22. Buddhism
The Schoyen Collection contains about 20 Buddhist manuscripts from most Asian countries spanning nearly 2000 years. The Buddhist Scriptures collection starts with the foundation manuscripts of Mahayana Buddhism, and is represented here by 15 manuscripts. In addition, large parts of the China collection and Pre-Gutenberg Printing collection are also examples of Buddhist literature.
MS in Gandhari on palm-leaf, India, 2nd to early 3rd c., 6 partial ff., originally ca. 4x40? cm, single column, (ca. 3,5x38? cm), 3 lines in a late Kharosthi book script.
MS in Sanskrit on palm-leaf, India, 4th c., 6 partial ff. and 20 fragments, originally ca. 5x40? cm, single column, (ca. 4x38? cm), 6 lines in an early western Gupta script with strong Kusana affiliations.
MS in Chinese on paper, Japan, 8th c., 1 scroll of 16 sheets (complete), 25x793 cm, 29-31 columns per sheet, 17 characters in Chinese script.
MS in Chinese on blue- stained paper, Kamakura, Japan, 10th-11th c., outer sheet of a scroll, 27x44 cm, 17 columns, (21x33 cm), 17 characters per column in gold ink in Chinese book script.
MS in Tibetan on thick paper stained black and varnished, Tibet, ca. 1400, 198 ff. (complete), 19x67 cm, single column, (13x58 cm), 9 lines in a formal Tibetan dbu can book script in gold, 4 opening pages with 3-4 lines in large ornamental script in gold.
MS in Sanskrit on palm-leaf, India, 5th c., 5 ff., 30 partial ff., 3 unidentified fragments of originally: ca. 550 ff., 4x38 cm, single column, (3x37 cm), 4 lines in North Western Gupta book scripts.
MS in Sanskrit on birchbark, Bamiyan, Afghanistan, 6th c., 46 ff., 6x18 cm, single column, (5x17 cm), 5-6 lines in Gilgit/Bamiyan ornate type book script.
MS in Tibetan on paper, Tibet, early 8th c., 1 scroll (complete), 29x158 cm, 7 columns, (28x156 cm), 19 lines in Tibetan dbu can book script.