Book Reviews

This document is a collection of book reviews published in the Indo-Iranian Journal in 1988, with the primary reviewer being J. W. De Jong. The reviews cover a range of topics related to Indian literature, religion, and culture. Here's a summary of each review:

1. Review of "B. Oguibénine" (Author not explicitly named, but content suggests a work on Vedic priests and speculation on ritual and the "Vedic word theory")

• Focus: The reviewer critically examines a work that analyzes Vedic priests' speculative tendencies regarding rituals and the "Vedic word theory," emphasizing the power and significance of the word, particularly the name.
• Key Points:
  • The reviewer agrees with the author's prioritization of the "Vedic word theory" but notes its basis in "nominal realism."
  • The author's focus is primarily on "verbal contests" as studied by F. B. J. Kuiper, potentially neglecting the social aspects of these contests and the broader social functions of sacrifice.
  • The reviewer argues that social tensions are revealed within these contests and that understanding "the social" requires focusing on social explanations.
  • The author's treatment of "daksina" is considered polished but not structurally comprehensive.
  • The reviewer supports the author's attention to the semantic structure of Vedic hymnology but questions the ability to distinguish between consciously pursued symbolic interactions and those perceived by the interpreter.
  • The reviewer suggests parameters for analyzing hymns, focusing on cosmogonic facts and a "Varunian" environment.
  • The reviewer commends the author's caution regarding comparative Indo-European aspects, highlighting the ambiguity between resemblance due to historical reasons and typological resemblance.
• Overall: The reviewer finds the work provides excellent material for thought and study but suggests a broader social analysis would have been beneficial.

2. Review of Ditte König, "Das Tor zur Unterwelt. Mythologie und Kult des Termitenhügels in der schriftlichen und mündlichen Tradition Indiens" (Mythology and Cult of the Termite Hill in Indian Written and Oral Tradition)

• Focus: This review discusses König's extensive study of the termite hill in India, drawing from a wide array of Sanskrit sources and anthropological works.
• Key Points:
  • The book emphasizes the interdisciplinary approach of indology and ethnology for interpreting myths, customs, and rituals.
  • The author's primary sources are almost exclusively Sanskrit, with limited use of Pali and Marathi texts, and a complete disregard for Prakrit and modern Indo-Aryan and Dravidian languages, which the reviewer finds surprising and unexplained.
  • The reviewer notes the author's high regard for Mircea Eliade, suggesting a potentially overly authoritative reliance on his work.
  • The book is systematically arranged into chapters covering ants and termites, their symbolic associations (water, gold, sun, etc.), medicinal uses, rituals and omens, veneration of deities and asceticism in termite hills, snakes and termite hills, and conclusions.
  • A key theme explored is the termite hill as a symbol of the vana (forest), associating it with "uncanny places" like crossroads and cremation grounds, and its connection to the numinous and death.
  • The reviewer points out the ambivalence of the termite hill as a sacred symbol, arguing against its exclusive association with vana territory.
  • Minor corrections are noted regarding the Meghadūta and some bibliographic entries.
  • The reviewer praises the clear arrangement of material, the English summary, and the excellent indexes.
• Overall: A comprehensive and stimulating book, though the reviewer notes limitations in the scope of language sources and a reliance on Eliade.

3. Review of Christopher Chapple, "Karma and Creativity"

• Focus: Chapple's book explores human action in Indian religious traditions, particularly the Yogavāsiṣṭha, Vedic and Upanisadic literature, the Mahābhārata, and the Yoga Sūtra.
• Key Points:
  • The reviewer is highly critical of Chapple's translation of Yogavāsiṣṭha passages, providing examples where Chapple's translations are deemed inaccurate and inferior to Vihari-Lala Mitra's earlier translation.
  • The reviewer highlights Chapple's previous critical assessment of Swami Venkatesananda's Concise Yoga Vāsiṣṭha.
• Overall: The review is primarily a strong critique of the translation quality, indicating a significant flaw in the book.

