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âThe echo of the stone/ where I carved the [Buddhaâs] honorable footprints/ reaches the Heaven, [â¦]â.
This book presents the transcription, translation, and analysis of Chinese (753 AD) and Japanese inscriptions (end of the 8th century AD) found on two stones now in the possession of the Yakushiji temple in Nara. All these inscriptions praise the footprints of Buddha, and more exactly their carvings in the stone. The language of the Japanese inscription, which consists of twenty-one poems, reflects the contemporary dialect of Nara. Its writing system shows a quite unique trait, being practically monophonic. The book is richly illustrated by photos of the temple and of the inscriptions.
This book presents the transcription, translation, and analysis of Chinese (753 AD) and Japanese inscriptions (end of the 8th century AD) found on two stones now in the possession of the Yakushiji temple in Nara. All these inscriptions praise the footprints of Buddha, and more exactly their carvings in the stone. The language of the Japanese inscription, which consists of twenty-one poems, reflects the contemporary dialect of Nara. Its writing system shows a quite unique trait, being practically monophonic. The book is richly illustrated by photos of the temple and of the inscriptions.
Alexander Vovin, Ph.D. (1987), Saint Petersburg State University, is currently Directeur d'études at EHESS/CRLAO, Paris. He has published extensively on East and Inner Asia historical linguistics and philology. Among his major, most recent works are A Descriptive and Comparative Grammar of Western Old Japanese, vol. 1-2 (Global Oriental 2005, 2009, second edition Brill 2020), and a multivolume edition and translation of the ManâyÅshÅ«, the first and the largest Japanese poetical anthology (Global Oriental/Brill, 2009â).
Preface
Acknowledgements
List of Charts and Illustrations
Abbreviations
Introduction
â1âHÅssÅ Sect of the Japanese Buddhism
â2âBussokuseki and Bussoku seki-no uta
â3âInscriptions on the Footprints Stone
â4âStele Inscription
â5âPrevious Research
â6âPoetic Form
1 Translation of Chinese Inscriptions and Commentary
2 Translation, Glossing, and Morphemic Analysis of Old Japanese Poems
A Commentary to the Old Japanese Poems
3 The Description of the Language of the Poems
â1âGraphemics and Phonology
â2âGrammar
â3âVocabulary
â4âList of Grammatical Morphemes
Appendix: Photographs of the Inscriptions
Bibliography
Acknowledgements
List of Charts and Illustrations
Abbreviations
Introduction
â1âHÅssÅ Sect of the Japanese Buddhism
â2âBussokuseki and Bussoku seki-no uta
â3âInscriptions on the Footprints Stone
â4âStele Inscription
â5âPrevious Research
â6âPoetic Form
1 Translation of Chinese Inscriptions and Commentary
2 Translation, Glossing, and Morphemic Analysis of Old Japanese Poems
A Commentary to the Old Japanese Poems
3 The Description of the Language of the Poems
â1âGraphemics and Phonology
â2âGrammar
â3âVocabulary
â4âList of Grammatical Morphemes
Appendix: Photographs of the Inscriptions
Bibliography
All interested in Ancient Japan, in particular the Nara period (710-784 AD), its language, literature, religion (especially Buddhism), art, and culture.