Friedrich Weller

Weller, Friedrich

 

Born July 22, 1889, in Markneukir-chen. German Sanskrit and Buddhism scholar.

From 1938 to 1958, Weller was professor and director of the chair of Sanskrit (Indology) and also head of the Indian Institute at the University of Leipzig (since 1953, Karl Marx University). The author of many research works in Indian studies and the history and culture of Central Asia (including Tibetan studies), Weller made significant contributions to the study of Indian, Tibetan, Chinese, Mongolian, and Sog-dian written monuments that are important for the study of Buddhism. He published and translated a number of Buddhist monuments (the Tibetan text of Buddhacarita by Ash-vaghosha, the Tibetan and Mongolian texts of Brahmajala Sutra, the translation of Kasyapaparivarta, and others). He was awarded the National Prize of the German Democratic Republic (1955).

WORKS

For a bibliography of Weiler’s works before 1954, see Asiática: Festschrift Friedrich Weller zum 65. Geburtstag …. Leipzig, 1954.
For a bibliography of Weiler’s works after 1954, see Tibetisch-sanskritischer Index zum Bodhicaryavatara, issues 1-2. Berlin, 1952-55.
Versuch einer Kritik der Kathopanisad. Berlin, 1953.
Die Fragmente der Jatakamala in der Turfan Sammlung der Berliner Akademie. Berlin, 1955.
Die Legende von Sunahsepa im Aitareyabrahmana und Sankhayanasrautasutra. Berlin, 1956.
Zum Kasyapaparivarta, issue 2. Berlin, 1965.

P. A. GRINTSER and M. KHEL’ZIG