Spreading Buddha's Word in East Asia

Bringing together leading specialists in the Chinese Buddhist canon, Spreading Buddha's Word in East Asia makes a major contribution to our understanding of both the textual and the social history of one of the most impressive textual projects in the history of the world. -- John Kieschnick, Stanford University
The Sinitic Buddhist canons rank among the largest bodies of sacred literature ever produced by any religious tradition. The compilation, editing, and publication of these massive collections required a commitment of money and manpower that was the medieval equivalent of the moon landings of the 1960s. This groundbreaking volume gives these canons the sustained attention they have long deserved from the scholarly community and will help to demonstrate that they are among the preeminent cultural achievements of the wider Sinitic world. -- Robert E. Buswell Jr., University of California, Los Angeles
One measure of the maturity of a discipline is its critical awareness of its sources. This collection of nine expert and groundbreaking essays on the Chinese Buddhist canon, augmented by a magisterial preface by a doyen of the field and two eminently useful bibliographical appendices, marks a genuine advance in the study of Chinese Buddhism. Now, with the appearance of this quite essential book, students of Buddhism in China have a reliable map and a guide to what is arguably the largest single collection of authoritative texts of any of the world's great religions. All who study Chinese Buddhism must keep this book handy as they pursue their research into scholarly territory now more clearly mapped. -- Robert M. Gimello, University of Notre Dame
Intellectually sound, informative and well written... [Spreading Buddha's Word in East Asia] introduce[s] readers to the political, economic, social, and religious complexities involved in the creation and dissemination of one of the world's largest repositories of sacred literature.... Highly recommended. * Choice *
A much-needed English-language survey of the dynamic socio-historical forces at play in the creation of the many different editions of the Chinese Buddhist canon. . . . I commend the authors and editors of Spreading Buddha’s Word in East Asia for this excellent work which opens the study and teaching of Buddhist literature in English to many greater possibilities. * Journal of Chinese History *
The editors should be commended for bringing together these essays and shedding light on this important and neglected topic of Buddhist study. * Journal of the American Academy of Religion *
This volume on the Chinese Buddhist canon is, simply put, essential reading for anyone concerned with the study of East Asian Buddhism. * China Review International *
The well-rounded and well-edited collection of essays provides an excellent overview of the historical development of the Buddhist canon in East Asia without sacrificing depth; it will be welcomed by all students and scholars interested in the textual heritage of Buddhism. * Journal of Chinese Religions *
A significant contribution.... The volume importantly encourages scholars to continue fusing together multiple disciplines. * H-Buddhism *
An outstanding edited volume examining the origins of the Chinese Buddhist canon. -- Steven Heine * Monumenta Serica *
A clear and helpful overview for anyone interested in studying Chinese Buddhism, or, indeed, the history of religion and of writing more generally. * Chaleur Bay Review Review of Books *