Fw: Sanskrit Vimilakirti

[Jonathan Silk]

slightly--only slightly!!-- better photos of the VKN ms at:

http://www.asahi.com/culture/update/1214/003.html

According to the information circulated by Kazunobu MATSUDA, "The manuscript is
complete and consists of 79 palm leaves (6 x 30 cm). Its colophon says
that this was copied by Chandoka, Chamberlain of the King Gopala (750-770)
of the Pala dynasty."

However, concensus of scholars who have seen the photos in the web
site listed above (including Lore Sander), is that the ms dates to
the 11-12 c (paleographically), and the colophon (if read correctly)
was likely copied from its source.

This is truly an exciting discovery for Buddhist scholars-- a nice
belated Hanukha/early Christmas present.
--

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Jonathan Silk

jonathan.silk at yale.edu

Dept. of Religious Studies
Box 208287
Yale University
New Haven CT 06520-8287
USA

tel. 203-432-0828
fax. 203-432-7844