DEMIÉVILLE, Paul. Lausanne 13.9.1894 — Paris 23.3.1979. French (born Swiss) Sinologist and Buddhist scholar. Professor in Paris. Son of Paul D. (1855–1947, Professor of Medicine at Lausanne) and Annette Manuel. After gymnasium in Bern studied history of music and Russian at Munich, London, Edinburgh and Paris, dr. degree in Music 1914 from Sorbonne. From 1915 studied Sinology in London and Paris (Chavannes), also Japanese and Sanskrit (Lévi). In 1920-24 at É.F.E.O. in Hanoi, 1924-26 Professor of Western Philosophy, Sanskrit and History of Buddhism at Amoy University in China, 1926-30 at Maison franco-japonaise in Tokyo. In 1931-45 Professor of Chinese at É.L.O.V., 1946-64 Professor of Chinese (Maspéro’s successor) at Collège de France. In 1945-56 also Directeur d’études de philologie bouddhique at É.P.H.É. Retired in 1964. French citizen 1931. A.I.B.L. 1951. Hon. Dr. Louvain and Rome. Married with Helène Roux.
Demiéville was mainly a Sinologist, but worthy representant of the French school of Buddhist studies, beside Chinese competent in Sanskrit, Pāli, Tibetan and Japanese. In Indian Buddhism his main interest was the Vijñānavāda school, in China the Chan school. One important line of his studies were the Chinese manuscripts of Dunhuang. Other interests included East Asian music. Together with Lévi and Takakusu he founded the Hōbōgirin. Among his students was Bareau.
Publications: “Les versions chinoises du Milindapañha”, BEFEO 24, 1924, 1-264.
– Contributed to Hōbōgirin from its beginning and worked as its chief editor for fasc. 1-3, 1929-37.
– “A propos du concile de Vaiśālī”, TP 40:1-3, 1950, 239-296.
– “La Yogācārabhūmi de Sangharaksa”‚ BEFEO 44, 1951, 339-436; “Le chapitre de la Bodhisattvabhūmi sur la Perfection du Dhyāna”, RO 21, 1957, 109-128.
– Le concile de Lhasa: Une controverse sur la quiétisme entre bouddhistes de l’Inde et de le Chine au VIIIème siècle. 8+399 p. Bibl. de l’Inst. des H. Ét. Chin. 7. P. 1952.
– “Le bouddhisme: les sources chinois”, L. Renou & J. Filliozat, L’Inde classique. 2. Hanoi 1953, 398-463.
– “Récents travaux sur Touen-houang”, TP 56, 1970, 1-95.
– with H. Durt & A. Seidel: Repertoire du Canon Bouddhique Sino-Japonaise. Edition de Taishô (Taishô Shishû Daizôkyô). Fasc. annexe du Hôbôgirin. 2nd rev. & enl. ed. 376 p. P. 1978.
– Choix d’études bouddhiques (1929–1970). 41+497 p. Leiden 1973 (17 articles) and a similar vol. of his Chinese studies.
– Small articles and reviews, Sinological works, edited posthumous works of Pelliot and Maspéro.
Sources: B. Csongor, AOHu 37, 1983, 135f.; J.-P. Diény, D.O.L.F. 283f.; H. Durt, Numen 27, 1980, 1-8; J. Gernet, TP 65, 1979, 1-9, with photo, and *CRAI 130, 1986, 595-607; M. Girgis in Web HistLexSchweiz; *J. Hervouet, BEFEO 69, 1981, 1-30; *J. Heurgon, CRAI 1979, 140-142; *D. Holzman, JAOS 99, 1979, 553-555; A.W. Macdonald: “Paul Demiéville (Obituary)”, JIABS 2:1, 1979, 110-113; M. Paul-David, Arts as. 36, 1981, 67-68; *M. Soymié, JA 268, 1980, 1-10; Chercheurs d’Asie 235-237; *bibliography by G. de Jong in Choix d’études. 1973 (additions by Y. Hervouet, TP 65, 1979, 9-12); Wikipedia with photo; another photo in Brill’s catalogue 1957.
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