Ancient Buddhist Scrolls from Gandhara

In 1994 the British Library acquired 29 birch bark scroll fragments written in the Gandhari language. This work provides a description of them and a survey of their contents, along with an evaluation of their significance. Also included are representative samples of texts and translations.

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As the Dead Sea Scrolls have changed our understanding of Judaism and early Christianity, so a set of 29 scroll fragments acquired in 1994 by The British Library promise to improve our knowledge of the history of Buddhism in India. The fragmentary birch bark scrolls were found inside one of set of inscribed clay pots. Written in the Gandhari language, they date from around the beginning of the Christian era, and are probably the oldest Buddhist manuscripts ever discovered. This work provides a detailed description of the manuscripts and a survey of their contents, along with a preliminary evaluation of their significance. Also included are representative samples of texts and translations. An important and surprising feature of the manuscripts is the amount of unfamiliar material in them. Most of the approximately two dozen texts have not so far been identified with previously known texts in other Buddhist languages and traditions.