Abhidharmadipa with Vibhasaprabhavrtti (An Old and Rare Book)

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The Kashi Prasad Jayaswal Research Institute has great pleasure in offering the second edition of Abhidharma- dipa to the world of scholars. The first edition of the book had received a generous welcome and brought many private communications and critical appreciations from scholars in India and abroad. The publication of the book in 1959 by the Institute was regarded by some renowned specialists in the field as "a capital event for scholars interested in the history of the Abhidharma class of Buddhist scriptures." It soon ran out of stock and there was a persistant demand for its second edition. To meet with this sacred demand the Institute took it up in right earnest and expresses its thanks to Dr. P. S. Jaini for having accomplished the work within so short a time. It is hoped that the present edition also will receive its due from the world of scholars.

SUMMARY OF THE CONTENTS OF THE ABHIDHARMA-DIPA

The palm-leaf manuscript of the Abhidharma-dipa was discovered in Tibet by Pandit Rahula Sänkrityayana in the year 1937. He brought the photographs of this manuscript, which are preserved in the Bihar Research Society, Patna. As the original MS. is not available to us, our only guide about it are the notes made by the discoverer. In his article 'Second search of Sanskrit Palm-leaf MSS. in Tibet',¹ he notes the following details: "Discovered in Shalu monastery, Abhidharma-pradipa, Śāradă script, size 22" x 2", leaves 63, 9 lines in cach side of leaf, incomplete. Begins 'svasti, namah sarvajñāya. Yo duhkha-hetu-vyupaśāntimārgam......... From leaves 1 to 150, following 84 are missing: 2-30, 40, 46, 48, 50-52, 54-81, 83-90, 119-125, 127-129, 131-133, 138, 140, 145, 147, 149. Every chapter has four pādas. The Third pada of the eighth (perhaps the last) ends at 150b. The whole book contained not more than 160 leaves.

The numbers of the missing leaves as well as the title of the book given by the discoverer need correction. After arranging the leaves in proper order, we find the following 88 folios missing: 2-30, 40, 46, 48, 52-79, 118-125, 127, 129, 131-3, 138, 140, 145 and 147. The last folio is numbered 150 Thus out of 150, only 62 folios have come down to us.