Description

The Javanese text being published here is not appearing in print for the first time: more than half Cli century ago it was published by B. J. O. Schrieke in his doctQr's thesis Ret Boek van Bonang ("The Book of Bonang") (1916). In Schrieke's work, however, the emphasis fell O'n the historical introductiQn to the text rather than on the text itself, the edition of which is nQt free of shortcomings. MoreQver, the analysis of the contents of the text appended to it could not make up Qf a complete translation. for the lack That a new edition and complete translation of this Qld and important text has nQt been made before now is due to the small number of scholars of Javanese - and the even smaller number of those amQng them who concern themselves with the Muslim works of Javanese literature. In short, it is the piQneering character which the study of Indonesian literatures still largely PQssesses that has caused people to be contented with preliminary surveys Qf this extensive field of study j it is true that a number of welcQme milestones have been erected, but it can in no way be said that the cha: rting Qf the whole field is yet complete. After the first publication of a text and summary of its contents people are only too readily inclined to proceed to other projects, mOore attractive because of their novelty.