Re: Kaccaayanava.n.naa colophon

Dear Bh. Nyanatusita,

Thanks for your translation attempt and observations. I'm open to the
possibility that the Pa.myaa here may refer to a town in Burma. I won't try
to respond fully as I still find some of the verses hard to understand. Just
a few comments.

> Below is a quick and tentative rendering I made of the verses.
> Re. Pa.mya: Because it is said that the town of Pam.ya belongs to the
> Lord of Ha.msavatii, ie, Pegu, it is the Burmese Pa.mya.
> It seems to be referring to a monastery made by the King for Ven. Vijita.
> I am wondering whether  La''nkato is connected to dhaja or to
> Vijitaavii. In any case there is some connection to Sri Lanka. Maybe it
> is a monk from Sri Lanka, a monk who had visited Sri Lanka, or a
> disciple of one of the Sinhalese monks who came to Pegu in the middle
ages.
> DPPN gives the following info on Vijitaavii: ``*Vijitáví.* A Burmese
> author of Vijitapura (Panyá); he wrote a Kaccáyanavannaná on the
> Sandhikappa and the Vácakopadesa. Sás. p. 90; Bode, op. cit., 46.''
> This seems to be the one referred to in the colophon.

I agree it's the same author. However, if you read the entry for
Kaccaayanava.n.nanaa, there is a contradiction in stating that the author is
Sinhalese, if I recall correctly. Also, consider the following entry (from
metta.lk):

"Vijita-pura, Vijíta nagara. A city founded by Vijita, minister to Vijaya.
Near by was Khandhávárapitthi, where Dutthagámaní pitched his camp during
his campaign against the Damilas, and also the village of Hatthipora (q.v.).
The city was a stronghold of the Damilas, and was captured by Dutthagtámaní
after a four months' siege. For details of the siege see Mhv.xxv.19ff."

Isn't this in SL?

> If it is the Burmese Sakka era (starting at 638 CE) then it is 1626 CE.
> If it is the Sinhalese Sakka era (543 BCE) then it is 455. The latter of
> course does not make sense.
> I hope that this is of use.

Yes, this helps. As the author mentions the Saddaniiti in his introductory
verses, it is obvious that his work must have been written later. So the 988
Sakka era date lends support to a Burmese origin for the work.

> >navasate sakkaraaje a.t.thahisiitiyaapi ca
> >patte kattikamaasassa sukkapakkha.t.thaane dine
> >naatisa"nkhepavitthaaraa siddhaa kaccaanava.n.nanaa.
> >
> >
> In 988 of the Era of Sakka
> On a day of the bright moon face of the Kattika month,
>
> the elucidation, Not to abbreviated nor too extensive, of the Kaccaana
succeeded.

For 'siddhaa' I would prefer 'was completed/finished' instead of
'succeeded'.

> >pa.myaabhikhyaatapuurimhi ussitaddhajasannibho
> >la"nkato nandamuulaadile.nasiimaadikehi ca.
> >
> In a town (called) Pa.myaa, resembling a hoisted  banner
> from La''nkaa,  with delightful roots (of  trees), caves, boundaries,
etc.

I think 'resembling a hoisted banner' qualifies the mountain 'abhayagiri'.
Is this a prominent mountain in SL? It just occurred to me that 'la"nkato'
might be 'ala"nkato' (adorned) with elision of the first 'a'. But I'm not
sure if an elision can occur there. I wonder if 'nandamuula' could be the
name of a particular cave as I recall an entry for such (somewhere in the
Himalayas?) in DPPN.

> >nadiipabbatavaapiihi cittehi parivaarito
> >nato abhayagiriiti sabbadisaasu paaka.to.

'nato' should be 'nago' (mountain). I mistook the Thai 'g' for a 't'.

> Surrounded by beautiful rivers, mountains, and irrigation tanks,
> bowed/inclined (?) ``Abhayagiri (Fearless Mountain)'', famous in all
> directions.

> >ha.msaavatiipurindassa pa~ncasetibhasaamino
> >nattaa yo suuruccanaati naamenaasi supaaka.to.
> >
> >
> Belonging to the Lord of the town of Ha.msavatii, the master of 65
> elephants,
> who has danced a very pleasing dance, you are are very famous by name.

I'm thinking that 'ha.msaavatiipurindassa' are the proper names of the
nephew's (nattaa) aunt and uncle i.e. Ha.msaavatii and Purinda. Could you
explain how you got '65 elephants' out of 'pa~ncasetibha-'. 'setibha' still
has me puzzled. The same goes for 'suuruccanaati'. This verse is the most
difficult one for me.

> >akaasi so etthaavaasa.m ramma.m devasabhopama.m
> >vasatii ettha yo thero saasanassa hitaavaho.
> >
> >
> He made a residence here, delightful, like an assembly hall of the gods,
> The senior monk who dwells here is a bringer of benefit to the
dispensation.
>
> >mahaasaddena sahitavijitaaviiti naamino
> >racitaa tena therena esaa kaccaanava.n.nanaa.
> >
> >
> With a great sound (?), having the name of  Sahita-vijitaavii (''endowed
> with the beneficial conquest''),
> composed by that senior monk, is this elucidation of the Kaccaana.

I think it is more likely that 'mahaasaddena' means ('Vijitaavii'
accompanied) by the word 'Mahaa' i.e. Mahaavijitaavii.

Best wishes,
Jim

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