4. Review of Hans Bakker, "Ayodhyā"

• Focus: Bakker's work examines the development of Ayodhya as a sacred center, tracing its history from 600 BC to the mid-18th century and providing an edition of the Ayodhyāmāhātmya.
• Key Points:
  • The book is divided into three parts: historical development, edition of the Ayodhyāmāhātmya versions, and appendices.
  • Bakker distinguishes three text groups of the Ayodhyāmāhātmya (S, BP, and OA), emphasizing the importance of their comparison to understand Ayodhya's development.
  • The historical part analyzes the gradual Rāmaization of Vishnuism in Ayodhya, as reflected in the Ayodhyāmāhātmya recensions.
  • The identification of Saketa with Ayodhya is discussed, suggesting it was a process of "reification of the realm of the saga."
  • The review highlights Bakker's study of religious developments, particularly the Rama cult, and his use of sources like the Agastyasamhitā.
  • The reviewer commends Bakker's focus on the "lowlands of culture" (folk religion) and their intersection with "highbrow religion."
  • The book is praised for its detailed study and relevance to understanding similar Indian texts and Hinduism in general.
• Overall: A valuable and penetrating study of Ayodhya's religious history, offering significant insights into the development of a sacred center.

5. Review of Ludo Rocher, "The Purānas"

• Focus: Rocher's book is a comprehensive guide to Puranic literature and scholarly research on the subject.
• Key Points:
  • The book is divided into sections on Puranic studies and the place of the Puranas in Indian literature.
  • Rocher provides a survey of Puranic scholarship, noting its significant growth and the volume of bibliographical information.
  • The reviewer discusses the Puranic textual tradition, highlighting the freedom Indian editors and translators took with these texts and the issue of different recensions.
  • A key debate addressed is the nature of the Puranas – whether they are primarily oral traditions or written texts, and the implications for critical editions. Rocher refrains from stating his own opinion and refers to another scholar.
  • The reviewer highlights the importance of the oral tradition in studying Puranic materials and the need for new methods, referencing studies on the Rșyaśṛnga story.
  • The book is praised for its lucid survey and the utility of its section on individual Puranas, with a hope that it will stimulate the development of better study methods.
• Overall: An extremely useful and informative guide that clarifies the complexities of Puranic studies and encourages methodological advancements.

6. Review of Wolfgang Morgenroth (ed.), "Sanskrit and World Culture"

• Focus: This review covers the proceedings of the Fourth World Sanskrit Conference, featuring 119 papers on various aspects of Sanskrit and its influence.
• Key Points:
  • The conference subjects ranged from Sanskrit and humanistic sciences to ancient Indian history, its role in South Asia and the world, linguistics, philosophy, religion (Veda, Buddhism, Jainism), science, medicine, poetry, and art history.
  • The reviewer suggests that future conferences might benefit from focusing on a more limited number of themes.
  • The socialist countries were well-represented.
  • The review notes the limited number of papers on Buddhism and Jainism (three and one, respectively).
  • Specific papers are mentioned, including those on Vedic studies, Sanskrit lexicon, Middle Indo-Aryan languages, and a paper by M. Hahn on Indian Nitiśāstras in the Tibetan Tanjur.
  • The reviewer anticipates that Sanskrit scholars will find numerous papers of interest, but notes the high price of the volume.
• Overall: A broad compilation of scholarly work on Sanskrit, offering diverse insights but potentially overwhelming in its scope.

7. Review of Oskar von Hinüber, "Das ältere Mittelindisch im Überblick" (An Overview of Older Middle Indian)

• Focus: Von Hinüber's work provides a comprehensive summary of the last seventy years of research on older Middle Indian languages, including Pali, Prakrit, epigraphical Middle Indian, Gāndhārī, and Buddhist Sanskrit.
• Key Points:
  • The book aims to update and summarize the findings since Pischel's and Geiger's foundational works.
  • Von Hinüber's intimate knowledge of Middle Indo-Aryan is evident, and his literature review is described as "amazing."
  • The book is structured into an introduction, sources, literary texts, and historical grammar.
  • The reviewer commends von Hinüber's personal views and defense of them, noting his willingness to acknowledge past errors.
  • The reviewer considers the book "truly indispensable" and an epoch-making work in Prakrit studies, hoping for future supplements.
• Overall: A masterly and essential contribution to the field of Middle Indo-Aryan studies, highly praised for its thoroughness and scholarship.

