How to Use
Table of Contents
- 1. What You Can Do with This Database
- 2. Search the Database
- 3. Understanding the Detail View: Three-Tier Structure
- 4. Using Tier 3 (Bibliographic Information for the Textual Witness)
- 5. Notes on Use
1. What You Can Do with This Database
The Taishō Shinshū Daizōkyō—also known as the Taishō Tripiṭaka—was a major achievement in the modern compilation of Buddhist texts, and it remains a foundational resource for Buddhist studies today. With deep respect for this major undertaking, this database re-examines its textual foundations from a philological perspective and provides an environment that supports more accurate scholarly use, contributing to its long-term transmission and further development.
The database offers two complementary entry points: Search by Work and Search by Textual Witness. These functions allow you to access information both at the level of the work and at the level of individual witnesses.
In the search results, you can compare the information recorded in the Taishō Shinshū Daizōkyō Kan’dō Mokuroku with the base/collation information given in the footnotes of each volume. This makes it possible to grasp the overall picture, including texts not used for collation and texts not included in the Taishō Tripiṭaka.
The detail view uses a three-level structure, letting you move step by step from basic information on a work, to a list of base and collation texts, and then to volume-level bibliographic information and images. Level 2 supports comparison of images across multiple witnesses, and Level 3 provides volume-by-volume information in a unified format.
By organizing base texts, collation texts, texts not used for collation, and texts not included in the Taishō Tripiṭaka in a cross-cutting way, this database provides research infrastructure that integrates edition-to-edition comparison with direct access to source materials.
2. Search the Database
On the top page, you can choose between two search methods: “Search by Work” and “Search by Textual Witness.” Selecting the most appropriate entry point for your purpose allows you to reach the information you need efficiently.
“Search by Work” is designed for browsing information at the level of individual works. In the results, you can check basic data such as the scripture ID, translator/author, and Taishō volume numbers, as well as see how many witnesses are registered for that work and proceed to the detail view for each witness.
“Search by Textual Witness” allows you to combine conditions related to individual witnesses. You can specify categories such as base text, collation text, uncollated materials, and texts not included in the Taishō Tripiṭaka, along with bibliographic information and holding institutions recorded in the Kan’dō Mokuroku and the footnotes of each volume. You can also search by “Collection Name,” enabling searches by canon/collection and by holding institution. This allows you to flexibly define conditions and list the relevant witnesses for a given work.
With either method, you can proceed to the detail view for each witness (see “2.5 Open the Detail View”).
2.1 Search by Work
In “Search by Work,” you can search by work title (including alternate titles), scripture ID, and translator/author names. This method is suitable when you want to browse information at the level of the work.
About Scripture IDs
For convenience, this database assigns scripture IDs. The main categories are as follows.
| Prefix | Description |
|---|---|
| T0000 | Texts included in the Taishō Tripiṭaka (including base texts, collation texts, and texts not used for collation) |
| K0000 | Texts not included in the Taishō Tripiṭaka (Koryŏ edition) |
| S0000 | Texts not included in the Taishō Tripiṭaka (Song edition) |
| Y0000 | Texts not included in the Taishō Tripiṭaka (Yuan edition) |
| M0000 | Texts not included in the Taishō Tripiṭaka (Ming edition: Yūren-ja copy) |
| KY0000 | Texts not included in the Taishō Tripiṭaka (Kyūhon) |
| Z0000 | Other texts not included in the Taishō Tripiṭaka (primarily those registered in the Buddhist Texts Bibliographic Database) |
The search results display basic information such as the scripture ID, title, translator/author, and Taishō volume numbers. You can also confirm how many witnesses are registered for the work in this database.
From the results, you can open the detail view for each witness.
2.2 Search by Textual Witness
In “Search by Textual Witness,” you set conditions related to individual witnesses. In addition to the categories of base text, collation text, texts not used for collation, and texts not included in the Taishō Tripiṭaka, you can specify bibliographic data and holding institutions recorded in the Kan’dō Mokuroku and in the footnotes of each volume.
By using “Collection Name,” you can also extract witnesses by canon/collection or by holding institution. Combining conditions according to your interests allows you to obtain purpose-specific lists, such as an overview of texts not included in the Taishō Tripiṭaka within a particular canon, or a list of witnesses held by a particular institution.
In the results, you can browse witnesses associated with each work and compare the Kan’dō Mokuroku entries with the information given in the footnotes of each volume.
