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Buddhist Texts Through the Ages
This unique anthology of Buddhist scripture traces the development of Buddhism through the ages and around the world. Designed to serve scholars and students, this classic text has also become a valuable resource for Buddhists and all those who wish to explore for themselves the original sources of one of the world's greatest religions. Accessible and jargon-free, these translations are presented in plain English by four leading experts on the language and literature of Buddhism, while a glossary of foreign terms completes a thoroughly comprehensive and timeless introduction to the subject.
323 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1954
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About the author
Edward Conze
33 books28 followersEberhart Julius Dietrich Conze, who published as Edward Conze, studied Indian and comparative philosophy at the universities of Bonn and Hamburg. He later lectured in psychology, philosophy, and comparative religion at Oxford, held a number of academic appointments, and served as Vice-President of the Buddhist Society.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
March 1, 2016
The blurb of this book promises the following:
"This unique anthology of Buddhist scripture traces the development of Buddhism through the ages and around the world. Designed to serve scholars and students, this classic text has become a valuable resource for Buddhists and all those who wish to explore for themselves the original sources of one of the world's great religions.
Accessible and jargon-free, these translations from the original Pali, Sanskrit, Chinese, Tibetan and Japanese are presented in plain English by four leading experts on the language and literature of Buddhism, while a glossary of foreign terms completes a thoroughly comprehensive and timeless introduction to the subject."
What utter rubbish.
What the book contains are excerpts of translated texts that have been translated and complied by academics for academics. There is a short introduction to the texts dating back to 1953 but this gives no indication of how the texts were selected or what their significance is.
For a book that presumes to be a comprehensive and timeless introduction to the subject, there is a remarkable lack of explanations. In fact, there are none.
So what the book really is, is a collection of nondescript texts that are presented without any context, relevance, time lines, or anything else that could serve to gain an understanding of the text and how they relate to the subject. Unless, of course, you consult a variety of additional reference works.
1.5* rounded up.
"This unique anthology of Buddhist scripture traces the development of Buddhism through the ages and around the world. Designed to serve scholars and students, this classic text has become a valuable resource for Buddhists and all those who wish to explore for themselves the original sources of one of the world's great religions.
Accessible and jargon-free, these translations from the original Pali, Sanskrit, Chinese, Tibetan and Japanese are presented in plain English by four leading experts on the language and literature of Buddhism, while a glossary of foreign terms completes a thoroughly comprehensive and timeless introduction to the subject."
What utter rubbish.
What the book contains are excerpts of translated texts that have been translated and complied by academics for academics. There is a short introduction to the texts dating back to 1953 but this gives no indication of how the texts were selected or what their significance is.
For a book that presumes to be a comprehensive and timeless introduction to the subject, there is a remarkable lack of explanations. In fact, there are none.
So what the book really is, is a collection of nondescript texts that are presented without any context, relevance, time lines, or anything else that could serve to gain an understanding of the text and how they relate to the subject. Unless, of course, you consult a variety of additional reference works.
1.5* rounded up.
December 13, 2025
A COLLECTION OF NEWLY-TRANSLATED SCRIPTURES OF BUDDHISM
The Editors of this 1954 collection wrote in the Introduction, “A comprehensive Anthology of Buddhist Texts has never before been attempted. The documents are distributed over so many languages that no one person could aim at knowing them all…. The overwhelming majority of the texts preserved in Sanskrit, Tibetan and the Far Eastern languages are still untranslated. Even where English translations of Mahayana texts exist, they were in most cases carried out at a time when the particular idiom of these texts was only imperfectly understood… All the texts in this book have been newly translated from the originals. The book is designed as a sequel to Dr. [Edward] Conze’s book ‘Buddhism,’ which seemed to give a sufficiently authentic account of the development of Buddhist though to serve as a basis for a collection of texts. In this Anthology only texts are given. They have not been encumbered with notes, on the assumption that the reader can find all the explanation that may be required in Dr. Conze’s book.”
