Texts from the Buddhist canon : commonly known as Dhammapada

INTRODUCTION. 9
impetus given to Buddhist research at the time alluded
to, there can be no difficulty in accepting this position.
The writings of AsaSgha, Vasubandhu, Mg§,rjuua, Vasu-
mitra, and others who lived during the first century B.C.,
are accepted in the Northern School of Buddhism as
authoritative. They have just that weight and character
which works written by those called "Fathers of the
Christian Church " have in Christendom. In the Chinese
Tripitaka there is no effort to conceal the human composi-
tion of these books. On the title page of every Shaster
the author's name is given—they are called "Sutras" or
" Shasters "—but yet with the plain intimation that they
were drawn up by men who lived long after the age of
what we should -call " inspiration." If, then, these ' other
writers are regarded with reverence, equally so we may
assume was the author of the present work. In any case
it is of importance that we have here provided for us a
definite assertion as to Dhammapada, with respect to its
date and author—about which the Southern Eecords, beyond
the general assignation of this work to a portion of
the canon, affirm nothiag.
It now remains to consider what reliance may be
placed generally on these Chinese versions of the Sacred
Books of thf Buddhists. At the very outset of this con-
sideration we observe that they were made, if not by, yet
under the immediate direction of, Indian priests. It would
be as incorrect to refer the originals of the Christian
Scriptures now used in China to native writers, as
to make the Buddhist books found there a part of the
native literature. Buddhism was brought to Chtaa by
missionaries from India, and the books forming the canon
(except where expressly named as Chinese) are transla-
tions made by those men from some Indian vernacular.
This leads to another remark in correction of an oft-repeated
assertion that Chinese Buddhist books are aU
translations of Sanscrit works found in Mpal. It is so
plain to any one conversant with the subject that such is
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