Surveying Sanskrit Buddhist Manuscripts in Japan and Construction of New r Book History Shanker Thapa Sasaki Kazunori Shoji Fumio Background New r people, one of the culturalethnic group mainly living within the Kathmandu valley follow either Hinduism or Buddhism. New r identity as a religio-cultural community comes within the Indian cultural boundary. Sanskrit as the textual language of New rs also brought them under the Indian literary domain. Any tradition that arrived in Nepal from Northern India was amalgamated with existing local traditions. It was the main basis of cultural formation of New rs. New r Buddhists, who were originally the Mah s ṁghika,later turned into Vajray na after its arrival in Nepal by the end of the sixth century some 200 years after its origin in Northern India.1 They became Vajray na Buddhists. It is important to note that New r Buddhism is the synthesis of two or more Buddhist philosophical traditions aided by Hindu tantric tenets. Thus, New r Buddhist religious tradition is the combination of diverse ideas. New r Buddhist practice is primarily the synthesis between Vijñ navadaand M dhyamika philosophy. The text that sought such an amazing 1 The Licchavī inscription fromGokarṇa is the earlist reference in Nepalese history to refer to Vajray na. Dhana Vajra Vajracharya, Licchavī K lin Abhilekh [Inscription from the Licchavī Era], Kathmandu: Institute of Nepal and Asian studies, 2030, pp. 370-371.  synthesis of religious ideologies is the Nir k ra K rik written by a Nep lī Paṇḍit Nanda rī.2The other significant text for New r Buddhists is Kriy saṁgraha Pañjik which is a collection of rituals composed by Kuladatta. In its general character, the work bears a close relations to the Hindu Tantric digests. The codex begins with the definitions of a spiritual guide and his disciple.3 This text is a modified version of StūpaLakṣaṇa K rik Vivianaof Lokottarav dins.4 Nepal’s contribution in the development of Mah y na literary genre that is the body of Sanskrit Buddhist literature is enormous and 2 3 4 David Seyfert Rugg, The Literature of the M dhyamika School, Wisbaden: Otto Harrassowitz, 1981, p. 100. Rajendra Lal Mitra, The Sanskrit Buddhist Literature of Nepal, Calcutta: The Asiatic Society of Bengal, 1882, pp. 105-109. Annual Report of The International Research Institute for Advanced Buddhology5, 2002, p. 27; Gusstav Roth, ‘Symbolism of the Buddhist Stupa according to the Tibetan Version of the Caitya Vibhaṅga Vinayapodbhava Sūtra, the Sanskrit Treatise Stūpa Lakṣaṇa K rik Vivecan and a Corresponding Passage in Kuladatta’s Kriy saṁgraha,’ In: Anna Libers Dallapiccola and Stephine Zingel-Ave Lallemant(eds.), The Stupa: Its Religious, Historical and Architectural Significance, Weisbaden: Franz Steiner, 1980, p. 196. Dr. Shanker Thapa is a Professor and Head in the Central Department of History, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu. Mr. Kazunori Sasaki and Dr. Fumio Shoji are the Faculty Members in the Faculty of Buddhist Studies, Rissho University, Tokyo. We express sincere gratitude to Rissho University for supporting the field surveys in Tokyo, Kyoto and Kanagawa in Japan in June 2017 and March 2018.  clen]v beyond comparison. The extant Sanskrit Buddhist texts is the contribution of Nepal without whose effort it was not possible to maintain the textual heritage intact for more than a millennium. The New r Buddhists of Kathmandu valley deserve appreciation for such an epoch making historical act. After the Muslim invasion of Northern India by the end of twelfth century, entire body of Sanskrit Buddhist literature disappeared in India. However, they were found preserved in tact in Nepal after a millennium. The outside world was ignorant of preservation of large body of Mah y na Sanskrit Buddhist literature until the middle of the nineteenth century. British Resident Brian H. Hodgson explored the extant body of Sanskrit Buddhist literature in the Kathmandu valley within the periphery of New r Buddhist cultural boundary. The original Mah y na Sanskrit Buddhist manuscripts was believed completely to be lost. But in the first quarter of the Hodgson’s revealing of survival of abundance of entire body of in Nepal within the custody of Buddhist New r of Kathmandu valley in an important landmark in the literary history of Mah y na Buddhism. Thecredit goes to the Buddhist New rs. They were the authors, scribes, custodians and also the enthusiasts of reading Sanskrit Buddhist texts. At the cultural level, the New rs developed the tradition of ‘book culture’ integrating the system of venerating ‘books’ as the manifestation of deities, there by worshipping them at regular intervals.5 In general, a Buddhist manuscript had multiple usages. Manuscripts arebelieved to be worthy of veneration and regarded as an object of worship. They are the objects in which deities are emanated for which a full-fledged ritual of ‘Ny sa’ or the Da a Karma Pratiṣṭh is performed to insert lives in them. The ritual associated with Kala a [vase] is also constituted to aid the practice of ‘Ny sa’ to bring lives in books. So, for New r believers a religious book or a manuscript has life. Therefore, every book is worthy of veneration and deserves worship. These forms of cultural hierarchies were constituted or evolved 5 Shanker Thapa, ‘Profile of A Traditional Painter: Gyankar Vajr c rya - the New rī Paubh Artist from Bhaktapur,’ Voice of History, Vol. XXVIII, May, 2015, pp. 14-30. within the long practiced‘book culture’of BuddhistNew rs. Literary Migration to Japan Literary migration here indicates to trans-regional migration of Sanskrit Buddhist manuscripts from Nepal to Japan and