Re: two study projects

Hi Eisel,

> The value of a word-for-word translation of Kacc. is limited; the
> commentarial and explanatory literature on Kacc. is more suited to
"direct"
> translation.  Jim's suggestion that several of these (related) text
be
> translated "in tandem" is very ambitious, and if it produced a
working
> translation of any or all of this grammatical literature, it would
be a very
> useful contribution to struggling students such as myself.
>
> I also mentioned on this list that I discovered a rather obscure
edition of
> the Balavataro with full English translation and tables; it may be
that some
> of the other texts mentioned have similarly obscure editions from
pre-Junta
> Burma.

I have two imperfect etext versions of the Baalaavataaro in Pali. The
title might be translated as "An Introduction for the Young" but
'baala' can also mean 'fool' or 'child'. I have glanced over this text
a few times and find that it is definitely not for dummies unless of
course they have a skilful teacher to guide them through it. This is
quite a condensed text. The Kaccaayana-va.n.nanaa (ca 1600 A.D.) was
also written for young students since the last line of the four
introductory verses reads: "yatipotaanam atthaaya kassa.m
kaccaanava.n.nana.m" (For the benefit of young aspirants I will
compose the Commentary on Kaccaayana) but this work is very different
from the Baalaavataaro in being an unusually detailed commentary on
Kaccaayana's grammar. I have noticed that the style of writing seems
easier to follow than that of the more difficult Nyaasa and I think it
will be a good text for us to study and translate. The part that
comments on the two introductory verses of Kaccaayana is 7 pages long
and for Kc 1, 4 pages.

On showing the important place of the Baalaavataaro among grammars,
the modern Nidaanakathaa to my Thai edition of the Suttaniddesa
contains the following:

bahuusu cassa sa.mva.n.nanaanusa.mva.n.nanaabhuutesu parivaaraganthesu
"nyaasappakara.na.m padaruupasiddhi baalaavataaro suttaniddeso caa" ti
cattaaro ganthaa suppasatthataraa honti sambhaavitataraa
saddasatthaviduuhi veyyaakara.nikehi. (pg. v)

And among the many ancillary books being commentaries and
subcommentaries of it (i.e. Kaccaayanavyaakara.na), the four books
"Nyaasappakara.na, Padaruupasiddhi, Baalaavataara, and the
Suttaniddesa" are the most well-praised, the most esteemed by
grammarians, experts in the science of words. (my translation)

Best wishes,
Jim

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