An example of results for texts “not included in the Taishō Tripiṭaka” 
2.3 Keyword Search and Faceted Filters
Keyword search allows you to search by work titles, scripture IDs, translator/author names, and witness-related information recorded in the Kan’dō Mokuroku and in the footnotes of each volume. It is useful when you want to locate information using specific keywords.
Faceted filters, by contrast, allow you to narrow results by selecting conditions such as category (base text, collation text, texts not used for collation, or texts not included in the Taishō Tripiṭaka), collection name, canon/collection, and holding institution.
By combining keyword search with faceted filters, you can refine results to suit your research needs.
2.4 Export Search Results as CSV
Search results can be downloaded in CSV format. The exported file reflects your current search conditions and can be used directly for further analysis.
2.5 Open the Detail View
You can open the detail view from each result row.
- In “Search by Work,” click “View Details” in the “Witness Information” column to open the detail view showing the list of base and collation texts.
- In “Search by Textual Witness,” click “Details” in the “Display” column to open the detail view showing basic information for the selected witness.
The structure of the detail view is described in the next section.
3. Understanding the Detail View: Three-Tier Structure
The detail view is organized into three tiers: “Basic Information / External Links,” “List of Base and Collation Texts,” and “Bibliographic Information for the Textual Witness.” You can navigate from an overview of a work to a list of witnesses and then to detailed, volume-level information.
A floating “Contents” menu on the right side of the screen allows you to jump directly to each tier.
Note that the tier initially in focus depends on the search method used to open the detail view (see “2.5 Open the Detail View”).
3.1 Tier 1: Basic Information on the Work
In “Basic Information / External Links,” you can view core information about the work and access links to related external databases. This section provides an overview of the work and a starting point for further research.
3.1.1 Links to External Databases
The “External Links” section includes three types of links:
- SAT Daizokyo Text Database: Links to full text and page images. You can select a volume and open the corresponding location via “View Text” or “View Image.”
- Authority Database of Buddhist Tripitaka Catalogues: Provides the “Authority id” (scripture ID) and “Author / Translator” information for each registered work, along with a link to the corresponding page.
- Chinese Buddhist Canonical Attributions database (CBC): For Taishō Tripiṭaka works registered in CBC, provides links to research information on author/translator attributions and proposed dates of composition/translation.
3.1.2 View Related Bibliographic Studies
If related bibliographic studies have been registered for a work, the interface shows the count (e.g., “View Related Bibliographical Studies (n)”).
Clicking the button displays a list of bibliographic references (articles, books, etc.). Where full texts are available online, a link is provided. Where the item is registered in INBUDS, the INBUDS ID and a link to the relevant page are shown.
3.2 Tier 2: List of Base and Collation Texts
The “List of Base and Collation Texts” section displays the witnesses used as base texts and collation texts for the Taishō Tripiṭaka. By comparing the base/collation information recorded in the Kan’dō Mokuroku with the information recorded in the footnotes of each volume, you can grasp the overall structure of the witnesses.
This tier also includes “uncollated” witnesses, as well as works not included in the Taishō Tripiṭaka and their witnesses. For convenience, these are registered under the “Footnotes” category so they can be consulted alongside the witnesses recorded in the Kan’dō Mokuroku.
Each row shows basic information such as category, collection name, holding institution, and number of volumes. From here, you can select a specific witness and proceed to “Bibliographic Information for the Textual Witness.”
This makes it possible to compare, in a unified view, the witnesses referenced during the compilation of the Taishō Tripiṭaka and those that were not incorporated.
3.2.1 Using “Currently Viewing / Switch”
When multiple witnesses are registered, the witness marked as “Currently Viewing” is the one displayed in Tier 3 (“Bibliographic Information for the Textual Witness”). Click “Switch” to change which witness is shown in Tier 3.
3.2.2 View Kan’dō Mokuroku
Clicking “View Kan’dō Mokuroku” displays the corresponding entry for the work in the Taishō Shinshū Daizōkyō Kan’dō Mokuroku.
You can see information such as page number, title, names (Japanese/Chinese/Sanskrit), number of volumes, and translator, and you can also view the corresponding page image in an IIIF viewer.
3.2.3 Compare Images: IIIF Viewer
Clicking “Compare Images” opens an IIIF viewer that displays images from multiple witnesses side by side, allowing you to compare page layout and textual differences using images.
In the future, we plan to support comparisons at the volume level as well.
3.3 Tier 3: Bibliographic Information for the Textual Witness
Tier 3 displays bibliographic information for the selected textual witness. The content of this tier changes depending on the witness selected in Tier 2 (“List of Base and Collation Texts”).
