The Family History of the Scribe Who Copied Newar Buddhist Manuscript No. 19 of the Tōkai University Library

Abstract

What position do Newar Buddhist manuscripts kept in Japan occupy among the Mss. scattered around the world ?　Colophons of Mss. are our most valuable evidence on this question. Inscriptions on paintings, sculptures and other historical monuments are also good reference materials for the study of colophons of the Newar Buddhist manuscripts. In addition, legal documents attesting real estate sales （Tamsuk in Newari） also offer us good information. Like donors of paintings and other historical monuments, sellers or buyers in Tamsuk （and relatives included in their family tree） can become donors or scribes of Newar Buddhist manuscripts. S. Lienhard pointed out that “we know of no document of this kind from either India or areas influenced by Indian culture （except Nepal）.” In this paper, I present one example to trace the family history of the scribe of the manuscript No. 19, Sugatāvadāna, kept in the Tōkai University Library in Japan, based on the colophons of other Newar Buddhist manuscripts and two land deeds from Nepal .