Frye translated this work from Mongolian, working with a text that had a complex transmission history—originally heard by Chinese monks in Khotan, translated into Chinese, then into Tibetan, and finally into Mongolian. The Sūtra of the Wise and the Foolish is considered one of the great treasures of Buddhist literature, containing Jatakas (rebirth stories) that trace the causes of present tragedies in human lives to events in former lifetimes.
The text contains parables demonstrating the workings of cause and effect, tracing the source of present troubles to actions in former lives Vedic Books. For centuries, it has been an inexhaustible source of inspiration, instruction and pleasure for readers.
Frye's translation has been widely cited in Buddhist studies bibliographies and continues to be referenced by scholars and practitioners. His work made this important Buddhist scripture accessible to English-speaking audiences, contributing to the broader availability of Tibetan and Mongolian Buddhist literature in the West.