the other post collection activities. Even before the revelation of Nepal as the largest repository of Sanskrit manuscripts, history has provided information about the migration of Sanskrit manuscripts from Nepal to India or Europe preferably the Great Britain. In 1793, Col. William Kirkpatrick visited Nepal under a delegation sent by the British Indian government. During that visit, he had procured a copy of Aṣṭas hasrik Prajñ p ramit Sūtra and handed over toSir William Jones, one of the founders of the Asiatic society of Bengal and a wellknown philologist and orientalist in November 1793.6 It has 303 paper folios, which was copied in the eighteenth century. This instance may be regarded as a significant moment as the beginning of movement of Nepalese manuscripts out of the country. It was the beginning of the migration of Buddhist manuscripts in Nepal. After Brian Hodgson found out Nepal as the warehouse of Sanskrit Buddhist manuscripts, a number of foreign monks and scholars showed up from time to time to collect Buddhist manuscripts in Nepal. Hodgson himself procured 381 bundles of manuscripts later to divide them among several institutions in India, France and the Great Britain. With the friendly gesture from HRH Mah r j Chandra Shumsher [1863-1929], the Premier of Nepal, Oxford University received some 6300 Sanskrit manuscripts as gifts.7 6 7 Moriz Winternitz and Arthur Berriedale Keith (ed.), Catalogue of Sanskrit Manuscripts in the Bodleian Library, Vol. II, Oxford: The Clarendon Press, 1905, p. 249. David Pingree (comp.), A Descriptive Catalogue of the Sanskrit and other Indian Manuscripts of the Chandra Shum Shere Collection in the Bodleian Library, Pt. 1. Jyotiṣ stra, Oxford, Clarendon Press, 1984, pp. 1-172; Jonathan Katz (ed.), A Descriptive Catalogue of the Sanskrit Indian Manuscripts of the Chandra Shum Shere Collection in the Bodleian Library, Oxford, Oxford University Press. Part II: Epics and Pur ṇas, John Brockington (Comp.), 1999; Part III: Stotras, K. Parameswara Aithal (Comp.), 1999. clen]v  In Europe, an abundant number of Sanskrit manuscripts was directed to the United Kingdom. During the medieval times, Nepal has been a popular destination for Tibetan Buddhists to study Buddhism with the Vajr c rya Master in the Kathmandu valley. For entire medieval period, Nepal served as the educational center for Tibetans. The expatriate Tibetans also collected Sanskrit manuscripts both during study period for study and also for carrying to Tibet. They carried abundant New r as well as P la manuscripts to Tibet from Nepal. Similarly visiting Chinese pilgrims occasionally did the same. Japanese procurement of manuscripts in the Kathmandu valley is rather little different. The collectors who reached Nepal in different times did adventurous travel in Nepal. They met the rulers and obtained permissions to copy or purchase manuscripts. They collected Sanskrit manuscripts in Nepal and dispatched to Japan without problem. Present repositories in various places in Japan is the outcome of those early manuscript collectors. Japan has always been serious in dealing with Sanskrit Buddhist manuscripts. Sanskrit manuscripts that Rev. EkaiKawaguchi[1866-1945], Junjiro Takakushu[1866-1947], Dr. Ryuzaburo Sakaki[1872-1946] and others procured Buddhist manuscripts in Nepal, which are now preserved in various university libraries and other places with due attention. They have been regardedas the priceless heritage. Japan has considerably contributed in Sanskrit and Indian Buddhist scholarship. Japanese academics and the monastic community have been keenly interested in Nepal’s Sanskrit Buddhist manuscripts. The out bound migration of Nepalese Buddhist manuscripts towards Japan began right since 1907 when Rev. Ekai KawaguchiandJunjiro Takakushuvisited Kathmandu in search of those manuscripts. The largest collection of Nepalese manuscripts is that of Ekai Kawaguchi deposited now in three locations namelythe General Library, University of Tokyo, Toyo Bunko and Rissho University in Tokyo. Rissho University has a  clen]v manuscript of Gaṇḍavyūha Sūtra, which Hokei Izumi, anacquaintance of Rev. Kawaguchi,made available to Rissho University. The General Library of University of Tokyo, Tokai University Library Shonan Campus, Taisho University Library and the Toyo Bunko have largest collectionsof Nepalese Sanskrit manuscripts in Japan. In addition, there are other centers such as Taisho University Library and Nagoya City Museum that also hold Sanskrit manuscripts brought from Nepal. Nagoya City Museum has obtained Kamiya’s collection of Nepalese manuscript. Kyoto University alsohas several Nepalese manuscripts donated by Dr. Ryuzaburo Sakaki. Ryūkoku University hasimportant medieval Nepalese manuscriptsincluding the oldest and the best Japanese Sukh vatīvyūha Sūtra.8Eminent Buddhist scholars such as Ariyoshi Sanada, Yusho Wakahara, Taijun Inoguchi, SyokoTakeuchi and Shinichiro Hori have done significant works on New r Buddhist manuscripts deposited at Ryūkoku University. Research on Manuscripts in Selected Repositories With the support of Rissho University and research collaboration betweenKazunori Sasaki,Fumio Shoji and Shanker Thapa, a field survey was arranged to observe Buddhist manuscripts in the repositories including Toyo Bunko,General Library ofTokyo University; Tokai University Library Shonan Campus in Kitakaname and the Library of Faculty of Letters, Kyoto University, Kyoto in March 2018. A preliminary field survey was already done in Toyo Bunko, Tokyo University and Rissho University collections in June 2017 prior to the second field observation. The objectivewas primarily to gather information