When the Buddha (reluctantly) permitted women to become monks, he imposed eight unique rules (in addition to the normal requirements for monks) on them: “A nun who has been ordained even for a century must greet respectfully, rise up from her seat, salute with joined palms and do proper homage to a monk ordained but that very day. A nun must not spend the rains in a residence where there is no monk. Every half month a nun should require two things from the Order of monks: the date of the Observance day, and the coming for the exhortation. After the rains a nun must ‘invite’ before both Orders in respect of three matters: what has been seen, heard, and suspected (to be an offense). A nun, offending against an important rule, must undergo … discipline for a fortnight before both Orders. When, as a probationer, she has trained in the six rules for two years, she should seek ordination form both Orders. A monk must not be abused or reviled in any way by a nun. From today admonition of monks by nuns is forbidden, admonition of nuns by monks is not forbidden.” (Pg. 24-25)
“On hearing that Devadatta has schemed to murder the Lord [Buddha], the monks … [raised a] great noise for his protection, defense, and warding. The Lord … said to them, ‘It is impossible, monks… that anyone could deprive a Tathagata of life by aggression. Tathagatas do not attain final Nirvana because of an attack. Go, monks, to your own dwelling-places. Tathagatas do not need to be protected.” (Pg. 31)
“This consciousness (citta) is luminous, but it is defiled by adventitious defilements. The uninstructed average person does not understand this as it really is. Therefore I say that for him there is no mental development.” (Pg. 33)
“Dhamma has been taught by me without making a distinction between esoteric and exoteric. For the Tathagata has not the closed fist of a teacher in respect of mental states.” (Pg. 35)
"Nirvana, sire, is not to be produced; therefore a cause for Nirvana being produced is not pointed out.” (Pg. 98)
“Freed from reckoning by material shape, feeling, perception, the impulses, consciousness is the Tathagata; he is deep, immeasurable, unfathomable, as is the great ocean. ‘Arises’ does not apply, nor does ‘does not arise,’ nor ‘both arises and does not arise,’ nor ‘neither arises nor does not arise.’” (Pg. 106)
“Subhuti: How then should a beginner course in perfect wisdom? The Lord: From the first thought of enlightenment onwards a Bodhisattva should train himself in the conviction that all dharmas are baseless. While he practices the six perfections he should not take anything as a basis.” (Pg. 174)
“Subhuti: What then is supreme enlightenment? The Lord: It is Suchness. But Suchness neither grows not diminishes. A bodhitsattva, who repeatedly and often dwells in mental activities connected with that Suchness, comes near to the supreme enlightenment, and he does not lose those mental activities again. It is certain that there can be no growth or diminution of an entity which is beyond all words, and that therefore neither the perfections, nor all dharmas, can grow or diminish. It is thus that, when he dwells in mental activities of this kind, a bodhisattva becomes one who is near to perfect enlightenment.” (Pg. 180)
“The Five Faculties are Faith, Vigor, Mindfulness, Concentration and Wisdom… By this faith … he knows that he will experience the fruit of any karma that he may have done… His Vigor consists in his bringing about (in himself) the dharmas in which he has faith. His Mindfulness consists in his preventing the qualities which he brings about by vigor from being destroyed by forgetfulness. His Concentration consists in his fixing his one-pointed attention on those very same qualities. With the faculty of Wisdom he contemplates those dharmas on which he has fixed his one-pointed attention, and penetrates to their reality.” (Pg. 185)
“Just as an echo is heard… But it is not an existent, nor a non-existent, because it is heard as a voice and yet not as a voice. Just so, existence, and non-bothness, are visions falsely constructed by the habit-energy in one’s mind.” (Pg. 213)
“Those who do not perceive the truth think in terms of Samsara and Nirvana, but those who perceive the truth think neither of Samsara or of Nirvana. Discriminating thought is then the great demon that produces the ocean of Samsara.” (Pg. 221)
“What is the use of austerities? What is the use of going on pilgrimage? Is release achieved by bathing in water? Abandon such false attachments and renounce such illusion! Than knowledge of This there is nothing else. Other than This no one can know.” (Pg. 226)
“And when you’re in the company of your master, Do not look for faults and virtues, good and bad. If you do, you’ll see him as a mass of faults. Just practice clarity of mind and exert yourselves.” (Pg. 261)
“My children, The Enlightened One, because He saw Mankind drowning in the Great Sea of Birth, Death and Sorrow, and longed to save them, for this he was moved to pity. Because he saw the men of the world straying in false paths, and none to guide them, for this he was moved to pity.” (Pg. 285)
“The Perfect Way is only difficult for those who pick and choose; Do not like, do not dislike; all will then be clear. Make a hairsbreadth difference, and Heaven and Earth are set apart.” (Pg. 295)
This collection will be of keen interest to those wanting to read the actual Scriptures of Buddhism.
