Pinjia da zangjing 頻伽大藏經

The Kalaviṇka Canon (Pínjiā dà zàngjīng 頻伽大藏經) is a short name for the Kalaviṇka Hermitage Canon (Pínjiā jīngshè xiàokān dà zàngjīng 頻伽精舍校刊大藏經).

History

This canon, in 8,416 volumes, was published in 1908. It was organized by Zōngyǎng 宗仰 with assistance from Zhāng Tàiyán 章太炎. The cost of publication was borne by Liza Roos (Mrs. Silas Hardoon 羅迦陵). It was the first Buddhist canon published in China using relief printing and was relatively inexpensive.^[1] It also included extensive punctuation, making it easier to read than most previous canons.^[2]

A Kalaviṇka 迦陵頻伽, the name of a mythical Indian bird that lives in the Himālayas and has a beautiful voice.

A reprint of the series was issued in 1998 by 九州圖書出版社.

Erik Hammerstrom

Notes

1. ↑ Yǒuzhèng Books 有正書局 advertised the the set for sale at 140 yuán 元 in 1914. For comparison, a year's subscription to Fóxué cóngbào 佛學叢報 listed in the same catalogue, cost 3 yuán.
2. ↑ 《频伽大藏经》影印出版

References