Bibliographic information is presented in a unified format across different types of materials, including standalone books and items included in larger canons. The bibliographic fields are as follows.
| Field | Content |
|---|---|
| Title & Fascicle | Title of the witness and number of fascicles |
| Translator/Author | Information on translators and authors |
| Publication Statement | Production and Publication Information |
| Volumes | Number of volumes |
| Call Number | Call number at the holding institution |
| Collection (Group) | Name of the material group to which the item belongs |
| Volume/Box | Location within the collection |
| Scripture Number | Internal organizational number within the collection |
| Holding Institution | Links to the institution’s website |
| Holding DB | Link to the bibliographic record in the holding institution’s database |
| View in [Database Name] | Link to the corresponding record in a database with more detailed bibliographic information |
Only fields with available data are displayed. An example is shown below.
Clicking “View All Volumes” expands volume-level bibliographic information. The fields are as follows.
| Field | Content |
|---|---|
| Volume/Box | Location within the collection |
| Scripture Number | Internal organizational number within the collection |
| Content | Content of the volume (e.g., Vol. 1, Vol. 2, Preface, Colophon, etc.) |
| Translator/Author | Translator/author information for the specific volume |
| Pagination | Folio or page range (e.g., 1–15a) |
| Publication Statement | Production and Publication Information |
| Notes | Additional information |
| Text | Link to text data |
| Images | Link to image data |
As above, only fields with available data are shown. An example is provided below.
4. Using Tier 3 (Bibliographic Information for the Textual Witness)
In Tier 3, you can directly access bibliographic information, volume-level data, images, and text for each witness. This section explains practical ways to use these features.
4.1 Accessing Bibliographic Data and Images
In Tier 3 (“Bibliographic Information for the Textual Witness”), you can view information such as holding institution, call number, collection name, and publication/production details.
The holding institution name links to the institution’s website, and the “Holding DB” field links to the bibliographic record for the relevant item. This allows direct access to detailed information and image resources for the original materials.
The “Images” links displayed by volume under “View All Volumes” allow you to access image data for each witness. If the destination supports IIIF, the images can be viewed in this database’s IIIF viewer via an IIIF manifest. You can take advantage of IIIF functions such as zooming and comparing multiple images.
4.2 Integration with the “Zōjō-ji Three Buddhist Canons” Digital Archive
As a concrete example of integration with an external database, this section introduces integration with materials available in the “Zōjō-ji Three Buddhist Canons” Digital Archive.
From the “Holding Institution” field in Tier 3 (“Bibliographic Information for the Textual Witness”), you can access the “Zōjō-ji Three Buddhist Canons” Digital Archive and view original images and detailed bibliographic information.
In this database, the witnesses from the Zōjō-ji Three Canons recorded in the Kan’dō Mokuroku and in volume footnotes are listed together in Tier 2 (“List of Base and Collation Texts”). Via an IIIF manifest, you can access the “Zōjō-ji Three Buddhist Canons” Digital Archive and view images and metadata.
By clicking “Compare Images,” you can display the opening-page images of the Koryŏ, Song, and Yuan canons from the Zōjō-ji Three Canons side by side.
Using “View All Volumes,” you can also access the opening images for each volume.
4.3 Viewing Full-text Data: TEI Viewer
For scriptures in the Yūren-ja Jiaxing edition Buddhist Canon, we are gradually publishing full-text data. As text correction progresses, links are added in the “Text” field of Tier 3.
Using a dedicated TEI viewer, you can read the text alongside the original images. We plan to release full-text data for more scriptures in the future.
4.4 Future Directions
We will further expand integration with external institutions and enrich the set of images available for comparison.
In parallel, we will continue to refine our bibliographic data through source surveys and image review, enabling the acquisition and updating of more detailed information.
In addition to expanding bibliographic information and images, we will promote the digitization of full-text data and develop an environment in which images, bibliographic data, and texts can be accessed in an integrated manner.
We will also continue to collect and organize information on bibliographic studies related to scriptures and individual witnesses, supporting more efficient access and deeper research into textual lineages through this database.
5. Notes on Use
When quoting or referring to information from this database, please clearly indicate the database name as your source.
For image use and secondary use, please follow the regulations of each holding institution. For details, see “4. Data Collection” on the “About This Site” page.
While we strive to publish bibliographic information, images, and full-text data through careful verification, users are responsible for verifying the accuracy of the data provided in this database when citing or using it.