Dear Indology list members,

We have just launched a crowdfunding campaign for the study and digital publishing of two newly available 1st to 2nd century CE Gāndhārī scrolls. The first contains a portion of the first chapter of a Gāndhārī version of the Samādhirāja-sūtra, the Discourse on the King of Concentrations. The second contains a portion of a Gāndhārī version of the ninth chapter of the Pratyutpanna-buddha-saṃmukhāvasthita-samādhi-sūtra, the Discourse on the Concentration of Direct Encounter with the Buddhas of the Present Time. Both are, by centuries, our earliest witnesses of these important Mahāyāna texts and shed new light on the rise of the Mahāyāna and its literary traditions.

For further information on these texts, our project and the donation platform, see https://crowdfunding.sydney.edu.au/project/10335

If enough people donated even a modest amount, our crowdfunding initiative will easily reach its goal. The University of Sydney handles all transactions and receipts for your donation. For Australian donors, gifts before the 30th of June are tax deductible for this financial year.

Kindest regards,

Dr. Mark Allon

Prof Paul Harrison

Prof Richard Salomon

Dr Andrew Skilton

Ian McCrabb

Stephanie Majcher  

Dr Mark Allon

Chair, Dept. of Indian Subcontinental Studies

The University of Sydney NSW 2006

Australia