These are materials I have compiled for students and scholars to learn to read Buddhist texts in Chinese. This is very much a work in progress; suggestions for improvement are welcome.

NEW: Alex Amies has prepared a web-based version for volumes 1 and 2. Unlike the version below, which is a simple PDF for download, this version allows you to hover over characters to see their definitions from the glossary.

http://www.primerbuddhism.org/

NEWER: Jeff Jongeward has built a Pleco dictionary for volumes 1, 2 and 3. This can be downloaded here. (You will have to have purchased the flashcard add-on to install a user dictionary in Pleco).

NEWEST: Audio recordings for Volume 1 are now available.

Introductory Texts

The first volume does not assume any knowledge of Chinese, but may be of use to even advanced readers of classical Chinese unfamiliar with Buddhist texts. The second volume builds on the first, continuing to focus on texts originating in India. The third volume introduces texts composed in China.

Volume 1: Foundations

English Translation Key for Volume 1

Volume 2: The Indian Tradition

English Translation Key for Volume 2

Volume 3: Buddhist Texts Composed in China

English Translation Key for Volume 3

Note: The vocabulary for Volume 1 can be found in Quizlet.com (search for “Primer in Chinese Buddhist Writings”) which allows the user to learn vocabulary with digital flashcards. (Thanks to Bhikkhu Dhamma-dāsa for his help with this).

Audio recordings, kindly provided by Ch.C. are available for download here.

For Volume 3, flashcards are available through “Anki.” To use these, you can download the Anki program to your device here (http://ankisrs.net/). Once you have done that, download the file for the Volume 3 vocabulary here. (Thanks to Simon Wiles for setting this up).

Supplements

Mahāyāna: Texts, Annotations, Translations

Esoteric: Texts, Translations

Epigraphy: Texts, Annotations, Translations

Related Research

— John Kieschnick

john.kieschnick@stanford.edu