printed in 2006. They will form a most authoritative Tibetan Tripitaka.

1.What Is Tripitaka?

It is the general name for all sutras. It is a Buddhist classic composed of three parts: Sutra-pitaka, Vinay-pitaka and Abhidharma-pitaka. Sutra-pitaka means the theory Buddhists have to follow in practicing Buddhism; Vinay-pitaka means the rules Buddhists have to observe; and Abhidharma-pitaka means works of various Buddhist sects.

2.What Does Its Name Mean?

In the beginning, Tibetan Tripitaka was called bkav-vgyur-ro-cog or bstan-vgyur-ro-cog, meaning “translated version of all sutras” and “translated version of all theories.”

Tibetan Tripitaka branches out into bkav-vgyur and bstan-vgyur, with the two called bkav-bstan-vgyur. Bkav means teachings, bstan means theory, and vgyur means translation.

3.What Is the Content of Tibetan Tripitaka?

It comprises many rare editions existing in the world, plus Buddhist classics lost even in India. It also contains works on philosophy, literature, art, language, logics, astronomy, calendaring, medicine, industrial art, construction and other works not related to religion.

Bkav-vgyur contains translation of statements made by Sakyamuni himself. Bkan-vgyur (Lhasa edition), for example, contains seven parts including vinaya, prajna, buddha-wisdom and sutras.

Bstan-vgyur contains explanations and analysis of teachings of Sakyamuni made by disciples of the founder of Buddhism. Bstan-vgyur (Dege edition), for example, comprises 18 parts, including logic, medicine, philosophy and Buddhist studies. They include 198 works on Buddhist studies, five on grammar, five on medicine and one on industrial art.

 Tripitaka being collated.DORJE

4. What Are the Editions of Tripitaka?

The Tibetan Tripitaka: Bstan-vgyur has such editions as Natang, Xalhu, Ongren, Nedong, Lu’ao, Disi, Pulonei, Xigar, Batang and Minzen. Scholars, however, say they have no idea as to how many editions have been written in history. Wood block printing editions include Beijing, Dege, Natang and Zholny editions. It is widely acknowledged that the Yongle edition published in 1410 is the earliest Tibetan edition.

Bkan-vgyur has 14 editions; they include Yongle, Wanli, Litang (also called Lijiang), Beijing (also called Kangxi), Zholny, Dege, Natang, Lhagyia, Kulun, Lhasa, Wala and Qamdo editions.

5. Is There Any Difference Between the Tibetan and Chinese Editions of the Tripitaka?

All the editions of the Tripitaka were translated from the Sanskrit edition. As they were repeatedly revised and amended, they vary in content.

A comparison of the Tibetan and Chinese editions shows the former is more  faithful to the original than the latter. The reasons behind this include the fact that the Tibetan edition was translated from the Sanskrit texts and many Indian scholars were involved in the translation (for Dege edition, about 107).

The Tibetan edition in existence today contains Buddhist classics, which are 33.3 percent more than the Chinese edition. Those translated by Indian scholars are 100 percent more than in the Chinese edition.

The Tibetan edition contains almost no works by Tibetan scholars of various generations.

The Chinese and Tibetan editions of Tripitaka form the China Tripitaka, which is seen in no other part of the world.

6. What is the Tripitaka’s Relationship With Traditional Culture?

It was understood in the past that the Tibetan edition is a collection of the traditional culture of the Tibetan race, and contains many works of Tibetan scholars of various generations that form an encyclopedia. Discoveries made in recent years, however, show that it contains almost no works by Tibetan scholars of various generations. Based on these discoveries, we come to the conclusion that the Tibetan edition is not the collection embodying Tibetan Buddhism and the culture of the Tibetan race.

But, given the fact that monks of various Buddhist sects in Tibet study the Tripitaka, it can be counted as part of the traditional culture of the Tibetan race.

7. How Has the Tibetan Tripitaka Been Revised in History?

As a matter of fact, each edition emerged following a major revision of the Tibetan Tripitaka. Some of the editions available today are reproductions only.

Various generations of the Central Government of China, the Tibetan government and leaders of various Tibetan Buddhist sects attached importance to revising the Tripitaka, thus giving birth to many editions. In inland China, for example, there are the Wanli, Yongle and Beijing (also called Kangxi) editions of bkav-vgyur and the Beijing edition of bstan-vgyur. Revising the Tripitaka became one of measures taken by the Chinese Government to promote Tibetan Buddhism, support the Tibetan government and seek development of traditional Tibetan culture.

Tripitaka Collation Data Office.WANG MIANZHI

8. For What Reason Did the Central Government Work to Revise the Tibetan Tripitaka? What Is Its Significance?

Enriching the contents of Tibetan Tripitaka on the basis of the originals constitutes one of the goals for the revision of the Buddhist classic. Restricted by historical conditions and poor printing technique, however, such revisions have never become sophisticated. In 1986, the Central Government proposed publication of the China Tripitaka and listed this as a social science project during the Seventh, Eighth and Ninth Five-Year Plans.

This is obviously a major event for Tibetan studies and Tibetan Buddhism, and a boon for Tibetan studies to establish international status.

When the book was published, it won applause within and outside the country. In 1998, it won the State Outstanding Book award, the highest national book prize. The Central Government gave the book to Tibet as a gift marking the 50th anniversary of the peaceful liberation of Tibet in 2001.

9. What Is the Principle Followed and Method Use to Collate the Tibetan Tripitaka?

A review of the Tibetan Tripitaka shows that the Dege edition is an improvement on other editions that feature chaotic cataloguing and poor spelling. During the revision, the Dege edition was used as the original. Editions used to collate bkav-vgyur include the Yongle, Litang, Beijing, Zholny, Natang, Lhasa and Kulun editions; editions used to collate bstan-vgyur include the Beijing, Dege, Natang and Zholny editions.

The principles followed for collation include the following:

Firstly, taking the Dege edition as the original, with the Yongle, Litang, Beijing, Zholny and Dege editions used to collate bkav-vgyur and the Beijing, Natang and Zholny editions used to collate bstan-vgyur;

Secondly, correcting spelling mistakes;

Thirdly, unifying numbers calculated in a traditional way;

Fourthly, adding a collation table after the book; and

Fifthly, adopting modern methods to create the cover and illustrations.

10. Is There Any Difference Between the Collated Edition and Historically Revised Editions? What Is Its Characteristics?

The collation work is unprecedented in terms of scale and funds used.

(1)                 Some 40 million Yuan was used, with 35.5 million Yuan invested beginning in 1995. This has never been seen in the past 50 years of compiling ancient classics.

(2)                 Largest scale and more people involved in the collation work;

(3)                 Longest in collation time;

(4)                 More historical editions used as reference materials, and the collated edition is of highest quality;

(5)                 Modern methods used, with the collated edition more beautifully bound.

The collated edition wipes out the spelling mistakes found in other editions, has much better grammar, and contains unified figures.

11. Is the Collation Work Progressing Smoothly?

The collated edition will have 180 volumes, with each volume containing some 1,600 pages. Altogether, 76 volumes of the collated edition have been published, with others being compiled or printed. It is expected that all the volumes of the collated edition will be published in 2006. They will have beautiful covers and include luxury copies.