on history, status of preservation and present conditions of manuscripts in those repositories. At the same time, it was also in mind to gather information on research details of those manuscripts. While 8 Yusho Wakahara, ‘Remarks on Sanskrit Manuscripts in the Otani Collection – Preliminaries to New Descriptive Catalog’, Bulletin of Institute of Buddhist Cultural Studies Ryūkoku University, No 42, 2003, pp. 29-37. in Kyoto, a preliminary visit of other concerning universities located within the Kyoto metropolis particularly Ryūkoku, Bukkyo and Otani Universities was also doneto prepare for another field work to enhance the collaborative research. Among several other repositories to hold Sanskrit Buddhist manuscripts from Nepal, Tohoku University [Sendai] and Taisho University [Tokyo] also have Nepalese Buddhist manuscripts and other materials that constitute certain role in constructing New r Buddhist history as well as determining historical stages of literary migration to Japan.9 The migration of Buddhist manuscripts from Nepal to japan in different times with the close involvement of eminent monks and academics is of immense significance. Rev. EkaiKawaguchiis the pioneer of Sanskrit manuscript collection in Nepal that has significantly contributed to develop very important Sanskrit manuscript repository in Japan. The contribution of other Japanese collectors who visited Nepal in different times and procured Sanskrit Buddhist manuscripts such asJunjiroTakakushu, Rev. Kozui Otani, Dr. Ryuzaburo Sakaki, Dr. Sadayoshi Kamiya and other unknown individual collectors cannot be overlooked. In some cases, Prime Minister Chandra Shumsher of Nepal cooperated whole heartedly to the Japanese collectors that facilitated to collect Sanskrit manuscripts without obstacle. Rev. EkaiKawaguchiwas able to solicit his support so that he could collect hundreds of important Sanskrit Buddhist manuscripts in Nepal and transport them to Japan.10His work brought significant changes in modern Sanskrit Buddhist Scholarship in Japan. Rev.KozuiOt nīalso collected important Sanskrit manuscripts in Nepal which are now kept at Ryūkoku University in Kyoto. Premier Chandra Shumsher granted audience to him in Kathmandu and also gifted him very important Sanskrit 9 10 Some works have been earlier done on those collections. See: Yoshizaki, Kazumi, ‘New r Buddhist Materials in the Collection of Rev. Kawaguchi Ekai Preserved in Tohoku University, Indo Gaku Bukkyo Gaku Kenkyu, Vol. 59, No. 1, pp. 513-518. Abhi Subedi, Ekai Kawaguchi - The Trespassing Insider, Kathmandu: Mandala Book Point, 1999, p. 90. Buddhist manuscripts including Divy vad na, Shukh vativyūha Sūtra and Mah vastu. All this situation was due to the help of renowned French Indologist Dr. Sylvain Levi.11 The help extended by the manuscriptologists at the Darb r Library in Kathmandu as well as Sanskrit and Buddhist scholars of that time had significant role to make visiting Japanese monks and scholars able to procure desired Buddhist manuscripts in Nepal and later transport them to Japan. In recent times, the activities of Rev. Syūcho Takaokaa Buddhist monk from Nagoya, has also contributed significantly to procure microfiche of manuscripts. Rev. Hidenobu Takaoka directed a very important project on microfilming New r Buddhist manuscripts funded by Shishin Kai, a lay Buddhist society in Japan. They also supported Saphū Kuthī to digitise entire collection and made available in CD-ROM. Then a manuscript Library was set up in Nagoya popularly known as ‘the Buddhist Library.’ All the manuscript centers regarded Nepal’s Buddhist Sanskrit manuscripts written mainly in Bhujimola, Rañjan and Pracalit New rī scripts as very precious and priceless heritage there by treating as such. Most of the manuscripts are kept in acid free paper and wooden boxes. The most remarkable point noted so far during the observation is that, all the repositories have maintained the same cloth wrappers that were originally used while the manuscripts were in Nepal. All those manuscripts were lively while in Nepal. Puj s were performed on them. The marks of vermilion and sandalwood pastes on wooden covers or beginning folios attest the fact. Japanese manuscript repositories provide the model of manuscript preservation. As mentioned before, Sanskrit manuscripts of Nepalese origin have special position among the modern Buddhist and Sanskrit scholars. They are given the status of precious heritage. So, they are given greater care. So, certain formal procedures are mandatory for those who desire to consult them for research purposes or otherwise. The methodology of preserving ancient books has been adapted to ensure their long lasting preservation. The 11 Wakahara, loc. cit., clen]v  method of preservation of ancient manuscripts adapted in Japan can be a model for Nepal to follow where still Sanskrit Buddhist manuscripts are in abundance in institutional or private collections. Data on private collections among the New rs is scanty. Some manuscript repositories such as the National Archives of Nepal, Ke ar Library, Saphū Kuthī, Akṣe vara Mah vih ra and Central Library of Tribhuvan University possess important Sanskrit Buddhist manuscripts. In general, manuscripts preservation practices is not bad. However, some of the places have worst preserving and management conditions. Certainly, they have security and other lapses as well to take into consideration. In all Nepalese repositories, rules of handling and using manuscripts are flexible. Nepalese manuscript libraries provide easy access to researchers so that more manuscripts can be studied leading to various publications. One can obtain digitally