An Annotated Translation of the Divyavadana, part 2 (Stories 18-38), with a Critical Apparatus

FAIN: RQ-50493-10

Smith College (Northampton, MA 01060-2916)
Andrew Neil Rotman (Project Director: November 2009 to June 2013)

Completion of an annotated English translation, with introduction and critical apparatus, of the second part of the Divyavadana, an anthology of early Indian Buddhist narratives in Sanskrit. (12 months)

The aim of this project is to complete a scholarly and accessible translation of the second half of the Divyavadana, or "Divine Stories," a major anthology of Indian Buddhist narratives written in Sanskrit from the early centuries of the Common Era. The stories in the collection have left an indelible mark on Buddhist thought, practice, and art throughout Asia. They have frequently been used in the education of both monastics and laity, and are considered by many to be the word of the Buddha himself. These stories have likewise been canonical in their influence on Buddhist art. Representations of these stories can be found from Kizil in China to Borobudur in Indonesia. It is not hyperbole to say that these are some of the most influential stories in the history of Buddhism. This project will make the complete text available for the first time, in any Western language, in a rigorous and engaging translation, with an introduction and a scholarly and critical apparatus.