Conditions Governing Access
Biographical / Historical
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Preferred Citation
Scope and Contents
Conditions Governing Use
Language of Material:
Multiple languages
Contributing Institution:
Department of Special Collections and University Archives
Title: Evans-Wentz Buddhism and eastern religions collection
Identifier/Call Number: M0205
Physical Description:
23 Linear Feet
(29 boxes, one oversize folder)
Date (inclusive): cIrca 1600-1922
Abstract: Asian religious texts, largely collected by professor Walter Evans-Wentz.
Conditions Governing Access
Open for research. Note that material must be requested at least 36 hours in advance of intended use.
Biographical / Historical
Walter Yeeling Evans-Wentz, born February 2, 1878 in Trenton, New Jersey, attended Stanford University where he received his
B.A. and his M.A. Evans-Wentz traveled extensively in Mexico, Europe, and the Far East. He spent several years in Tibet where
he became a Buddhist monk. He was a pioneer in the field of Tibetan Buddhism and authored several books on the subject.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Dr. Evans-Wentz, 1923; Louise Evans, 1975, transfer from Stanford Museum, 1981, and likely other sources.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item] Evans-Wentz Buddhism and eastern religions collection, M0205, Dept. of Special Collections, Stanford
Libraries, Stanford, Calif.
Scope and Contents
A collection relating to the religions of Asia, principally Sri Lanka, but also China, Tibet, and Southeast Asia. The bulk
of the collection consists of Buddhist textual works assembled by Evans-Wentz on his travels, including palm leaf manuscripts
and other medical and religious texts. Note that some material was added later to the collection and were not originally collected
by him.
Identification of the works in this collection is based on the notation of Evans-Wentz. Similarly, the descriptions (dates,
nature of the work, etc.) are as quoted from him, as well as from a pamphlet entitled,
Catalogue of Pali, Sinhalese, and Sanskrit Manuscripts in the Colombo Museum Library (Colombo, Government Printer, 1901). Although there was consultation with various scholars in the process of reorganizing
the collection in 2017-2018, some items remain unidentified.
Conditions Governing Use
These materials are believed to be in the public domain. There are no restrictions on use of public domain materials.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Buddhism -- Sri Lanka
Buddhism -- China -- Tibet Autonomous Region
Taoism -- China
Evans-Wentz, W. Y. (Walter Yeeling)