reproduced copies of manuscriptsat the payment of required fees. This practice is also necessary. But the manuscript preservation modalities followed by Japan’s Sanskrit manuscript repositories are rather tough but they are practical and appropriate for long term preservation of ancient manuscripts.12One has to apply and obtain permission to consult manuscripts in advance prior to the visit of the repository. In all places, photography of any part of the manuscript is usually not allowed. Several University and other specialized libraries have Nepal’s Sanskrit Buddhist manuscripts in their collection. Japanese scholars have extensively studied and worked on those manuscripts for various purposes and published various types of paper at home and abroad. Some Japanese Buddhist scholars also published detailed annotated catalogues on those manuscripts.13 12 13 Saphū Kuthī has received Toyota Foundation grant for physical infrastructure development as well as management of manuscripts. A number of Japanese experts worked there and digitised its collection and produced a digital data base. Seiren Matsunami, ACatalogue of the Sanskrit Manuscripts in the Tokyo University Library, Tokyo: Suzuki Research Foundation, 1965; Ryotai Kaneko, Yoshihiro Matsunami and Kojun Saito, ‘Descriptive Catalogue of Sanskrit Manuscripts in the Possession of  clen]v Toyo Bunko Toyo Bunko is one of the prominent repository of Nepalese Sanskrit manuscripts. A part of manuscripts Rev. EkaiKawaguchi collectedin Nepal are kept there. It has altogether twenty nine Nepalese manuscripts. They areBuddhist Sūtra, Dh raṇīs, Avad na, Tantra, Stotra, Vrata Kath , Jyotiṣaand some unidentified fragments in its collection. The individual titles in this collection include:14 Lalitvistara Sūtra [NS 925, fols. 263], Mah pratyaṅgir n ma Dh raṇī [fols. 11], Saddharmapuṇḍarīka Sūtra [Palmleaf fols. 181], Sapta tika Prajñ p ramit [A. Palm leaf,fols. 45; b. paper,fols. 31], Suvarṇaprabhaṣottama Sūtra fols. 66] G ndharvik vad na [fols. 8], Vajrav r hī Tantra Mah kalpar ja [fols 114]. Ekallavīra Caṇḍamah ro ṇa Tantra [NS 955, fols. 96], Go ṛṅgaparvate Svayaṃbhū Caityabhaṭṭ rakodde a [fols. 18], Dh raṇī Saṃgraha [<12Afols. 61>; <12B- fols. 94>; <13fols. 354>; <19 - fols 25>; <24 - fols. 39>)Total Dh raṇīs 11+15+267+15+5=313], Grahamatṛk Dh raṇī [fols.8], ry parimit yun ma Mah y na Sūtra [fols. 114], ry moghap ahṛdayaṃ 14 the Toyo Bunko’, Memoirs of the Research Department of the Toyo Bunko 37, Tokyo: Toyo Bunko, 1973; Wakahara Yusho, ‘Remarks on Sanskrit manuscripts in the Otani Collection - Preliminaries to New Descriptive Catalog’, Bulletin of Institute of Buddhist Cultural Studies Ryūkoku University, No 42, 2003, pp. 29-37; Ariyoshi Sanada, Descriptive Catalogue of the Sanskrit Buddhist Manuscripts Brought by Rev. Otani Expedition, Monumenta Serindica, Vol. IV, Kyoto 1961, pp. 49-118; Bukkyo Bunka Kenkyujo, Sanskrit Manuscripts in the Otani Collection at Ryūkoku University Library (CD-ROM edition), Kyoto: Bukkyo Bunka Kenkyujo, 2001, pp. 1-14; Hori, Shinichiro, ‘Kamiya’s Collection of Sanskrit Manuscripts from Nepal’, Journal of Indian and Buddhist Studies, Vol. 79, Nos. 40-41, 1991, pp. 513-516; Yoshizaki Kazumi, ‘New r Buddhist Materials in the Collection of Rev. Kawaguchi Ekai Preserved in Tōhoku University, Journal of Indian and Buddhist Studies (Indo-Gaku Bukkyo Gaku Kenkyu), Vol. LIX, No. 1, pp. 513518; Catalogue of the Buddhist Sanskrit Manuscripts in the University Library Tokyo’, Toshokankai, Vol. IV: 4, March 1953, Kyoto: pp. 138-140; Tachikawa Musashi, Shoun Hino and Toshihiro Wada,Sanskrit Manuscriptsin the Possession of the Faculty of Letters, Kyoto:KyotoUniversity, 2004. Ryotai Kaneko, et al, loc cit, pp. 157-191. Mah y na Sūtra [fols. 11], rya rī Vasudh r y ḥ Nam ṣṭottasataka [fol. 1], Vasundhar Vrata Pūrva Mah maṇḍal gata Kath [fols. 16 golden letters], aniscar stava Stotra [fols 8], Saṅkaṭ Devī Stotra [fols. 2], J tak varaṇa [fols 8], Haramehar [Haramekhal [Birch bark fols. 347], Unidentified Fragments [<3b 1 fol>; <9, fol1; 23- fol. 1>; <27 - Palm leaf, damaged>, <28 - unidentified, damaged>]. Our team of Prof. Shanker Thapa,Kazunori Sasaki, and FumioShoji visited Toyo Bunko for surveying New rBuddhist manuscripts first time in June 2017. A detailed survey was doneduring the second visit in March 2018 in which Nirmala K.C also joined the research team.This time, attention was paid to deal with three unidentified fragments of Nepalese manuscripts listed in the Toyo Bunko catalogueof Sanskrit manuscript. There are only four folios in three separate titles. Those fragments are the part of a ritual text, a Saṅkaṭ Stotra and a Bhairav Stotra. These are classified according to the subject. Although its subject has been identified previously, their exact titlesare yet to determine. Therefore, Toyo Bunko has provided 8 bit gray scale photos of the fragments in Pdf file format to the researchers to identify the manuscript with the support of a practicing Vajr c rya in Patan, Nepal. At Toyo Bunko, we worked on manuscripts nos. 9, 22 and 23 manuscripts. No. 9 has only one folio extant. It is a Buddhist text. The extant folio is 3 A and 4 B containing verse 56 and one line of verse 57 on folio 3Aandverse 57 on folio 4 B. But the verse number is missing. The place assigned to print number is left vacant. Each side has six lines written with Pracalit New rī script. Pagination appears in both on top of left margin and the right margin as well. Ms. no 22 and 23 are kept together inside the same wooden book cover. It is natural black. The first cover is tagged with numerical 183, 184 and 185. Inside the cover a note is stuck which was written by EkaiKawaguchihimself in which titles of the texts – a). rya Nandike vara Puj Vidhi, b). A collection of Sanskrit Dh raṇī are written along with thereference numbers in his personal collections. General Library of University ofTokyo The University of Tokyo has the largest collection of Nepal’Sanskrit Buddhist manuscripts.’ These manuscripts were collected by Rev. EkaiKawaguchiand Junjiro Takakushuin Nepal during the early decades of twentieth century. They donated altogether 566 Nepalese manuscripts to Tokyo Imperial University. Some thirty manuscripts are said to have been destroyed during theinfamous Kanto fire in 1923 CE. But Fumio Shoji believes the number of destroyed manuscript is twenty nine.15The official web of the General Library of the University of Tokyo mentions the number as thirty two. Fortunately, 530 Nepalese manuscripts survived unharmed in the holding of Tokyo University Library which are nowunder greater care. Those manuscripts are categorized as rare books therefore they are treated accordingly. All the readers require to apply and get appointment to consult individual manuscript in advance. While at the library, following safety procedures is mandatory for all. Identity or passport verification is necessary to proceed. This procedure is more or less similar in other repositories japan as well. There are five safety deposit vaults in the Tokyo University Central Library built for safe keeping of rare texts. Nepalese manuscripts are kept in one of the vaults for safety reasons. This is due to the impactof Kanto fire. Seiren Matsunami was deputed to adjust the collection in 1936 to continue the work for eight years supervised by Prof. Tsuji Naoshiro. He compiled thirty-nine hand-written notebooks as the ‘Catalogue of Kawaguchi-Takakushu collection of Sanskrit 16Manuscripts’ to facilitate scholars to research on them. 15 16 Fumio Shoji, ‘The Legacy of Tanjan Ishibashi: The Books Formerly kept by Ekai Kawaguchi Preserved at Rissho University,’The Academic pilgrimage to Sustainable Social Development - The Rissho International Journal of Academic Research in Culture and Society - 1, Tokyo: Heibonsha, 2018, p. 12. w w w . l i b . u - t o k y o . ac.jp/ja/library/general/collectionall/sanskrit [Accessed: 20180511] clen]v  A detailed catalogue was later compiled from those notebooks.17 This catalogue is more elaborated having description of each entry comprised of title, sub-titles, author, basic information on folios, beginning words , colophons and end words, relationship with other manuscript in the collection if any, and also reference to hand written notebooks for details.The notebooks compiled in the beginning by the same compiler are still very useful for scholars. This catalogue has entry of 518 Nepalese manuscripts under the category of Sūtra, Avad na, Tantra, Dh raṇī, straand nonBuddhist categories. This collection has both Palm leaf and paper manuscripts. It is one of the best collections of Sanskrit Buddhist manuscripts in Japan. For this, the support of Premier Chandra Shumsher of Nepal remains vital to constitute this valuable collection. At the same time, the contribution of Rev. EkaiKawaguchiand Prof. Junjiro Takakushuprocuring to bring those manuscripts in Japan is beyond comparison. His effort is marvelous having far reaching consequences in the development Sanskrit Buddhist scholarship in Japan. Rissho University Manuscript Rissho University is a Buddhist University located at Shinagawa in the heart of Tokyo. It maintains an excellent archival section dedicated to preserve and manage various Chinese and Japanese ancient books and manuscripts. The important fact is that Rissho owns a very important Sanskrit manuscript and also a folio of another title. These are the parts of Kawaguchi manuscripts which he obtained in Kathmandu. It arrived at Rissho only after the death of the Zen Master. It is Gaṇḍavyūha Sūtra in complete folios along with a single folio of Saṃvarodaya Tantra. This manuscript was in the possession of EkaiKawaguchieven after he handed over entireSanskrit collection to the Tokyo Imperial University. Probably, Rev. Hokkei Izumi might 17 Seiren Matsunami, Catalogue of the Kawaguchi Takakusu Collection of Sanskrit Manuscripts Possessed by Tokyo University Library (Handwritten), 39 Vols., n. d.; Seiren Matsunami, ACatalogue of the Sanskrit Manuscripts in the Tokyo University Library, Tokyo: Suzuki Research Foundation, 1965, pp. 1-386.  clen]v have borrowed and remained with him after his death. Rev. Hokkei Izumi in collaboration with Daisetz Teitaro Suzuki edited the manuscript and published.18 After this manuscript came to Rissho University, it was kept at the Center for Information and Media Library at Osaki. Later, Dr. Shoji Fumio worked on it.19 Akira Kawaguchi referred the Rissho manuscripts in his book in 1961. It says that they were kept at the residence of HanzuiKawaguchi, Ekai’s younger brother in Tokyo. After the demise of Ekai Kawaguchi, it came to the Research Institute for the Study of Mutual influence of East and West at Rissho University.20Now it is kept at the Rissho University Library in a custom designed acid free paper box. This is a full text manuscript containing 401 folios. It is written with Pracalit New rī script. Each folio has seven lines. There is a spectacular miniature of Bodhisattva Padmap ṇī depicted on the first folio. This image is the representative of traditional New rī style of painting. Tokai University Manuscripts The research team visited Tokai University, Shonan Campus Library in Kitakaname, Hiratsuka, Kanagawa - Ken on 17th March 2018. Prior permission was obtained by Dr. SakakiKazunori from the University. Three manuscripts were requested at that time which were kept ready on that day in the Library reading room. We together observed three manuscripts – 1. Aṣṭas hasrik Prajñ p ramit : Cat-10, Lib. No. 180, C 10, 294folios, N.S. 929. 