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p.186
It was in 1982 that Yehan Numata the founder of the Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai (Society for the Promotion of Buddhism) decided to begin the monumental task of translating completely the Taisho Edition of the Chinese Buddhist Canon into English. As it would be impossible to achieve such a project within foreseeable future, a phased program has been adopted. Accordingly a hundred volumes composing one hundred and thirty nine scriptures have been taken up as the First Series and scheduled to be published within the twentieth century. The importance of this project cannot be over-emphasized. The absence of readily available translations of the Chinese Buddhist Canon has remained an obstacle not only for an academic study of the major schools of Buddhism but also for the full utilization of the East Asian sources for a better understanding of the inspiring message of Buddhism. The Translation Committee emphasizes that the final object of this project is not academic fulfillment but the transmission of the teaching of the Buddha to the whole world in order to create harmony and peace among mankind. Yet it is abundantly clear that these translations in standard lucid English in neatly and handsomely produced volumes are bound to serve both purposes.
The volume under review is called the biographical scripture of king Asoka.
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p.187
Taisho edition has two separate versions of Asoka's biography: A-yu-wang-zhuan (Asokaavadaana-Taisho No. 2042) and A-yu-wang-jing (Asokaraajasutra --Taisho No.2043). It is the latter that is translated in this volume and its title -jing=sutra is apparently the reason for it to be called a scripture. But as most suutras do, it does not begin with the traditional statement "Thus was it heard." The translator establishes its date on internal evidence as "no earlier than 184BCE."
One may examine a few statements in the "Translator's Introduction" by Li Rongxi. He says that little is known of the original Sanskrit text of this Suutra. That would be true only with regard to the detailed account of Upagupta's life and career which begins in Chapter VI and ends in Chapter VIII (pp. 91-184). As regards the pages 1 to 90, the text is derived from four chapters of Divyaavadaana which, though not included in sequence, are popularly taken together as a single work under the title "Asokaavadaana." (e.g. The Asokaavadaana Sanskrit Text compared with Chinese versions by Sujitkumar Mukhopadhyaya, Sahitya Academy, New Delhi, 1963, and its translation into English by John S. Strong as The legend of King Asoka: A Study and Translation of the Asokavadaana. Princeton University Press, Princeton NJ, 1983)
He also states that "in spite of the legendary style of presentation, this biographical work gives accounts of the major events in the life of King Asoka that are verifiable through comparative studies of reliable written records and archaeological findings." I have done this comparative study for my Asoka the Righteous: A Definitive Biography (Central Cultural Fund, Ministry of Cultural Affairs, Colombo, Sri Lanka, 1993) and come to an altogether different conclusion with regard to the Avadaana literature in Sanskrit, Chinese and Tibetan. The association of Upagupta with Asoka is a moot question for Upagupta, who succeeded Sanakavasin as patriarch, was at least a hundred years before Asoka the Maurya emperor. It is becoming increasingly clear that there were two Asoka's connected with the history of Buddhism: (i) Kalasoka who was a contemporary of Sanakavasin and Yasas; Both these monks are associated with the Second Buddhist Council whose patron was Kalasoka. All of them were around a hundred years after the Buddha, (ii) Asoka the Maurya emperor who ascended the throne 218 years after the Buddha and was, therefore, removed from Upagupta by at least a hundred years. That is why neither Asokan inscriptions nor other archaeological evidence associates Upagupta with Asoka the Maurya emperor. The monk, who played a corresponding role in this emperor's spiritual activities is, according to Pali sources, is Moggaligutta-tissa. In his case, the stupa at Sonari has yielded a relic casket clearly marked with his name.
Li Ronxi further states that Dhitika is unknown to Southern Buddhism. In reality both Upagupta and Dhitika are unknown to Southern Buddhism. But Li Ronxi's conclusion that the book under review is a book with a Mahayanist tendency is indeed correct.
In spite of my comments on Li Ronxi's introductory comments, the present work has to be rated as a significant contribution to our knowledge of the literary treasures of the Taisho Edition of the Chinese Tripitaka. Much needed comparative studies between the scriptures of Northern and Southern Buddhism has been long delayed due to lack of translations of the bulk of the former. BDK English Tripitaka is a timely remedial measure. The translation is in lucid readable English and the presentation is excellent.
The Numata Center for Buddhist Translation and Research deserves to be congratulated on a significant achievement Further publications, as planned by it, are eagerly awaited.