The Editors of this 1954 collection wrote in the Introduction, “A comprehensive Anthology of Buddhist Texts has never before been attempted. The documents are distributed over so many languages that no one person could aim at knowing them all…. The overwhelming majority of the texts preserved in Sanskrit, Tibetan and the Far Eastern languages are still untranslated. Even where English translations of Mahayana texts exist, they were in most cases carried out at a time when the particular idiom of these texts was only imperfectly understood… All the texts in this book have been newly translated from the originals. The book is designed as a sequel to Dr. [Edward] Conze’s book ‘Buddhism,’ which seemed to give a sufficiently authentic account of the development of Buddhist though to serve as a basis for a collection of texts. In this Anthology only texts are given. They have not been encumbered with notes, on the assumption that the reader can find all the explanation that may be required in Dr. Conze’s book.”
When the Buddha (reluctantly) permitted women to become monks, he imposed eight unique rules (in addition to the normal requirements for monks) on them: “A nun who has been ordained even for a century must greet respectfully, rise up from her seat, salute with joined palms and do proper homage to a monk ordained but that very day. A nun must not spend the rains in a residence where there is no monk. Every half month a nun should require two things from the Order of monks: the date of the Observance day, and the coming for the exhortation. After the rains a nun must ‘invite’ before both Orders in respect of three matters: what has been seen, heard, and suspected (to be an offense). A nun, offending against an important rule, must undergo … discipline for a fortnight before both Orders. When, as a probationer, she has trained in the six rules for two years, she should seek ordination form both Orders. A monk must not be abused or reviled in any way by a nun. From today admonition of monks by nuns is forbidden, admonition of nuns by monks is not forbidden.” (Pg. 24-25)
“On hearing that Devadatta has schemed to murder the Lord [Buddha], the monks … [raised a] great noise for his protection, defense, and warding. The Lord … said to them, ‘It is impossible, monks… that anyone could deprive a Tathagata of life by aggression. Tathagatas do not attain final Nirvana because of an attack. Go, monks, to your own dwelling-places. Tathagatas do not need to be protected.” (Pg. 31)
“This consciousness (citta) is luminous, but it is defiled by adventitious defilements. The uninstructed average person does not understand this as it really is. Therefore I say that for him there is no mental development.” (Pg. 33)
“Dhamma has been taught by me without making a distinction between esoteric and exoteric. For the Tathagata has not the closed fist of a teacher in respect of mental states.” (Pg. 35)
"Nirvana, sire, is not to be produced; therefore a cause for Nirvana being produced is not pointed out.” (Pg. 98)
“Freed from reckoning by material shape, feeling, perception, the impulses, consciousness is the Tathagata; he is deep, immeasurable, unfathomable, as is the great ocean. ‘Arises’ does not apply, nor does ‘does not arise,’ nor ‘both arises and does not arise,’ nor ‘neither arises nor does not arise.’” (Pg. 106)
“Subhuti: How then should a beginner course in perfect wisdom? The Lord: From the first thought of enlightenment onwards a Bodhisattva should train himself in the conviction that all dharmas are baseless. While he practices the six perfections he should not take anything as a basis.” (Pg. 174)
“Subhuti: What then is supreme enlightenment? The Lord: It is Suchness. But Suchness neither grows not diminishes. A bodhitsattva, who repeatedly and often dwells in mental activities connected with that Suchness, comes near to the supreme enlightenment, and he does not lose those mental activities again. It is certain that there can be no growth or diminution of an entity which is beyond all words, and that therefore neither the perfections, nor all dharmas, can grow or diminish. It is thus that, when he dwells in mental activities of this kind, a bodhisattva becomes one who is near to perfect enlightenment.” (Pg. 180)
“The Five Faculties are Faith, Vigor, Mindfulness, Concentration and Wisdom… By this faith … he knows that he will experience the fruit of any karma that he may have done… His Vigor consists in his bringing about (in himself) the dharmas in which he has faith. His Mindfulness consists in his preventing the qualities which he brings about by vigor from being destroyed by forgetfulness. His Concentration consists in his fixing his one-pointed attention on those very same qualities. With the faculty of Wisdom he contemplates those dharmas on which he has fixed his one-pointed attention, and penetrates to their reality.” (Pg. 185)
“Just as an echo is heard… But it is not an existent, nor a non-existent, because it is heard as a voice and yet not as a voice. Just so, existence, and non-bothness, are visions falsely constructed by the habit-energy in one’s mind.” (Pg. 213)
“Those who do not perceive the truth think in terms of Samsara and Nirvana, but those who perceive the truth think neither of Samsara or of Nirvana. Discriminating thought is then the great demon that produces the ocean of Samsara.” (Pg. 221)
“What is the use of austerities? What is the use of going on pilgrimage? Is release achieved by bathing in water? Abandon such false attachments and renounce such illusion! Than knowledge of This there is nothing else. Other than This no one can know.” (Pg. 226)
“And when you’re in the company of your master, Do not look for faults and virtues, good and bad. If you do, you’ll see him as a mass of faults. Just practice clarity of mind and exert yourselves.” (Pg. 261)
“My children, The Enlightened One, because He saw Mankind drowning in the Great Sea of Birth, Death and Sorrow, and longed to save them, for this he was moved to pity. Because he saw the men of the world straying in false paths, and none to guide them, for this he was moved to pity.” (Pg. 285)
“The Perfect Way is only difficult for those who pick and choose; Do not like, do not dislike; all will then be clear. Make a hairsbreadth difference, and Heaven and Earth are set apart.” (Pg. 295)
This collection will be of keen interest to those wanting to read the actual Scriptures of Buddhism.