2. K r ṇḍavyūha: Cat. 7, 106 folios, Nilapatra, Yellow thick substance used as ink, 3. Guṇak raṇḍavyūha: Cat. 4, folios 154. Manuscripts at Tokai University are 18 19 20 The work is: Daisetz Teitaro Suzuki and Hokei Izumi (ed.), The Gaṇḍavyūha Sūtra, Pts I - IV, Kyoto: The Sanskrit Buddhist Text Publishing Society, 1936. Reprint: Kyoto: The Society for the Publication of Sacred Books of the World, 1949. Shoji Fumio, ‘Newly Found Literatures Kept in the Rissho University Library’, Journal of Indian and Buddhist studies, 60:3, March 2012, p.1283. Kawaguchi Akira, Ekai Kawaguchi, Tokyo: Shunjusha, Reprint 2000; Quoted in Shoji, loc cit. kept in individual customized boxes made of soft wood. Each box is levelled with Ms Number, catalogue number and title of the manuscripts. Every manuscript is wrapped in brown paper with title on the top. It is tied with two blue strings. Inside each box, a sheet of information sheet is kept. It has information on - numbers and title of manuscript, Name of the donor in Japanese. Here the printed name is Ashikaga [Atsu-uji]. He was a student of the manuscript collector Dr. Ryuzaburo Sakaki. It is authenticated with the seal of the Library with date. There is also a barcode perhaps for storing information. Each individual folio is marked with Japanese character on the right margin. Most importantly, photograph of manuscript is not permitted. Twenty nine Nepalese manuscripts from the collection of Dr. Ryuzaburo Sakakiare now at Tokai University. He is said to visit India in 1910 and Nepal in 1923. No records are availed his visit to Nepal in 1910 while he was in India. In 1923 he was in sponsored Europe and India tour. He also collected a larger Sukh vativyūha Sūtra. Dr. Sakaki also visited Bīr Library in Kathmandu in 1923. SiddhiHarsha Vajr c rya probably helped him to procure manuscript while in Kathmandu. Part of which came to Tokai University. He copied Ekallavīra Caṇḍamah roṣaṇa Pañjik Padm vatī for him which is now in Kyoto University collection. It was copied from a manuscript in the Bīr library dated 417 Nepal Samvat. But SiddhiHarsha Vajracaryamentioned himself as the scribe in the manuscript. Tokaiuniversity collection has following Sanskrit manuscripts from Nepal: 21 Pañcarakṣ [N.S. 956, fols. 152], Pañcarakṣ [N.S. 855, fols. 158], Sṛṅgabherī Kath [N.S. 952, fols. 23], Guṇak raṇḍavyūha [fols. 154], Vicitraratnam l [fols. 52], Kapis vad na [N.S. 933, fols. 41], K raṇḍavyūha [fols.106], Sarvadurgatipari odhana [fols.106], Bhadracarī [fols.8], Aṣṭas hasrik Prajñ p ramit [N.S. 929, fols.292], K raṇḍavyūha [fols. 92], 21 Yutaka Iwamoto, 'Catalogue of Buddhist Sanskrit Manuscripts in the Library of Tokai University', Proceedings of the Faculty of Letters, Vol. 2, Tokyo: Tokai University, 1960, pp. 1-37. Vicitrakarṇik vad na, [N.S. 959; 220 folios], Vicitrakarṇik vad na[158 folios], Avad na Samuccaya [44 folios], Guṇak raṇḍavyūha [fols. 213], Mah megha Sūtra [N.S. 829, fols. 28], Sukh vativyūha [fols. 19], Pañcarakṣ [NS 793, fols. 114], Sugat vad na [NS 978, fols.50], Suvarṇaprabhh a [N.S. 928, fols.77], Dh raṇī Saṁgraha [N.S. 907, fols.177], Saṁvarodaya Tantra [fols. 77], Suvarṇaprabh a [N.S. 835, fols. 149], Mah pratyaṅgir [fols. 130], Sutasoma J taka [fols. 66], Sarvadurgatipari odhana [fols. 83], Dh raṇī Saṁgraha [N.S. 1030, fols. 64, 17 Dh raṇīs] and K ksaputa [fols. 151]. Kyoto University Manuscripts Survey of manuscript repository at Kyoto University, our team reached there on 19 March, 2018. We also visitedRyūkoku University, Otani University and Bukkyo University along with Kyoto University, Library of the Faculty of Letters to survey the Nepalese manuscript collection. Dr. Ryuzaburo Sakakiwas a Professor at Kyoto Imperial University and initiator of Sanskrit studies. He lived in Europe for three years from 1907 C.E. to study Buddhism. He is the one who has also rendered significant contribution in academic enhancement of Buddhism in Japan. His efforts and Nepalese manuscript collection has immense significance in Japanese Buddhist academia. He contributed in Kyoto and Tokai Universities of Nepalese Buddhist manuscripts collections. In April 1910, he visited India while returning to Japan from Europe. That time he had procured Nepalese Buddhist manuscripts. Dr. Kaikyoku Watanabe opines that Dr. Ryuzaburo Sakaki collected some eighty Nepalese manuscripts including Aṣṭas hasrik Prajñ p ramit written on palm leaves. However, Junjiro Takakushusaid that Dr. Ryuzaburo Sakaki purchased some fifty Sanskrit Buddhist manuscripts in Nepal.22His visit to Kathmandu was to search manuscripts of his interests. He was more interested on Tantric and Avad na literatures. He procured manuscripts of Nepalese provenance. He 22 Yoshizaki Kazumi, ‘New r Buddhist Manuscripts in the Kyoto University Library’, Voice of History, Vol. XXVIII, May 2015, pp. 1-13. clen]v  brought manuscripts and put them in order by himself. He had them cloth bound into volumes of an oblong book form with titles printed on the back bone of the volumes.23Until he retired cataloguing of the manuscripts could not be done. For decades, no care was given to Sakaki collection. There was only a mimeographed list of titles of Sakaki manuscripts that was used to provide information about Sanskrit collection there to outsiders. Only in 1977, this collection came in the possession of the Faculty of Letters and relocated in the Faculty Library categorized as ‘Section Sanskrit, stack E [E 213 to E332]. A detailed catalogue of this rare collection was published in 1983compiled by Kiyoṭaka Gosima and Keiya Noguchi.24 Although the compilers very humbly insist this catalogue as of tentative nature, it is profound and carefully done, thus, it is very helpful for researchers. Kyoto University has both Buddhist and non-Buddhist Nepalese manuscripts in its collection. Kyoto University manuscripts are donated by Dr. Ryuzaburo Sakaki. It lists 134 manuscripts in Kyoto University collection comprised of the Sūtras [17 texts, 28 Mss], stra [3 texts 5 Mss.], Tantra [32 texts 43 Mss.], Dh raṇī [12 texts, 12 Mss.], Stotra [4 texts, 4 Mss.], Avad na [33 texts 36 Mss.], along with three Hindu texts belonging to K vya - Stotra [2 texts 2 Mss.], Doh [1 text], Dharma [1 text], yurveda [1 text] and Haṭhayoga [1 text].25 Our team examined a manuscript of Aṣṭas hasrik Prajñ p ramit Sūtra dated 995 NS [1875 CE]. It has 279 folios with classification no. Sanskrit, E217. This manuscript is cloth bound in three volumes of a book form. It is not original division. This manuscript is separated into three separate volumes. It is hard bound done by using brown synthetic material. Title is printed at the back bone with classification number. A Pañjik with Adhy yasand folio numbers was later added in the manuscript. Altogether this manuscript has 23 Kiyotaka Goshima and Keiya Noguchi [eds.], A Succinct Catalogue of Sanskrit Manuscripts in the Possession of Faculty of Letters, Kyoto University, Kyoto: The Society for Indic and Buddhist Studies, 1983, p. 1. 24 25 Ibid, pp. 1-55. Ibid, pp. 53-55.  clen]v thirty chapters in 279 folios. Vol. 1: Folios 1 to 94 B Folio one has a miniature, Right margin have Kan-jīcharacters used to identity verso and recto of the manuscript. Folios are pasted in a small strip of white paper bound in hard cover to make a book form of the manuscript. Thus they are submitted as bound book without altering them. No binding holes are made in original folios. Vol. 2: 94 A - 186 B Vol. 3: 187 A- 229 B End words: Svasti rī Mah r j dhir j rī rī rī Surendra Bikram hadeva prabhuy vijaya r jye. The writing in this particular manuscript is erroneous. It gives impression that the scribe of this manuscript Ratna Bahadur Vajr c rya from Yi Bah l in Gophal Ṭol in K ntipūr was less familiar with Sanskrit. Therefore, he had scanty knowledge of language to copy Sanskrit manuscript.26 The phrase from the end section of the manuscript written on NS 995 Jeṣṭhamakes clear about it. Deyaṁ dharmoyaṁ prabala Mah [y na]y yina paramoṭaka [paramop ṣka].Instead, the common trend of writing was – Deya dharmoyaṁ pravara Mah y na y yina paramop ṣaka … However, the manuscript itself is an important text. Ryūkoku Collection Ryūkoku University has very important Buddhist manuscripts that originally were in the Otani collection. There are thirty two Sanskrit manuscripts in this collection. Eight fragments 26 Simple grammatical errors are common in New r manuscripts. The language that the Newar scribes used to write manuscript belong to Indo-European family where as their mother tongue is from the TibetoBurman family. Scholars of Nepalese codicology opine that they are often erroneous. The errors are of various kinds. See: Koichi Hokazono, ‘On the Sanskrit Manuscript of the Lalitvistara, No. 334 in the Tokyo University Library,’ Indo Gaku Bukkyo Gaku Kenkyu, Vol. 33, 1984-85, pp. 4-8. in the collections are Central Asian manuscripts. Rest of twenty five have Nepalese provenance. Ariyoshi Sanadacompiled its catalogue in 1961.27 Rev. KozuOtani was the Chief Abbot [Monshu] at Nishi Honganji temple (西本願 寺) in Kyoto affiliated to Jodo Shinshu sect but resigned in 1914 to undertake other enterprises. He opened the Koju-kai Society in the same year with the objective to ‘aim at pursuit and propagation of deep understanding of Buddhism consulting Sanskrit manuscripts.28Kozui Otani brought some important manuscripts that finally came to Ryūkoku University. Originally, eight manuscripts are believed to be in original Koju Kai collection. However, it is not known where about of those manuscripts at the present but it is said that they were once kept at Ryūkoku University for a certain period.29Mah r j Chandra Shumsher presented some manuscripts to Rev. Otani while he was in Nepal. The Sukh vativyūha[Ryūkoku no. 701], which is regarded as the oldest and best manuscript among the texts of this title, is the collection ofDr. Ryuzaburo Sakaki. He brought it from Nepal in the request of Rev. Otani. Therefore, this particular manuscript is also calledSakaki manuscript. The Mah vastu [Ryūkoku no. 609] and another Sukh vativyūha[Ryūkoku no. 703] were presented to Rev. OtaniKozui by Mah r j Chandra Shumsher, the Prime Minister of Nepal. It was made possible with the help of a renowned French Indologist Dr. Sylvan Levi. RyūkokuUniversity collection has these titles – Pañcarak , Dh raṇīsaṃgraha, Amoghap ahṛdaya, Sarvadurgatipari odhana, Varṣ sapaṇavidhī, Mh megha Mah y na Sūtra [nos. 606 and 607], J takam l Avad na, Mah vastu Avad na, Karuṇ puṇḍarīka, Laṅk vat ra, Aṣṭas hasrik Prajñ p ramit , Satas hasrik Prajñ p ramit , Mah y nasūtralaṃk ra [nos. 614 and 615], Abhisamay laṃk ralok Prajñ p ramit vy khy , Kaphiṇ bhyudaya, Aṣṭ ṅgahṛdayasaṁhit , Rogavini caya [alias M dhavanid na], Siddhiyoga [alias 27 28 29 Ariyoshi Sanada, 'Descriptive Catalogue of the Sanskrit Buddhist Manuscript brought by Otani Expedition,’ Monumenta Serindica, Vol. IV, Kyoto: 1961, pp. 49-118. Wakahara, loc cit, p. 29. Ibid, p. 30, Vṛndham dhava], Amaraughasa na, and Sukh vativyūha [Sakaki Ms; and Koju-kai A, B and C.].30 Conclusion Japan