Saddatthabhedacintaa: Mahaa Nimitr intro. cont.

Phra Mahaa Nimitr:
The name Saddatthabhedacintaa means "A Treatise Analysing
Linguistic Elements and Meaning".

[Dhammaanando: The title can be construed in several ways. A
more thorough account of it will be given in the commentary
to verse 1.]

Phra Mahaa Nimitr:
It consists of four hundred verses, with verses 1-396
presenting the substance of the treatise and verses 397-400
being the author's colophon. The word cintaa, meaning
'analysis', refers to reasoning with the aim of determining
whether [a proposition is] logical or not, and forms that
important branch of philosophy known as tarka`saastra
[science of reasoning, dialectics]. In Paali literature
there are two principal treatises dealing with
tarka`saastra, the Sambandhacintaa and the
Saddatthabhedacintaa. The Sambandhacintaa [by the Ceylonese
monk Sa`ngharakkhita – Dh.] is based upon the grammars of
the Moggallaana tradition, while the Saddatthabhedacintaa is
based upon a variety of sources, for example, the
`Sabdaarthacintaa (a Sanskrit work), the Kaccaayana,
Moggallaana, Saddaniiti, and Baalaavataara grammars, as well
as the earlier Sambandhacintaa.

The subject of the treatise is presented in four sections:

I) Saddabhedacintaa (verses 2-25): analysis of linguistic
elements, showing their origin, and classifying the
varieties of linguistic element, syllable, word, sentence,
and sentence components.
II) Atthabhedacintaa (verses 26-106): analysis of five
aspects of meaning: primary [or original or intrinsic]
meaning (sakattha), substance (dabba), indication (li`nga),
number (vacana), and syntactical function (kaaraka).
III) Saddatthabhedacintaa (verses 107-127): analysis of the
meanings that are knowable through linguistic elements,
according to which of the five kinds of meaning apply to
each kind of linguistic element.
IV) Paki.n.nakatthabhedacintaa (verses 128-396):
miscellaneous analysis of meaning. Here the author discusses
the general laws of grammar relating to vaacca, vaacaka,
samaasa, taddhita, aakhyaata, kita etc.

By studying the Saddatthabhedacintaa one will become skilled
in analysing sadda and attha and will gain a deeper
understanding of the Pali language. One will be free of
doubts concerning sadda and attha, and will be able to study
the Tipi.taka with precision, relying upon the principles of
grammar set down in this treatise as a means of determining
the meaning. As Ven. Saddhammasiri states in verse 399:

saddatthalakkha.ne bhedii yo yo nicchitalakkha.ne
so so ~naatumakicchena pahoti pi.takattayeti.

"Anyone analysing the characteristics of sadda and attha [in
the way those] characteristics have  been resolved [by me],
will be able to understand the Tipi.taka with ease."

Before the Saddatthabhedacintaa was composed in Pagan
there had been many minor grammars written in verse, but
following the publication of this treatise some of these
earlier works disappeared entirely. It was thought that they
had been superseded by the more comprehensive exposition of
the new treatise. The esteem with which this treatise was
held by later generations of scholars can be seen also from
the many citations of it in .tiikaas and nissayas.

The author, Ven. Saddhammasiri Thera, was a resident of
Pagan in Burma. It is reported that he was born in the
village of Tooyawinje (sp. ??), but his temple of residence
has probably been abandoned, for its name does not appear
anywhere. There is no evidence as to the exact period this
text was composed. Modern scholars suggest that it must have
been after 1234 because it is influenced by the
Saddaniitippakara.na which was composed during the reign
of King Kyawswa (1234-1250).

[Dhammaanando: and of course before 1362, the year of its
earliest dated .tiikaa]

Phra Mahaa Nimitr:
Another work known to be by Saddhammasiri is the
Brahajjatakanissaya, a Burmese translation of the
Briihajjataka, a Sanskrit manual of astrology.

[Dhammaanando: Mahaa Nimitr then lists the .tiikaas to this
text that I have already posted to the list, and then
concludes his introduction...]

For this translation into Thai I have consulted the
following sources: Saddatthabhedacintaa-bhaa`saa.tiikaa,
Anudiipanii, Saddatthabhedacintaa-mahaa.tiikaa,
Saddatthabhedacintaavabodhi, Padaruupasiddhi, and
Saddaniitippakara.na.

I should like to thank Ven. Gandhasaaraabhiva.msa
(Dhammaacariya, Abhiva.msa) and Acharn Jamroon Thammada for
their most helpful advice. It is my hope that this
translation and exposition of the Saddatthabhedacintaa will
be useful to those interested in the Pali language and will
ensure the continuity of its correct usage in accordance
with the rules of grammar.

Phra Mahaa Nimitr Dhammasaaro (Parien 9)
Wat Savastivaariisiimaaraama (Khae Samsen), Bangkok
23 April 2002