RELIGION 



The chief contribution of France to the modern study 

 of religion is in the field of the history of religions, where 

 Paris alone now offers an organized body of instruc- 

 tion and where the work of French scholars has always 

 been preeminent. For example, the scientific study of 

 the Avesta was first seriously attempted by Eugene 

 BURNOUF (1801-1852), who laid the foundations of 

 our present knowledge of Zoroastrianism ("Zenda vesta, " 

 Paris, 1829-1843; "Commentaire sur le Yacna," Paris, 

 1833), following up the explorations of that forerunner 

 of modern scholarship, ANQUETIL DUPERRON. BURNOUT 

 also did pioneering work of the first importance in the 

 study of Indian Buddhism ("Introduction a Fhistoire 

 du Buddhisme Indien," Paris, 1844; "Lotus de la bonne 

 loi," Paris, 1852), and developed the study of Hin- 

 duism ("Bhagavata Purana," vols. 1-3, Paris, 1840- 



1849). 



The succession has been notably carried on by Abel 

 BERGAIGNE, (1838-1888), whose revolutionary study of 

 the Veda destroyed completely the earlier view of the 

 extreme simplicity and antiquity of both literature and 

 religion ("La religion vedique d'apres les hymnes du 

 Rig- Veda," 3 vols., Paris, 1878-1883); and by James 

 DARMESTETER, with his studies and translation of the 

 Avesta. The entire field of Indian religion has been cov- 

 ered by the erudition of Auguste BARTH ("Quarante ans 

 dTndianisme," 4 vols., Paris, 1914). 



1 [Drafting Committee: G. B. FOSTER, University of Chicago; 

 N. B. NASH, Episcopal Theological School, Cambridge. ED.] 



313 



