Lost Fragments Of Spitzer Manuscript

This document is an academic article by Eli Franco titled "Lost Fragments of the Spitzer Manuscript." It discusses the significance of the Spitzer Manuscript, an important Buddhist philosophical text, and the recent discovery and analysis of fragments that were previously thought to be lost, possibly during World War II.

Here's a breakdown of the key points:

• The Spitzer Manuscript and its Loss: The article begins by acknowledging previous scholarship on the Spitzer Manuscript (SHT 810), particularly noting Dieter Schlingloff's observation that parts of the manuscript were lost. Heinrich Loder and Yosho Miyasaka had previously published transcriptions of fragments not found in the original collection.

• Discovery of Moritz Spitzer's Transcriptions: Schlingloff's research ascertained the whereabouts of Dr. Moritz Spitzer, the original owner of the manuscript. Spitzer had managed to save his transcriptions of the lost fragments, which were made available to Franco by Spitzer's son, Amitai. These transcriptions, on about 65 pages, were crucial for Franco's work.

• Franco's Analysis and Findings:

  • Franco compared Spitzer's transcriptions with the remaining original fragments.
  • He identified transcriptions of around forty fragments that are no longer extant.
  • He discovered that some of the remaining fragments had broken into further pieces after Spitzer transcribed them.
  • Using Spitzer's transcriptions, Franco was able to virtually "paste together" several fragments that had been separated.

• The Role of Shoko Watanabe: The article also mentions the work of Shoko Watanabe, who transcribed about 100 fragments and passed them on to Yosho Miyasaka. Franco emphasizes the need for a careful comparison between Spitzer's and Watanabe's transcriptions to better understand the extent of the loss and to identify and correct mistakes.

• Content of the Lost Fragments: The bulk of the article is dedicated to the detailed analysis and transcription of the first three pages of Spitzer's Nachlass (his personal papers), which correspond to fragments of folios 369, 370, and 371. These fragments reveal discussions on three main topics within Conservative Buddhism:

  1. Anupūrvābhisamayaparīksā (Examination of Gradual Comprehension): This section discusses the Buddhist doctrine of the gradual comprehension of the Four Noble Truths, a point of debate among different schools. The text seems to argue for a gradual comprehension and presents arguments that might be incompatible with the established Sarvāstivāda doctrine.
  2. (Prakti)prabhasvarapratijñopālambhika (Criticism of the Thesis of Naturally Luminous Consciousness): This part of the text engages with a doctrine prevalent in some Buddhist schools, particularly the Mahāsānghikas, Vibhajyavādins, and Śāriputrabhidharma, which posits that consciousness is naturally luminous but can be defiled by adventitious defilements. The Spitzer Manuscript appears to argue against this, suggesting that luminous consciousness cannot be defiled.
  3. The Buddha's Inclusion in the Sangha: The final topic, represented by fragments believed to belong to folios 375 and 376, addresses whether the Buddha is included in the monastic community (sangha). The text presents an opponent's argument that the disciples share the Buddha's general and specific qualities and are therefore part of the sangha. The siddhantin (the proponent of the main argument) rejects this, possibly by highlighting differences between the Buddha and Arhats or by pointing out logical fallacies in the opponent's reasoning. The article also briefly touches upon the scholarly debate about the specific Buddhist school to which the Spitzer Manuscript might belong (Sautrāntika vs. Sarvāstivāda).

• Significance of the Findings: Franco concludes by highlighting the immense importance of Spitzer's transcriptions for reconstructing the content and structure of the lost portions of the Spitzer Manuscript. He mentions identifying further fragments from folios 379-387, indicating a larger body of work to be published.

In essence, the article is a significant scholarly contribution that salvages lost textual material of a crucial Buddhist philosophical text, providing new insights into debates on key doctrines within early Buddhism through the careful analysis of previously inaccessible fragments.