the moderator is back!

Dear members,

My old desktop computer is now repaired (hopefully) but I won't know for
sure until later in the week when I return to the cottage and reconnect it
to the peripherals (monitor, etc.). I will also be taking back my laptop
just in case there are further problems. The computer's power supply unit
with its on/off switch needed to be replaced and since the computer is now 9
years old it may be time to start thinking about a new computer.

I'm quite amazed at the messages that have been posted by group members
since I went off-line Sept. 9. The topics have been and continue to be very
interesting and even exciting!

On Sept. 13, as mentioned before, I received a parcel of books (which I
wasn't expecting) from Ven. Dhammanando in Thailand. I was delighted to find
4 Pali grammatical texts in the Thai script. The Pali titles are:

1) Kaccaayanatthadiipanii (a 650 page mahaa.tiikaa on Kaccaayana)
2) Kaccaayanava.n.nanaa (473 pp.)
3) Saddatthabhedacintaa with the Saddatthabhedacintaadiipanii
4) Padasa"ngaho

Later on, I will provide more information. The first book is totally new to
me as I have not seen it listed in bibliographies. It seems to be a 20th
century work based on old material and similar to Kacc-va.n.n. but more
expanded. Ven. Dhammanando included a note saying that the costs and postage
were paid for by his sponsors. He also said that he is spending his vassa in
a cave and that he will not have Internet access until November.

I've been thinking that it might be worth setting up an online catalogue of
Pali grammatical literature which could include, for each title (wherever
possible), the introductory verses, the colophon, a table of contents, data
on known publications and MSS, and links to reliable etexts, studies,
translations and even page images especially if Eisel gets around to
photographing manuscripts and rare books in Sri Lanka. I think such a
catalogue would be useful to students and scholars interested in the
literature.

I have transcribed the colophon (see below) at the end of
Kaccaayana-va.n.nanaa which we can study in more detail later after I get
through the introductory verses of the same text. The colophon gives the
date, place, and authorship but it's not clear what the date '988'
(sakkaraaja) corresponds to in the A.D. calendar. Dates I have seen in
catalogues are in the early 17th cent. A.D. range. It appears that the
text was completed in a city called Pa.myaa in Sri Lanka but I'm not sure
how it relates to Abhayagiri.

Anyway, here's the colophon (I have not separated the 8-syllabic quarters
into columns as in the Thai):

navasate sakkaraaje a.t.thahisiitiyaapi ca
patte kattikamaasassa sukkapakkha.t.thaane dine
naatisa"nkhepavitthaaraa siddhaa kaccaanava.n.nanaa.

pa.myaabhikhyaatapuurimhi ussitaddhajasannibho
la"nkato nandamuulaadile.nasiimaadikehi ca.

nadiipabbatavaapiihi cittehi parivaarito
nato abhayagiriiti sabbadisaasu paaka.to.

ha.msaavatiipurindassa pa~ncasetibhasaamino
nattaa yo suuruccanaati naamenaasi supaaka.to.

akaasi so etthaavaasa.m ramma.m devasabhopama.m
vasatii ettha yo thero saasanassa hitaavaho.

mahaasaddena sahitavijitaaviiti naamino
racitaa tena therena esaa kaccaanava.n.nanaa.

saddhammo sucira.m .thaatu bhuupo paatu mahiitala.m
vassatumbadharo kaale dhamme ti.t.thantu paa.ninoti.
(--Kacc-va.n.n, p. 473, Thai ed. Phra Dhammamolii, BE 2531)

Best wishes,
Jim

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