國際佛學研究協會學刊 (JIABS)

我手上這一本是 1983年《國際佛學研究協會學刊》 (JIABS)，編號是第六卷第二期(從1978年起，每年出版兩期)，《國際佛學研究協會學刊》 (JIABS)逐漸壯大成與《巴利佛教聖典協會學刊》 (JPTS)並列的重要佛學研究期刊，不僅是此一領域的學者必讀的學術期刊，將論文刊登於此也被視為令人重視的榮耀。

我手上這一期僅有 158頁，刊登了六篇論文與五篇書評，跟當期的動輒400頁的厚度完全不同。

與《巴利佛教聖典協會學刊》 (JPTS)http://www.palitext.com/ 相比較， PTS 的網站提供大多數過期期刊的目錄，也提供大多數論文 pdf 黨的免費下載，《國際佛學研究協會學刊》 (JIABS)顯得在此一方面努力不夠。

About IABS(http://iabsinfo.net/about-iabs/)

By the middle of the 1970s workers in the field of Buddhist studies were experiencing more and more urgently the acute need for an international academic organisation wholly dedicated to the pursuit and furtherance of the study of Buddhism in one or several of its many aspects. With this end in view, a small meeting was convenced in 1976 by two scholars who were leading historians of ancient India, professor A. L. Basham and A. K. Narain, and it was agreed by those present that a learned society having this purpose should be founded. The first organised conference of the International Association of Buddhist Studies (IABS) was then held on 15-17 September 1978 ru6Columbia University (New York). Since that time, many well-attended world conferences of the IABS  membership and their invited guests have been held in a number of venues in South, Southeast and East Asia, Europe, and North America.

七十年代中期，在佛教研究領域的工作者感受到迫切需要一個國際學術組織，一個專注於追求與促進佛教研究的諸多層面的組織。以此一目標為考量，兩位古印度歷史研究的尖端學者， A. L. Basham 與 A. K. Narain 教授在 1976年召開了一場小型會議，與會者都同意應該創立一個以此為目標的學會。第一屆 the International Association of Buddhist Studies 國際佛學研究協會 (IABS) 於 1978年9月 15-17日在哥倫比亞大學(紐約)及其贊助之下舉行，此後，陸續在南亞、東南亞、東亞、歐洲、北美舉行了參加人數眾多的年會。(譯者案：約略是兩年召開一次年會，在台灣法鼓山那一次是第16屆年會 2011年 6/21-25，第17屆年會在2014年 8/18-23於奧地利維也納大學舉行，第 18屆年會將在2017年 8/20-25於加拿大多倫多大學舉行。)

The purposes and aims of the IABS have been set out in the preamble and main body of the Association’s Constitution. Briefly stated, these are to advance and contribute actively to the multidisciplinary and inter-disciplinary development of Buddhist studies by means of conferences, symposia and publications. The Journal of the International Association of Buddhist Studies (JIABS) containing scholarly articles and book reviews on all topics and disciplines pertaining to Buddhist studies has been appearing since 1978. There are also published from time to time in this periodical, in the form of presidential addresses or survey articles, overviews and of the state of the art in Buddhist studies and discussions of particular themes and issues within them. Thought is now being given to organizing smaller, more specialized and focussed, colloquia devoted to a particular region or to a specific topic within the long history and wide geographical spread of Buddhism. Such regional or thematic colloquia will be additional to the world conferences open to the full membership of the IABS, which will continue to be held on a regular basis. This aim is in accordance with the IABS’s stated objective of encouraging scholarly coopearation and co-ordination by helping to organize regional conferences and thematic symposia.

國際佛學研究協會 (IABS)的目的與目標已經在協會章程的本文與序言詳細闡述了，簡單來說，就是要藉由年會、研討會與出版品，對多學科與跨學科的佛教研究能積極地推展與有所貢獻。國際佛學研究協會學刊(JIABS) 從1978年起，收錄關於佛教研究的所有層面與議題的學術論文與書評。我們也不時出版此一期間佛教研究的重要演講、綜合評論、概述與研究現況，包括此中特殊議題的討論。由於佛教歷史悠久、地域廣闊，目前已考量組織一些針對特殊領域、或特定議題的較小型的、較特定且聚焦的研討會。這樣的區域性或特定議題的研討會將在年會之上，開放給全體會員參加，而且將繼續維持一個定期舉行的模式。此一目標在以組織區域會議與主題研討會，來呼應國際佛學研究協會 (IABS)鼓勵學術合作與協調研究的既定目的。

In the twenty-first century, even as our world has changed and Buddhist studies develop further as a humanistic endeavour and scientific enterprise, it is to be expected that the tasks and missions of our association will continue to be at least as meaningful, necessary and indeed vital, as they have proved to be in the twentieth century.

在協會的最初二十年，即使我們的世界已經改變，而佛教研究更以人道努力與科技企業化般持續發展，我們期望能如過往在二十世紀所達成的一樣，協會繼續至少達成為有意義、有必要、十分生氣蓬勃的任務與工作。