Life and works of Alexander Csoma de Körös : $b A biography compiled chiefly from hitherto unpublished dataDuka, Tivadar
History
Life and works of Alexander Csoma de Körös : $b A biography compiled chiefly from hitherto unpublished data
Duka, Tivadar
Kőrösi Csoma, Sándor, 1784-1842
5. “Buddhism was unknown in Tibet till the seventh century of our era.
It was derived from India. The Buddhistic doctrine is contained now in
Tibet in many hundred volumes. It is no easy task to ascertain how many
books or treatises were borrowed from Sanskrit, and how many are
original. It would require a perfect knowledge both of the Sanskrit and
the Tibetan languages. The volumes of the ‘Kahgyur’ are generally
attributed to Shakya; those of the ‘Stan-gyur’ to some fancied
Bodhisatwas and to several Indian pandits. Besides these, there are
many composed in Tibet in imitation of the former. I beg you will
kindly excuse me for my defect in answering to the desired points.”
CHAPTER VIII.
Csoma arrives in Calcutta—Resolution of Government of India as
to the publication of his works—Was elected Honorary Member of
Asiatic Society.
Csoma’s long-cherished desire of visiting Calcutta was at last realised
in April 1831. He remained at Kanum till the commencement of the
previous cold weather. After arrival at Sabathú, the Government having
supplied him with funds for the journey, he was enabled to take with
him, to the Presidency, the manuscripts and books which he had so
eagerly collected. On 5th of May he reported himself to Mr. Swinton,
the Secretary to Government, and placed all the literary treasures in
his possession at the disposal of the authorities.
Dr. Wilson at the same time reminded the members of the Council of the
Asiatic Society, in a memo, dated 21st May 1831, that they were under a
promise to Csoma to grant him 50 rupees a month from the 15th of April
1830 to date, which sum, however, he refused to accept. But the
Government sanctioned 100 rupees a month, on condition that Csoma would
prepare a catalogue raisonné of the Tibetan works Mr. Hodgson had
forwarded from Nepal.
A letter from Dr. Wilson to the Secretary of Government refers to the
arrangements which had been made with regard to Csoma. It bears the
date 15th July 1831, and states that the Society were willing to avail
themselves of Csoma’s services for two years, on the salary which the
Government had already sanctioned to him.
Eighteen months after the date of the above, Dr. Wilson wrote another
letter, announcing to Government the completion of Csoma’s works for
the press, and suggesting, at the same time, how they should be dealt
with.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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