DDB Access 2024.12

The Digital Dictionary of Buddhism (DDB) and Classical Chinese (CJKV-E) represent significant collaborative efforts led by editor Charles Muller at the University of Tokyo. The DDB Access application facilitates user engagement with these dictionaries on iPhone and iPad devices.

Offering a free entry point, DDB Access allows users to access the dictionaries by simply entering "guest" as the username, omitting the need for a password. This guest access is limited to 20 searches within a 24-hour timeframe for both DDB and CJKV-E dictionaries.

For contributors who wish to gain unlimited access, submission of a 350+ word entry is required, as detailed at this link.

Designed primarily for scholarly use, DDB and CJKV-E necessitate that contributors possess at least a graduate-level academic background, equivalent to an M.A., from an accredited institution that includes formal training in classical East Asian Buddhist texts.

PARSE AND LOOKUP

DDB Access streamlines the lookup process, allowing users to copy entire texts and obtain relevant vocabulary with a single click. The application provides immediate access to unfamiliar words, complete with links to related terms and character series such as Kangxi and etymological references.

Additionally, texts or individual words can be audibly accessed using Apple voice features.

ETYMOLOGY

The evolution of Chinese writing has established various reference points, blending reason and tradition well-recognized within Chinese culture: "Se non è vero, è ben trovato." Character series in DDB Access underscore these historical references, enriching user exploration.

All character series linked to a current character are easily navigable.

SEARCHES

The search functionality accommodates queries by Chinese text, translation, or pinyin transliteration.

DICTIONARIES

This application is not limited to Buddhist vocabulary; it includes general dictionaries that aid scholars in researching literary or historical terminology related to Buddhist texts. Notably, it also features a preliminary version of the "Couvreur" dictionary for Classical Chinese.

USER INTERFACE

Users can customize their experience by selecting preferred pronunciations in Chinese, Japanese, Korean, or Vietnamese. The lookup interface offers flexibility, enabling users to display only essential details while maintaining a clear layout.

The application supports landscape orientation on iPad, providing options for full-screen utilization or concurrent operation with other applications, facilitating seamless navigation between an original text reader and DDB Access.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

For nearly two decades, Michael Beddow played an instrumental role in developing and maintaining the DDB/CJKV-E servers. Paul Hackett has since undertaken this crucial responsibility.