Sacred Books of the East


The Sacred Books of the East is a monumental 50-volume set of English translations of Asian religious texts, edited by Max Müller and published by the Oxford University Press between 1879 and 1910. It incorporates the essential sacred texts of Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, Zoroastrianism, Jainism, and Islam.
All of the books are in the public domain in the United States, and most or all are in the public domain in many other countries. Electronic versions of all 50 volumes are widely available online.
Vol.GroupPublishedTranslatorTitle and contents
1Hindu1879Max MüllerThe Upanishads, part 1/2:
2Hindu1879Georg BühlerThe Sacred Laws of the Âryas, part 1/2:
  • Âpastamba
  • Gautama
  • Vâsishtha
  • Baudhâyana
    • 3China1879James LeggeThe Sacred Books of China, part 1/6 – the texts of Confucianism:
  • The Shû King
  • * Book of Thang
  • * Books of Yü
  • * Books of Hsiâ
  • * Books of Shang
  • * Books of Kâu
  • Shih King, the Book of Odes
  • * I. Odes of the Temple and the Altar
  • * II. Minor Odes of the Kingdom
  • * III. Major Odes of the Kingdom
  • * IV. Lessons from the States
  • The Hsiâo King
    • 4Zor1880James DarmesteterZend-Avesta, part 1/2 – Vendîdâd
    5Zor1880E. W. WestPahlavi Texts, part 1/2:
  • Bundahis
  • selections of Zâd-sparam
  • Bahman Yast
  • Shâyast lâ-Shâyast
    • 6Islam1880E. H. PalmerQur'an part 1/2 – chapters I-XVI
    7Hindu1880Julius JollyThe Institutes of Visnu.
    8Hindu1882Kâshinâth Trimbak TelangThe Bhagavadgîtâ:
  • Sanatsugâtîya
  • Anugîtâ.
    • 9Islam1880E. H. PalmerThe Qur'an, part 2/2 – chapters XVII-CXIV
    10Bud1881Max Müller Viggo Fausböll Dhammapada: a collection of versesSutta-Nipâta: a collection of discourses; being one of the canonical books of the Buddhists
    11Bud1881T. W. Rhys DavidsBuddhist Suttas:
    • Mahā-parinibbāṇa Suttanta
    • Dhamma-kakka-ppavattana Sutta
    • Tevigga Sutta'anta
    • Âkankheyya Sutta'a
    • Ketokhila Sutta'a
    • Mahâ-Sudassana Sutta'anta
    • Sabbâsava Sutta'a
    12Hindu1882Julius EggelingSatapatha Brahmana, part 1/5:
  • Mâdhyandina Shakha I-II
    • 13Bud1881T. W. Rhys Davids and Hermann OldenbergVinaya Texts, part 1/3:
  • Pāṭimokkha
  • Mahâvagga, I–IV.
    • 14Hindu1882Georg BühlerThe Sacred Laws of the Âryas, part 2/2:
  • Vâsishtha
  • Baudhâyana
  • Parisishta
    • 15Hindu1884Max MüllerThe Upanishads, part 2/2:
  • Katha Upanishad
  • Mundaka Upanishad
  • Taittiriya Upanishad
  • Brhadaranyaka Upanishad
  • Svetasvatara Upanishad
  • Prasña Upanishad
  • Maitrayani Upanishad
    • 16China1882James LeggeThe Sacred Books of China, part 2/6 – the texts of Confucianism:
  • Yi King.
    • 17Bud1882T. W. Rhys Davids and Hermann OldenbergVinaya Texts, part 2/3
  • Mahavagga, V–X
  • Kullavagga, I–II
    • 18Zor1882E. W. WestPahlavi Texts, 2/5
  • Dâdistân-î Dinik
  • Epistles of Mânûskîhar
    • 19Bud1883Samuel BealThe Fo-sho-hing-tsan-king: a life of Buddha, by Ashvaghosha, Bodhisattva; translated from Sanskrit into Chinese by Dharmaraksha.
    20Bud1885T. W. Rhys Davids and Hermann OldenbergVinaya Texts, part 3/3:
  • Kullavagga, IV–XII.
    • 21Bud1884H. KernThe Saddharma-Pundarika or The Lotus of the True Law.
