The Sacred Books of the East

The Sacred Books of the East series was a monumental scholarly undertaking initiated by the Oxford University Press in the late 19th century under the editorship of Friedrich Max Müller. The series was designed to introduce Western readers to the foundational religious texts of non-Christian traditions, including Hindu, Buddhist, Taoist, Confucian, Islamic, and Zoroastrian scriptures. The project represented a significant milestone in the field of comparative religion, reflecting the Victorian era's intellectual fascination with global history and the rigorous, systematic approach of contemporary philology.

Edward William West, an esteemed Pahlavi scholar, contributed several volumes to this series, most notably his translations of the Pahlavi texts, which are primary documents of the Zoroastrian tradition. West’s work was characterized by an exhaustive attention to linguistic detail and historical context, aimed at making obscure and fragmented manuscripts accessible to the academic community. The volumes were produced with the hallmark high-quality printing standards of the Clarendon Press, featuring durable cloth bindings and precise typography that remains respected among historians and bibliophiles for its commitment to academic integrity.