A brief introduction to the collated Tibetan edition of Tripitaka-Tanjur:-
Soon after the establishment of the Chinese Center for Tibetan Studies in 1986, the Tripitaka Collated Bureau is set up and several prestigious and erudite Tibetan scholars were invited to be in charge of the categorization and collation. 100 scholars and specialists took an active part in this work. The principle for collating the Tibetan edition of Tripitaka-Tanjur is to take Derge edition as the text against which other editions are checked, collated. Difference of words and sentence order is listed, with note and lists of collation appended to each volume. Therefore, this collated edition of Tanjur offers an access to the other editions, such as Beijing, Narthang and Dzoni (Chone).
The contents, binding and layout of this collated edition of Tripitanka- Tanjur are as follows:-
1. Detailed catalogue: consisted of classified captions, case number, unified serial number of articles, titles of articles, names of authors and translators as well as appended notes.
2. The text: with addition of the unified serial number of articles, top margin, words on the top of the page, and the serial number of notes of collation.
3. Notes of collation: being the result of the collation of the four editions and compiled at the end of each article.
4. Table of collation: an indexed table, in which the classified titles, case number, serial number, chapter, page number, line, syllabic word number of each articles are listed.
5. The decorative patterns on the front and back covers as well as spine are auspicious unicorn and wheel of Dharma, a crocodile-like seamonster(Markara),lotus throne and double Vajra pestle (gilded) respectively.
6. Front and Back title pages: on which a right-spiraled conchshell with yellowish brown lines and golden thick line patterns are printed respectively, with book title, classified caption, case number, volume number, names of compilers and publishers.
7. Common inset is a colored image of Buddha Sakyamuni which is used in front of each volume.
8. Classified colored illustrations (image of Buddha): one is after the catalogue and the other is in front of the second classified inset.
9. Classified inset: each volume includes two cases of the original book, and in front of each case there is one classified inset. On the upper part of the inset, there are two images of Buddha from the original book and tribute to the Buddha, whereas on the lower part are classified titles, the original serial number and the unified serial number.
10. Stupa: Bodhi stupa (stupa of enlightenment)- one of the eight great stupas, is printed at the end of each volume.
11. The cover of book jacket is printed with the image of Buddha and the spine is printed with book title, serial number and Tibetan-style decorative pattern. The back cover of book jacket is the eight auspicious symbols.
12. The envelop of hard cover is of dark brown paper, and that of the deluxe edition is make of orange silk. There are book titles, classified captions and etc. on the orange label.
We have hardcover edition with size of 18.50cm x 26cm. It runs to 1.2 million to 1.5 million characters each volume. The whole set, altogether 124 volumes is available for order. |
