Namo Buddha

India had two major traditions in ancient time i.e. Samana and Vedic
traditions. Buddha was from Samana tradition. Sakya Niruttya was the
languge used by Samanic group while Vedic people had their own
languge called Vedic language. Saakya Niruttiya had scripts even
before 5 th B.C. The entire Dhamma Scripts are called Ti Pitaka,
means three baskets. It is called three baskets because; in ancient
days the scripts were kept in baskets. Prof Rhys Davis, has quoted
many evidences to prove written documents of Saakya Niruttiya on
wood, skin etc. in the 5th B.C. (see Buddhist India of same author).
Saakya Niruttiya was not the language of small part of North India,
but language of entire Indian sub-continent including Sri Lanka. King
Asoka used Aramic and some other languages out side India while
Saakya Niruttiya for all over India. The entire sub continent knew
Saakya Niruttiya. Not only Asokan inscriptions, but there are many
other Sakyan inscriptions we have found in Deep South of India as
well as Sri-Lanka. The inscriptions of Ajantha and Ellora prove the
existence of Saakyan community in Ajantha and Ellora region. Many of
the medieval Tamil literatures deal with Saakyan community shows the
existence of Sakyan community in the medieval period in Deep South.

In Ancient days the Vedic language did not have script. It was not
literary tradition, but oral tradition. The date cannot be
authentically said as we can say to Saakya Niruttiya. For Saakya
Niruttiya, we can use carbon dating to prove the dates of
inscriptions and manuscripts. We cannot use any scientific methods to
tell the exact period of Vedic literatures. Some Historians
calculated as 5000 years back. The same period India had a grate
India civilization like Indus. If we compare the material culture of
Indus people and oral culture of Vedic, both do not suit to each
other's. But the Samanic tradition can be traced the origin in Indus.
Many of the Symbols in Indus are belonged to Samanic tradition.

In Samanic tradition there were many sects after Sakyamuni Buddha.
Hinayana and Mahayana were the major traditions. Mahayana was famous
in northern part of India and beyond while Hinayana was famous in
southern part. Nalandha adopted Mahayana tradition while Kanchi
remained as Henayana tradition. The Mahayana tradition adopted a new
language with the mixer of language of new languages enter in to
India from east Europe and central Asia. Many of the commentary were
written in a new language called Prakrit. The Prakrit was later
developed as high breed Sanskrit by Mahayana Buddhist. This is the
period the Vedic people had adopted the newly developed language for
their religious discourses. Many of the Buddhist Sanskrit scripts
which are found in Central Asia. The similar texts in India are
claimed to be Hindu scripts. The literary Sanskrit was developed
somewhere between 4 A.D. and 7 A.D. In this period a rigid Varna or
Caste System, based on birth was developed, the Brahmin elite class
claimed whole authority over education, knowledge and Brahmanical
Sanskrit scripts. The Shudras were denied education and knowledge.
Buddhism was declined and Saakyan Community (Buddhists) was degraded
as UNTOUCHABLES. Buddha was abused through the Sanskrit Hindu Puranas
and Saakya Niruttiya was abused as language of out caste.

Sakya Niruttiya was remained as a language of southern Buddhist for
longer period. Even in 13 A. D. Saakya Niruttiya had high profile in
southern India. New grammar books were written in this period. A
Chola king had requested Saakya grammarian to write Tamil grammar in
this period. The author of "Virasozhiyam" (a Tamil grammar book) was
a grate scholar of Saakya Niruttiya. Saakya Niruttiya had also
undergone changes in these periods.

Saakya Niruttiya was totally declined in India not only from the
status of State/ medium of instruction / literary language but also
lost the states of spoken language. Now the Historical question of
Indian linguistic history is how a highly developed language, totally
wiped out from its own land.

Metta
Sakya
Bavatu Sabba Mangalam

--- In Pali@..., "Ong Yong Peng" <ypong001@...> wrote:
> Dear Sakya,
>
> would you kindly explain how "Sakya niruttiya" relates to Sanskrit
> and particularly Pali. What is its importance among Indian
languages?
>
> Thank you.
>
> Yong Peng.