The Sacred Books and Early Literature of the East, Volume 10: India and Buddhism
Overview
The Sacred Books and Early Literature of the East, Volume 10 (1917) presents Charles Francis Horne’s comprehensive anthology of foundational Buddhist texts and literature, spanning 440 pages. The volume covers major Buddhist writings including the Edicts of Asoka (earliest Buddhist inscriptions documenting state Buddhism), the earliest suttas (discourses attributed to the Buddha), the Mahāparinibbāna Sutta (account of Buddha’s final days and death), Jataka birth tales, the Dhammapada (ethical verses), and later Buddhist teachings. With bibliography compiled by C.F. Aiken, the work functions as both anthology and historical survey, organized chronologically to trace Buddhism’s literary development.
About Charles Francis Horne
Charles Francis Horne (1870-1942) was an American author and Professor of English who dedicated his career to making world literature accessible to general audiences. He wrote or edited more than one hundred books, with particular focus on compiling anthologies of ancient and medieval texts from diverse cultures. His Sacred Books and Early Literature of the East series represented an ambitious project to present major religious and literary traditions from Asia and the Middle East to American readers. Horne’s editorial approach emphasized readability and cultural context, making scholarly materials available to educated general readers rather than specialists. His work reflected early twentieth-century American interest in world cultures and comparative religion.
Historical Context
Published in 1917, this volume appeared during World War I, a period when American intellectuals were increasingly interested in non-Western cultures and philosophies as alternatives to European traditions. The early twentieth century saw growing American engagement with Asian religions, influenced by the World Parliament of Religions (1893), the writings of transcendentalists, and increased Asian immigration to the United States. Horne’s series aimed to make primary sources from Eastern traditions available to American readers who lacked access to specialized scholarly publications. The work’s organization and presentation reflected Progressive Era educational ideals, emphasizing the universal human values found across diverse religious traditions.
Literary and Cultural Significance
This anthology played an important role in introducing American general readers to Buddhist literature during the early 20th century when American interest in non-Western cultures was growing. Horne’s editorial approach—combining readable translations with historical context and explanatory notes—made Buddhist texts approachable for educated readers without specialized knowledge, fulfilling Progressive Era educational ideals of making world culture accessible to broad audiences. By including diverse types of Buddhist texts (historical inscriptions, doctrinal discourses, narrative literature, wisdom poetry), the volume illustrated Buddhism’s literary richness and showed it as complex tradition with sophisticated philosophy, ethical teachings, and narrative traditions. The inclusion of Asoka’s edicts highlighted Buddhism’s historical impact on governance, while Jataka tales demonstrated its storytelling traditions. Though superseded by more specialized scholarly works, the volume remains valuable document of early 20th-century American engagement with Buddhist literature and efforts to foster cross-cultural understanding through accessible presentation of primary sources.