A Letter to the Editors of the Buddhist Canon in Fourteenth-Century Tibet: The "Yig mkhan rnams la gdams pa" of Bu ston Rin chen grub
Kurtis R. Schaeffer
In the summer of 1364, at monastery Zhwa lu in midwestern Tibet, Bu ston Rin chen grub, scholar, artist, teacher, abbot, and zealous collector manuscripts containing word Buddha, died age seventy-four.' During elaborate rituals homage mourning, Bka' 'gyur, that part Tibetan Buddhist canon which contains Buddha's translation, was recited three times. There could have been no more appropriate act devotion toward ston, for he had dedicated a large his life to compilation production canonical collections designed temple Monastery 'gyur housed.2 While physical remains were distributed as relics throughout India, China, Nepal, manifestations religiously motivated scholarly efforts eventually spread far (farther even) form canons. ston's love learning desire propagate teachings Buddha masters through textual scholarship-just one facet contributions culture Tibet-are discussed by biographer close disciple Sgra tshad pa rnam rgyal (1318-88) A Handful Flowers. repeatedly stresses master's passion expertise such matters. We are told four or five, learned read perfectly printed script under tutelage mother, not using speller it seems norm, but copying out thereupon immediately reciting Atajidi Sitra. 3 The five-year-old then strove learn cursive script, so distraught when do patron deity, Mafijughosa, showed him favor blessed with ability this version script.4 elaborates on theme scholarship number ways. He evokes visions scholar work center entourage: Even surrounded all scribes creating many different types translations compositions, [Bu ston] dictated without faltering hand each [scribe]
Journal of the American Oriental Society