KERN

kern, jan hendrik (1833- ), dutch orientalist, was born in java of dutch parents on the 6th of april 1833. he studied at utrecht, leiden and berlin, where he was a pupil of the sanskrit scholar, albrecht weber. after some years spent as professor of greek at maestricht, he became professor of sanskrit at benares in 1863, and in 1865 at leiden. his studies included the malay languages as well as sanskrit. his chief work is _geschiedenis van het buddhisme in indie_ (haarlem, 2 vols., 1881-1883); in english he wrote a translation (oxford, 1884) of the _saddharma pundarika_ and a _manual of indian buddhism_ (strassburg, 1896) for buhler kielhorn's _grundriss der indoarischen philologie_. kernel (o.e. _cyrnel_, a diminutive of "corn," seed, grain), the soft and frequently edible part contained within the hard outer husk of a nut or the stone of a fruit; also used in botany of the nucleus of a seed, the body within its several integuments or coats, and generally of the nucleus or core of any structure; hence, figuratively, the pith or gist of any matter.