A COMPARATIVE STUDY ON THE LAWS RELATING TO BOOK DESCRIPTION IN THE ANGLO-AMERICAN CATALOGUING RULES (AACR) WITH BUDDHIST BIBLIOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS AND THE DHAMMA CHAKKAPPAVATTANA SUTRA OF THE CHATUBHANAVARAPALI

Abstract

Knowledge has been protected, maintained and preserved through oral transmission since the period of Vedic culture. It is a clear fact that the habit of reading has become an integral part of human society since the days of the invention of script and writing. The instances which describe Buddhist attitude on Sruthi (memory) related to the religious literature can be seen in the Commentaries and the Tripitaka. A good example for the systematic organization of writings that appears in Buddhist literature is the Dhamma Chakkappavattana Sutra in the Chatubhanavarapali of the Sutra Pitakaya, which is classified into sections in the first Dharma Sangayana. Reviewing the source of Buddhist literature, the study analyzed the issues that influenced the publication of the works named Nikaya related to Sutra Pitakaya. The primary purpose of this study is to compare the cataloguing techniques of Buddhist bibliographic analysis and the laws related to the description of books mentioned in the Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules (AACR). Historical research methods have been used. The data collection was based on information appeared in Sutra Pitakaya and later classical based on Sutra Pitakaya. The information included in the written tradition or folklore relevant to the study was also used as required. According to the results of the research, the scientific method of cataloguing in the Eastern world associated with the works in the Theravada tradition was clearly revealed. It is further evident that the Western system of knowledge was adopted many centuries later. The study would be useful for the scholars and post-graduate students. Conclusions, ideas and suggestions of this research project such as the uniqueness of past knowledge tradition, knowledge production, preservation of past knowledge can be used appropriately for educational planning and research activities. In addition, it will provide opportunities to conduct further research on these subject areas.