A Gāndhārī Abhidharma Text

British Library Kharoṣṭhī Fragment 28

by Collett Cox

This volume offers a transcription, edition, translation, and analysis of a previously unknown scholastic text, an important discovery for scholars of early Indian Buddhist doctrine. British Library Kharoṣṭhī Fragment 28, from the first or second century CE and written in the Gāndhārī language and Kharoṣṭhī script, provides critical insight into the early development of Buddhist thought, particularly concerning the existence of past, present, and future factors. The text critiques Sarvāstivāda arguments that “everything exists," while referring to a range of positions on the dynamics of causality.

 

The work's deeply researched chapters introduce the text and explore its historical and doctrinal contexts, situating it among other early Buddhist writings. A complete commentary accompanies the translation, along with a transcription, edition, and detailed notes on the linguistic features of the text. High-resolution images of the manuscript and an index linking Gāndhārī, Sanskrit, and Pali terms further enhance the volume's academic value.

 

A Gāndhārī Abhidharma Text significantly advances the study of early Indian Buddhist scholasticism, transforming our understanding of foundational doctrinal debates. Ideal for specialists in Buddhism, early Indian religions, and manuscript studies, it brings groundbreaking perspectives to the discourse on Buddhist scholastic practice and doctrine.

The Gandhāran Buddhist Texts series presents text editions and studies of early Buddhist birch-bark scrolls in the Gāndhārī language, dating from about the first century BCE to the third century CE. These manuscripts, discovered in the ancient region of Gandhāra (modern Pakistan and Afghanistan), provide unprecedented insight into the early history of Buddhism as it was transmitted from India to Central Asia and China on its way to becoming a world religion. At the same time, as the earliest preserved manuscripts from South Asia, they are invaluable primary sources for the linguistic and literary history of the region.

Series editors: Stefan Baums, Ingo Strauch, and Richard G. Salomon

Metadata

  • isbn
    9780295754185
  • publisher
    University of Washington Press
  • publisher place
    Seattle
  • rights
    CC-BY-NC-ND
  • rights holder
    University of Washington Press
  • series title
    Gandharan Buddhist Texts
  • doi