BEAL, Samuel. Devonport 27.11.1825 — Greens Norton, Northamptonshire 20.8.1889. British Priest, Sinologist and Buddhist Scholar. Although a priest, he was no missionary like most Sinologists of his time especially in the U.K. Son of the rev. William B. (d. 1872), a Wesleyan minister. Educated at Kingswood and Devonport schools and from 1843 studied at Trinity College, Cambridge (B.A. 1847). In 1848-50 Headmaster of Bramham College in Yorkshire. Ordained deacon 1851, priest 1852. As a priest he served 20 years as chaplain in Royal Navy, mainly in H.M.S. Sybille located in China, and thus was able to engage in his free hours in Chinese studies. After returning in England in 1873 he took a career of teacher. In 1873-77 in Devonport, 1877-80 Rector of Falstone in Northumberland, 1880-88 of Wark, ibid., 1888 to death of Greens Norton, Towcester, Northamptonshire. At the same time, from 1877, Professor of Chinese (a honorary chair) at the University College in London. D.C.L. 1885 Durham. Married 1861 Martha Ann Paris (1836–1881).He was one of the best scholars of Chinese Buddhism in his time.
Publications: With D. J. Gogerly: “Comparative Arrangement of the Buddhist Ritual for Priesthood, known as the Prátimoksha or Pátimokkha”, JRAS 19, 1862, 407-480.
– Transl. “Wong Puh, Text and Commentary of the Memorial of Sakya Buddha Tathagata, transl. from the Chinese by S.B., with a Preface by Sp. Hardy”, JRAS 20, 1863, 135-220; “Wou liang Shen King. Translations of the Amitâbha Sûtra from Chinese”, JRAS N.S. 2, 1866, 136-144; The Travels of Fah-hian and Sung-yun. 73+208 p. L. 1869, rev. ed. was included in the introduction of his Xuanzang translation: Buddhist Records of the Western World. 1-2. L. 1884; Life of Hiuen Tsiang by the Shaman Hwui Li. 37+218 p. L. 1888, new ed. 47+218 p. L. 1911.
– Transl.: A Catena of Buddhist Scriptures from the Chinese. 460 p. L. 1871; Romantic Legend of Sakya-Muni. 305 p. L. 1875; The Dhammapada. 200 p. L. 1878; The Fo-Sho-Hing-Tsang-King. A Life of Buddha by Asvaghosha Bodhisattva. 38+380 p. S.B.E. 19. Oxford 1879 (Buddhacarita); further Chinese Buddhist texts tr. in JRAS and IA.
– “The Great Tope at Sânchi”, JRAS 5, 1871, 164-181; “Remarks on the Bharhut Sculptures and Inscriptions”, IA 11, 1882, 47-50; “Kukkutapâda-Giri and Kukkuta Sanghârâma”, IA 12, 1883, 327f.; ; “The Age and Writings of Nâgârjuna Bodhi-sattva”, IA 15, 1886, 353-356; short notes in the IA.
– “On a Chinese Version of the Sánkhya Káriká”, JRAS 10, 1878, 355-360; “The Eighteen Schools of Buddhism”, IA 1880, 9, 299-302; “Two Chinese-Buddhist Inscriptions found at Nuddha Gayâ”, JRAS 13, 1881, 552-572; “The Buddhist Councils held at Râjagriha and Vesâlî, tr. from Chinese [Dharmaguptavinaya]”, Verh. des V. OC Berlin 1881, 2:2, 1882, Ostasiat. Sektion 13-46.
– Buddhist Literature in China. Four Lectures. 16+185 p. L. 1882; Buddhism in China. 276 p. L. 1884.
– Articles on the itineraries of Faxian (JRAS 19, 1887, 191-206) and Xuanzang (JRAS 15, 1883, 333-345 & 16, 1884, 247-280); “Indian Travels of Chinese Buddhists”, IA 11, 1881, 109-111, 192-197, 246-248.
Sources: JRAS 21, 1889, 1128; R.K.D[ouglas], D.N.B. Suppl. I, 1901, 153f.; A Payer, Materialien zum Neobuddhismus 5 in www.payer.de/neobuddhismus/neobud05011.htm; J.C. Ting, British Contribution to Chinese Studies. 113-119; Wikipedia.
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