is the only country in East Asia apart from China and Korea who has laid higher emphasis on Sanskrit intellectuality, and procure and study Sanskrit Buddhist manuscripts availed in Nepal as well as in Bamiyan, Gilgiṭ and the whole of Central Asia. Throughout Buddhist history, we find Japan to remain curious in enhancing Buddhist wisdom where it be through original Sanskrit texts or translated Tibetan or Chinese Tripitakas. Therefore, Japanese scholarship in Buddhism has extraordinary contribution in the history of knowledge process. In this context, Japanese Buddhist scholarship not only dominates the scholarly world in East Asia but has profound influence in the universal scholarship. The original Sanskrit texts of Mah y na Buddhismis extant in their fullest form only in Nepal. The lively manuscript culture among the New rs,sacredness of the texts andritual integration of books in New r Buddhist culture helped prolonged preservation and proliferation of Buddhist Sanskrit manuscripts led to intact preservation of Buddhist manuscripts in Nepal. It has been the greatest contribution of Nepal particularly that of the New rs to the world. The Sanskrit Buddhist texts availed in Nepal are the only extant original texts of Mah y na Buddhism. The Japanese Buddhist scholars who have the long tradition of Buddhist scholarship rendering greater contribution in the Buddhist history of the region perceived and understood the meaning, significance and prominence of New r Buddhist manuscripts. Thus, they were the early explorers and visitors to obtain New r Buddhist manuscripts in Nepal after the British. The efforts of Rev. Ekai Kawaguchi, and Prof. Junjiro Takakushu,Rev. Kozu Otani, Dr. Ryuzaburo Sakaki, Dr. Sadayoshi Kamiya and others in different times made possible to develop repositories of New r Buddhist manuscripts in Japan. A significant number of 30 Ibid, p. 36. clen]v  Buddhist manuscripts were taken to Japanfrom Nepal. The cooperation of Premier Chandra Shumsheralwaysremained vital in those efforts. He favouredRev. Ekai Kawaguchi, Rev. Kozui Otani and Dr. RyuzaburoSakaki in procuring Sanskrit Buddhist manuscripts. In addition to these known collectors, it is more likely that other Individual art and heritage enthusiasts from Japan might have collected several other manuscripts from Nepal in 1960s and 1970s. During this period, medieval manuscripts were not restricted for sale. There are examples that visiting foreign tourists purchased manuscripts available in the market in Kathmandu where items of curiosity were freely bought and sold.31Most likely, there may exist such collections in Japan. If so, it is a good news for enthusiasts of Buddhist manuscripts. A number of Japanese scholars studied and worked not only on Nepalese Buddhist manuscripts availed in Japanese repositories but also extensively studied manuscripts kept in Nepalese repositories such as National Archives, Saphū Kuthī and Ke ar Library. They havealso compiled several catalogues on Nepalese collections.32On the other hand, they 31 32 The Royal Danish Library collection was a purchase of Werner Jacobsen, a cultural anthropologist from Denmark in Kathmandu. Buescher, Hartmut, Catalogue of Sanskrit Manuscript, Vol. 7, Copenhagen: NIAS Press, 2011, pp. 289. Following are the catalogues of native collections compiled by Japanese scholars. Yoshizaki, Kazumi, (ed.), A Catalogue of the Sanskrit and New rī Manuscripts in the Asha Archives ( ś Saphū Kūthī), Kathmandu and Kumamoto: Cwas P and Kurokami Library, 1991; Yoshizaki, Kazumi and Tanaka Kimiaki, Catalogue of the Sanskrit and New rī Manuscripts in The ś Archive (in Jap.), Kumamoto: Kurokami Library, 1998.Yoshizaki, Kazumi, (ed.), A Catalogue of the Sanskrit and New rī Manuscripts in the Asha Archives ( ś Saphū Kūthī), Part II, Kathmandu and Kumamoto: Cwas P and Kurokami Library, 2002; Mitutoshi Moriguchi, A Catalogue of the Buddhist Tantric Manuscripts in the National Archives of Nepal and Kesar Library, Tokyo: Sankibo Busshorin, 1989,; Takaoka Hidenobu (ed.), A Microfilm Catalogue of the Buddhist Manuscripts in Nepal Vol. 1, Nagoya, Buddhist Library, 1981, pp. 1-120; ‘Buddhist Manuscripts of the Bīr Library, by the Sanskrit Seminar of Taisho University', Memoirs of Taisho University, No. 40, 1955, pp. 55-84; Matsuda Kazunobu, ‘A Brief Survey of the Bendall Manuscripts in the National  clen]v initiated textual studies on vast number of titles and published hundreds of works to enhance Japanese Buddhist scholarship.About 700 plus works have been published by Japanese Buddhist and Sanskrit scholars on Nepalese Buddhist manuscripts in Japanese, English or other languages.33Nepalese Buddhist manuscripts which are now in various Japanese repositories in Tokyo, Kyoto, Nagoya, and Kitakaname are also important texts in understanding Mah y na Buddhism. Japanese institutions and individual scholars have always beeninterested in those manuscripts. It is their passion that led to develop extraordinary scholarship in New r Buddhism and New r Buddhist manuscripts among the Japanese. In the present century, Japan has produced several eminent scholars who are the experts of New r Buddhist codicology. [This research was supported by: Rissho University Nepal Academic Research Project (RNAP), Japan] *** 33 Archives, Kathmandu’, In: Buddhist and Indian Studies in Honour of Professor Sodo Mori, Hamamatsu: 2002, pp. 259-265, Tanaka, Kimiaki, ‘On the Buddhist Sanskrit Manuscripts in Nepal and the Nepal German Manuscript Preservation Project [in Jap.],' Indogaku Bukkyo gaku Kenkyū, Vol. 39, No. 1, 1990, pp. 121125. Shanker Thapa, Bibliography of Buddhist Sanskrit Manuscripts of Nepal [unpublished].