<p><code>The Dhammapada: Being a collection of moral verses in Pali (trans. into Latin) (Copenhagen, 1855) by [Viggo Fausböll][1]</code> seems to be the earliest Theravada text i have found so far. This was the basis of the translation by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_M%C3%BCller" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Max Müller</a> in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacred_Books_of_the_East" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Sacred Books of the East</a> series. This question: <a href="https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/3235/what-was-the-first-buddhist-text-to-be-translated-into-english">What was the first Buddhist text to be translated into English?</a> cites some Mahayana sources also throug restricted to the English language.</p>

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2014-09-05T16:05:50.397Z
2014-09-05T16:05:50.397Z
2017-04-13T12:51:06.270Z
Suminda Sirinath S. Dharmasena
<p>There are Greek versions of several of Askoka's inscriptions, erected during Ashoka's lifetime. He died in 232 BC.</p>

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2014-09-05T18:56:12.843Z
2014-09-05T21:42:29.377Z
2014-09-05T21:42:29.377Z
fdb
<p>As a follow-up to <a href="https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/3235/what-was-the-first-buddhist-text-to-be-translated-into-english">another question</a>:</p>

<p>What was the first Buddhist text to be translated into a Western language? (That probably means French or Latin, but other options are also possible)</p>

<p>When was it translated and by whom? Was it reasonably available to those interested and did it have much of an impact within academic circles and perhaps to the wider culture?</p>

<history><texts>
First Buddhist text translated into a Western language
# First Buddhist text translated into a Western language

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-09-05)

As a follow-up to [another question](https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/3235/what-was-the-first-buddhist-text-to-be-translated-into-english):

What was the first Buddhist text to be translated into a Western language? (That probably means French or Latin, but other options are also possible)

When was it translated and by whom? Was it reasonably available to those interested and did it have much of an impact within academic circles and perhaps to the wider culture?

**Tags:** history, texts


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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2014-09-05. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

There are Greek versions of several of Askoka's inscriptions, erected during Ashoka's lifetime. He died in 232 BC.


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### Answer by username_1 on 2014-09-05. Score: 1

`The Dhammapada: Being a collection of moral verses in Pali (trans. into Latin) (Copenhagen, 1855) by [Viggo Fausböll][1]` seems to be the earliest Theravada text i have found so far. This was the basis of the translation by [Max Müller](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_M%C3%BCller) in the [Sacred Books of the East](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacred_Books_of_the_East) series. This question: [What was the first Buddhist text to be translated into English?](https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/3235/what-was-the-first-buddhist-text-to-be-translated-into-english) cites some Mahayana sources also throug restricted to the English language.


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