Re: about api

Dear Jim

You  wrote:

>In "(See RG - 20)", what does the '20' stand for? I could not find it in RG which only goes to p. 19. I think you must be referring to the Absolute Clause section starting on p. 15. I agree that 'though' goes with the locative absolute clause.
> 
>
I have extracted RG from a compilation of my lecture notes, turned it
into PDF and uploaded. I think page numbers have been modified at the
time of extraction. Unfortunately, the PDF file is no longer in my
machine, I have to download it again. It is a lesson for me and thanks a
lot for pointing it out.

>I spent some time investigating the term found in Sanskrit.
>I didn't think I'd find much more in the Pali texts on what is meant
>by 'sambhaavanaa'. In order to find out more it sometimes helps
>to look in the Sanskrit linguistic texts for further information. Of
>course, one has to bear in mind that usage can differ widely between
>the two related languages. Here are some of my findings:
>
>1) It is the neuter 'sambhaavanam' that is used by Paa.nini instead of
>the feminine form. This could explain the use of the neuter in Abh
>1183.
>
>2) There is a sutra in Panini's work that treats 'api' as a
>karmapravacaniiya in the uses of padaartha, sambhaavana,
>anvavasarga, garhaa, and samuccaya. (api.h
>padaarthasambhaavanaanvavasargagarhaasamuccaye.su 1.4.96)
> 
>
karmapravacaniiya (Pali. kammappavacaniiya) is, from what I understand
the term, a sort of adverb, and different from the usage we are
discussing here.

>3) In his translation of Panini's work, S.C. Vasu takes 'sambhaavana'
>to mean possibility, supposition---just as in the dictionaries. This
>is puzzling to me because I cannot make this connection in the
>explanations found in the Kaa"sikaav.rtti and its 2 subcommentaries.
>'Possibility, supposition' could be due to 'api' being used with the
>optative (li"n).
>
>4) The Kaa"sikaav.rtti glosses 'sambhaavanam' with
>"adhikaarthavacanena "sakterapratighaataavi.skara.nam." (1.4.96). I
>read here a synonym 'aavi.skara.nam' (making clear) for
>'sambhaavanam'. Jinendrabuddhi in his Nyaasa adds 'pakaa"sanam'
>(elucidation) as a second one. Recall part of the Saddaniiti
>explanation of 'sambhaaveti': su.t.thu *pakaaseti* ukka.mseti
>(emphasis mine) which I think is important as it links to
>Jinendrabuddhi's 'pakaa"sanam'. ' "sakterapratighaata' is unclear (the
>non-opposition of shakti (m.) ??).
>
>5) "adhikaarthavacanena" (with an exaggerated statement or assertion)
>is revealing though I think 'exaggerated' (as in the dictionaries)
>carries a negative overtone. It depends on who is listening, for
>instance, a non-believer might take the same assertion as exaggerated
>or far-fetched while a believer might take it in a positive light (as
>elevated). In Apte's entry for 'adhikaarthavacana' there is added:
>"(whether of praise or blame)" and " = stuti-nindaa-phalakam
>arthavaada-vacanam". Here, the pair 'stuti-nindaa' means 'praise or
>blame' but I'm unsure about 'phalakam' (the shield of praise or
>blame??).
>
>6) Two examples are given in the Kaa"sikaa for this use of 'api': "api
>si~ncenmuulakasahasram / api stuyaadraajaanam / " which Vasu
>(questionably) translates as: possibly may sprinkle a thousand trees
>(in one instant); he may praise, possibly, the king.
>
>I don't know if any of this really helps. I have attached below my
>transcription of the relevant parts of the glosses on 1.4.96. My
>understanding of Sanskrit is rather limited.
>
I think it should be helpful, but it's not the case for me. I do know
some Sanskrit, but the field I know something of is only Poetics
(Ala.mkaara'saastra), not the classic grammars.

with metta

Ven. Pandita