Want to read
February 15, 2023•First Part THE TEACHING OF THE ELDERS By I. B. Horner
THE SAMGHA
THE ORDER OF MONKS AND NUNS Conversion of Anathapindika 17 Conversion of General Siha 20 Ordination of Pajapati the Great 23 Visakha , the Laywoman Supporter 26 Schism 28 SKILL IN MEANS 33 ARAHANTS 42 THE BUDDHIST APOCALYPSE 45 THE FIVE FACULTIES The Five Faculties collectively 51
THE DHAMMA
The Five Faculties separately 52 Faith 52 Vigour 54 Mindfulness Concentration 60 Wisdom 64 CONDITIONED GENESIS Conditioned Genesis collectively 65 Conditioned Genesis separately 70 Ignorance 70 17 51
Consciousness 70 Feeling 72 Craving 73 Grasping 74 Birth , Ageing and Dying 76 THE OBJECT OF WISDOM Crossing Over 82 Emptiness go Nirvana 92
THE BUDDHA AND TATHAGATA
• Second Part THE MAHAYANA By Edward Conze
BASIC NOTIONS
CRITICISM OF THE HINAYANA POSITION Bodhisattvas and Disciples 119 The Conversion of Sariputra 120 The two Nirvanas 124 THE BODHISATTVA Descriptions 127 His infinite Compassion 131 The Dedication of Merit 132 THE SIX PERFECTIONS Definition 135 The six Perfections and the Body 136 The Perfection of Giving 136 The Perfection of Patience 137 The Perfection of Meditation 138 THE BUDDHA The Tathagata as a Rain - cloud 139 The real Buddha 140 The Tathagatas ' Coming and Going 143 The Dharma - body 143 Tathagata and Suchness 144 The 18 special dharmas of a Buddha 145 103 119
NEW WISDOM SCHOOL THE PERFECTION OF WISDOM THE ELUSIVENESS OF PERFECT WISDOM 149 THE DOCTRINE OF PERFECT WISDOM 152 EMPTINESS Preliminary Meditations 158 Definitions and Synonyms of Emptiness 163 Negations 172 Contradictions 175 Unreality of the World 177 Emptiness and Salvation 179 The Germ of Buddhahood in all Beings 181
THE BUDDHISM OF FAITH FAITH
185 THE ACTS AND REWARDS OF DEVOTION 186 THE OBJECTS OF DEVOTION The Buddha 190 Avalokitesvara 194 Tara 196 THE PURE LAND 202
YOGACARINS
MIND ONLY 207 TWOFOLD EGOLESSNESS 211 IRREALITY OF THE WORLD 212 THE BUDDHA AS THE BASIS OF ALL
•Third Part THE TANTRAS By David Snellgrove 185
The Cleansing of Thought 221 Supreme Enlightenment 221 Saraha's Treasury of Songs 224 Anangavajra , The Attainment of the Realization of Wisdom and Means 240 207
Note on the Mandala 246 Advayavajra , The fivefold Manifestation 249 An Evocation of Prajnaparamita 252 The Mandala conceived within 254 The Story of Tanti 255 Mila Repa and the Novices 257
•Fourth Part TEXTS FROM CHINA AND JAPAN By Arthur Waley Introduction
TEXTS ORIGINATING IN INDIA
The Parable of Me and Mine 274 On the Curing of Illness contracted during Dhyana Practice 274 Meditation upon the Element Water 275 Judging the Character of a Dhyana Pupil 276 The Bracelets 278 All Words are true 278 Buddha's Doctrine 279 The Negation of Dhyana 280 Po Chü - i . Poem On Reading the Dhyana Sutra 2810E Nationality 282 The Intermediate State 283 Devas repeople the Earth 283 Buddha's Pity 285
TEXTS ORIGINATING IN CHINA AND JAPAN 287
A Hinayana Sect in early China 287 The Truly So 290 From the Lives of the Nuns 291 On Trust in the Heart 295 From the Conversations of Shen - hui 299 A nice Mountain 302 Rain - making 302