8. Review of David Smith, "Ratnākara's Haravijaya. An Introduction to the Sanskrit Court Epic"

• Focus: Smith's book introduces and defends Ratnākara's Haravijaya, a ninth-century Sanskrit court epic, arguing for its merits against prevailing negative scholarly opinions.
• Key Points:
  • The Haravijaya is described as the longest mahakāvya with fifty cantos.
  • Smith's book is a "spirited defense" of the poem, with Smith disagreeing with earlier critics like Jacobi, Schmidt, and Keith regarding its quality and borrowings.
  • The first three chapters explore the "essential features of the court epic," including the importance of eulogy, the Indian view of kingship, and the connection between kāvya and society.
  • The reviewer critiques Smith's depiction of kingship as potentially one-sided, suggesting a need to consult other sources like the Mahābhārata and Arthaśāstra.
  • Smith's analysis of kāvya's role in providing security, its function as "irresponsible creativity," and its potential to update or displace Vedic authority are highlighted.
  • The reviewer praises Smith's translations and his approach of "living with" the poetry.
  • The reviewer notes the difficulty of appreciating an entire poem of this length but acknowledges the book's appeal to lovers of Sanskrit poetry, even if they don't fully share Smith's enthusiasm.
• Overall: A valuable and well-argued defense of a significant but often overlooked Sanskrit court epic, offering new perspectives on kāvya.

9. Review of Michael Hahn, "Der grosse Legendenkranz (Mahajjātakamālā). Eine mittelalterliche buddhistische Legendensammlung aus Nepal." (The Great Garland of Legends: A Medieval Buddhist Legend Collection from Nepal)

• Focus: Hahn's edition and introduction to the Mahājjātakamālā (MJM), a lengthy Buddhist legend collection from Nepal.
• Key Points:
  • The MJM is one of the longest Buddhist texts.
  • Hahn's edition is based on Nepalese manuscripts, with a detailed introduction to the text's characterization, sources, and genre development.
  • The compiler used older texts, including Karunāpundarīka, Jātakamālās of Aryaśūra, Haribhatta, and Gopadatta.
  • The reviewer notes that previous partial editions exist, but Hahn's edition is comprehensive.
  • A comparison is made between Hahn's and Handurukande's editorial approaches, with the reviewer noting instances where Handurukande's readings might be preferable.
  • The reviewer expresses anticipation for Hahn's announced further studies and translations of the MJM.
  • Hahn is recognized as a highly productive scholar in Buddhist literature studies.
• Overall: A significant publication that makes known an important specimen of medieval Buddhist narrative literature, and a testament to Hahn's extensive contributions to Buddhist studies.

10. Review of Wilhelm Siegling, "Ein Glossar zu Ašvaghosas Buddhacarita" (A Glossary to Aśvaghoṣa's Buddhacarita)

• Focus: This review discusses the posthumous publication of Wilhelm Siegling's glossary to Aśvaghoṣa's Buddhacarita, based on Tibetan translations.
• Key Points:
  • Siegling compiled the glossary from approximately 1270 cards, including Tibetan-Sanskrit-German entries and references to E. B. Cowell's edition.
  • The reviewer notes the utility of the glossary for explaining difficulties in the Buddhacarita, but also points out that it is incomplete and the German text can be difficult to decipher.
  • The review discusses the complexities of Tibetan translations of Sanskrit texts, citing examples where Siegling's glossary, along with Weller's and Johnston's editions, helps clarify readings.
  • The reviewer highlights the importance of the Derge edition of the Tanjur, which contains better readings in some instances, and expresses regret that Weller and Johnston did not fully utilize it.
  • The reviewer hopes for the eventual publication of a glossary based on Johnston's edition and a new edition of the Tibetan translation.
  • The review mentions Siegling's life and work, including his study of Mātrceta-Stotras, and the unfinished critical edition of Sanskrit fragments.
• Overall: A valuable but incomplete resource that significantly aids in the study of the Buddhacarita through its Tibetan-Sanskrit links, while also highlighting the need for further scholarly work.

