With equivalents and with numerous extracts and references, this is one of the first Pali dictionaries ever published, a classic in its own right. 
The Pali language is a language of ancient India. It was spoken in the sixth century before Christ. A language is generally what its literature makes it. The existing Pali literature is of great extent and importance; it is valuable alike to the philologist, the historian, the student of folklore and the student of comparative religion. 
Here is an outstanding work for which two eminent scholars of Chinese Buddhism separated by 2000 miles of ocean collaborated for ten years. The authors' aim has been to provide a key for the student with which to unlock a closed door and which does serve to reveal the riches of the great Buddhist thesaurus in China. 