THE SAMGHA
THE ORDER OF MONKS AND NUNS Conversion of Anathapindika 17 Conversion of General Siha 20 Ordination of Pajapati the Great 23 Visakha , the Laywoman Supporter 26 Schism 28 SKILL IN MEANS 33 ARAHANTS 42 THE BUDDHIST APOCALYPSE 45 THE FIVE FACULTIES The Five Faculties collectively 51
THE DHAMMA
The Five Faculties separately 52 Faith 52 Vigour 54 Mindfulness Concentration 60 Wisdom 64 CONDITIONED GENESIS Conditioned Genesis collectively 65 Conditioned Genesis separately 70 Ignorance 70 17 51
Consciousness 70 Feeling 72 Craving 73 Grasping 74 Birth , Ageing and Dying 76 THE OBJECT OF WISDOM Crossing Over 82 Emptiness go Nirvana 92
THE BUDDHA AND TATHAGATA
• Second Part THE MAHAYANA By Edward Conze
BASIC NOTIONS
CRITICISM OF THE HINAYANA POSITION Bodhisattvas and Disciples 119 The Conversion of Sariputra 120 The two Nirvanas 124 THE BODHISATTVA Descriptions 127 His infinite Compassion 131 The Dedication of Merit 132 THE SIX PERFECTIONS Definition 135 The six Perfections and the Body 136 The Perfection of Giving 136 The Perfection of Patience 137 The Perfection of Meditation 138 THE BUDDHA The Tathagata as a Rain - cloud 139 The real Buddha 140 The Tathagatas ' Coming and Going 143 The Dharma - body 143 Tathagata and Suchness 144 The 18 special dharmas of a Buddha 145 103 119
NEW WISDOM SCHOOL THE PERFECTION OF WISDOM THE ELUSIVENESS OF PERFECT WISDOM 149 THE DOCTRINE OF PERFECT WISDOM 152 EMPTINESS Preliminary Meditations 158 Definitions and Synonyms of Emptiness 163 Negations 172 Contradictions 175 Unreality of the World 177 Emptiness and Salvation 179 The Germ of Buddhahood in all Beings 181
THE BUDDHISM OF FAITH FAITH
185 THE ACTS AND REWARDS OF DEVOTION 186 THE OBJECTS OF DEVOTION The Buddha 190 Avalokitesvara 194 Tara 196 THE PURE LAND 202
YOGACARINS
MIND ONLY 207 TWOFOLD EGOLESSNESS 211 IRREALITY OF THE WORLD 212 THE BUDDHA AS THE BASIS OF ALL
•Third Part THE TANTRAS By David Snellgrove 185
The Cleansing of Thought 221 Supreme Enlightenment 221 Saraha's Treasury of Songs 224 Anangavajra , The Attainment of the Realization of Wisdom and Means 240 207
Note on the Mandala 246 Advayavajra , The fivefold Manifestation 249 An Evocation of Prajnaparamita 252 The Mandala conceived within 254 The Story of Tanti 255 Mila Repa and the Novices 257
•Fourth Part TEXTS FROM CHINA AND JAPAN By Arthur Waley Introduction
TEXTS ORIGINATING IN INDIA
The Parable of Me and Mine 274 On the Curing of Illness contracted during Dhyana Practice 274 Meditation upon the Element Water 275 Judging the Character of a Dhyana Pupil 276 The Bracelets 278 All Words are true 278 Buddha's Doctrine 279 The Negation of Dhyana 280 Po Chü - i . Poem On Reading the Dhyana Sutra 2810E Nationality 282 The Intermediate State 283 Devas repeople the Earth 283 Buddha's Pity 285
TEXTS ORIGINATING IN CHINA AND JAPAN 287
A Hinayana Sect in early China 287 The Truly So 290 From the Lives of the Nuns 291 On Trust in the Heart 295 From the Conversations of Shen - hui 299 A nice Mountain 302 Rain - making 302
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