11. Review of Paul J. Griffiths, "On Being Mindless: Buddhist Meditation and The Mind-Body Problem"

• Focus: Griffiths' book examines the "Attainment of Cessation" (nirodhasamāpatti) in Indian Buddhism, exploring its philosophical underpinnings and the mind-body problem.
• Key Points:
  • The book is structured around the Theravada, Vaibhāṣika, and Yogācāra traditions.
  • Griffiths aims to bridge Buddhist studies with Western philosophy of mind and religious history.
  • He offers critical assessments of Buddhist arguments and premises.
  • The reviewer praises Griffiths' lucid introductions to the traditions and his philosophical skill in interrogating the texts, disclosing latent consequences.
  • Griffiths' broad knowledge of literature in multiple languages is commended, as is his use of Japanese scholarship.
  • The reviewer suggests a few areas for improvement in Griffiths' interpretations, particularly regarding the translation of a passage from Buddhaghosa's commentary and the meaning of paryupayoga in Sthiramati's commentary.
  • The reviewer notes the book's clear conclusions on the mind-body problem, proposing a "non-substantivist event-based interactionist psychophysical dualism."
• Overall: An important and well-executed work that competently analyzes a complex Buddhist concept and connects it to contemporary philosophical discussions, with minor suggestions for refinement.

12. Review of H. E. Richardson, "A Corpus of Early Tibetan Inscriptions"

• Focus: Richardson's corpus presents early Tibetan inscriptions, particularly those from the reigns of key Tibetan rulers, and includes a revised edition of the Sino-Tibetan treaty of 821/822 AD.
• Key Points:
  • Richardson has been a significant contributor to the study of early Tibetan inscriptions for over thirty years.
  • The corpus includes revised editions of inscriptions, with a focus on the Sino-Tibetan treaty.
  • While translations are offered, Richardson states they are not claimed to be definitive.
  • The reviewer emphasizes the "great advantage" of the vocabulary provided, which is valuable for studying early Tibetan texts.
  • Richardson's notes on obscure words and expressions are highlighted, with the reviewer adding further references for the term stars-dbyal.
  • The publication is a significant service to Tibetan studies.
• Overall: A highly valuable and well-researched corpus that will be indispensable for Tibetologists, offering crucial epigraphic material and vocabulary.

13. Review of Zeitschrift der Deutschen Morgenländischen Gesellschaft. Supplement VI: XXII. Deutscher Orientalistentag vom 21. bis 25. März 1983 in Tübingen. Ausgewählte Vorträge

• Focus: This review covers selected papers from the 22nd German Orientalist Conference, with a particular focus on the Indian studies sections.
• Key Points:
  • Iranian studies are represented by one article and one summary.
  • Indian studies are more extensively covered, with multiple articles and summaries across Indology, Buddhism, and Art/Archaeology.
  • Specific Indian studies mentioned include analyses of RV 10.86, the Atharvaveda tradition and the Paippalāda-Samhita, the origin of sattra sacrifices, development of the Rāmāyaṇa, the author Śūdraka, and Tibetan niti texts.
  • Buddhism-related papers discuss the Tibetan tradition of the Aśoka legend, the Sadhina Jataka, Buston's politics and religion, and Buddhist art.
  • The reviewer notes the high price of the volume and suggests that a cheaper printing process and publishing in smaller, thematic volumes might be more accessible.
• Overall: A collection of diverse scholarly contributions from a major Orientalist conference, valuable for specialists but potentially inaccessible due to its cost.

The overarching theme across these reviews is an appreciation for meticulous scholarship, detailed textual analysis, and the importance of interdisciplinary approaches in understanding ancient Indian texts and traditions. The reviewer, J. W. De Jong, consistently demonstrates a deep engagement with the material and offers nuanced critiques, highlighting strengths and areas for further development in the reviewed works.