    22Jain1884Hermann Jacobifrom the PrâkritJaina Sûtras, part 1/2
    • Âkârânga sûtra
    • Kalpa sûtra
    23Zor1883James DarmesteterThe Zend-Avesta, part 2/3:
  • Sîrôzahs
  • Yasts
  • Nyâyis
    • 24Zor1884E. W. WestPahlavi Texts, part 3/5:
  • Dinai Mainög-i khirad
  • Sikand-Gümanik Vigar
  • Sad Dar
    • 25Hindu1886Georg BühlerThe Laws of Manu: with extracts from seven commentaries.
    26Hindu1885Julius EggelingSatapatha Brahmana, part 2/5
  • Mâdhyandina Shakha III–IV
    • 27China1885James LeggeThe Sacred Books of China, part 3/6 – the texts of Confucianism:
  • The Lî Kî I
    • 28China1885James LeggeThe Sacred Books of China, part 4/6 – the texts of Confucianism:
  • The Lî Kî Ii
    • 29Hindu1886Hermann OldenbergGrihya-sutras, part 1/2 – rules of Vedic domestic ceremonies:
  • Sankhyayana-Grihya-sutra
  • Āśvalāyana-Grihya-sutra
  • Paraskara-Grihya-sutra
  • Khadia-Grihya-sutra
    • 30Hindu1892Hermann Oldenberg, Max Müller Grihya-sutras, part 2/2 – rules of Vedic domestic ceremonies:
    • Gobhila
    • Hiranyakesin
    • Apastamba
    • Yajña Paribhashasutras
    31Zor1887Lawrence Heyworth MillsThe Zend-Avesta, part 3/3:
  • Yasna
  • Visparad
  • Afrînagân
  • Gâhs
  • miscellaneous fragments
    • 32Hindu1891Max MüllerVedic Hymns, part 1/2
  • Hymns to the Maruts
  • Hymns to Rudra
  • Hymns to Vâyu
  • Hymns to Vâta
  • Bibliographical list of the more important publications on the Rigveda
    • 33Hindu1889Julius JollyThe Minor Law-Books: Brihaspati
    34Hindu1890George ThibautVedanta-Sutras, part 1/3
  • Commentary by Sankaracharya, part 1 of 2
  • Adhyâya I–II.
    • 35Bud1890T. W. Rhys DavidsThe Questions of King Milinda, part 1/2
  • Milindapañha
    • 36Bud1894T. W. Rhys DavidsThe Questions of King Milinda, part 2/2
  • Milindapañha
    • 37Zor1892E. W. WestPahlavi Texts, part 4/5
  • Contents of the Nasks
    • 38Hindu1896George ThibautVedanta-Sutras, part 2/3
  • Commentary by Sankaracharya, part 2 of 2
  • Adhyâya II –IV
    • 39China1891James LeggeTexts of Taoism, part 1/2
  • Tâo Teh King of Lâo Dze
  • The Writings of Kwang-tze, I–XVII
    • 40China1891James LeggeTexts of Taoism, part 2/2
  • The Writings of Kwang Tse, XVII–XXXIII
  • The Thâi-shang tractate of actions and their retributions
  • Other Taoist texts
  • the Index to vols. 39 and 40
    • 41Hindu1894Julius EggelingSatapatha Brahmana, part 3/5:
  • Mâdhyandina Shakha V–VII
    • 42Hindu1897Maurice BloomfieldHymns of the Atharvaveda, Together With Extracts From the Ritual Books and the Commentaries
    43Hindu1897Julius EggelingSatapatha Brahmana, part 4/5:
  • Mâdhyandina Shakha VII, IX, X.
    • 44Hindu1900Julius EggelingSatapatha Brahmana, part 5/5:
  • Mâdhyandina Shakha XI–XIV.
    • 45Jain1895Hermann JacobiJaina Sûtras, part 2 of 2:
    46Hindu1897Hermann OldenbergVedic Hymns, part 2/2:
  • Hymns to Agni
    • 47Zor1897E. W. WestPahlavi Texts, part 5/5:
  • Marvels of Zoroastrianism
    • 48Hindu1904George ThibautVedanta-Sutras, part 3/3, with the commentary of Râmânuja
    49Bud1894Edward Byles Cowell, Max Müller, and Takakusu Junjiro Buddhist Mahâyâna Texts, part 1/2:
  • Buddha-karita of Aśvaghoṣa
    • Buddhist Mahâyâna Texts, part 2/2:
    50Index1910Moriz Winternitz, with a preface by Arthur Anthony MacdonellGeneral index to the names and subject-matter of the Sacred Books of the East.