Re: Kacc 271 (Sutt-nidd)

Dear George,

> It may be worth mentioning that the analysis of connected text into
'words' is one of the
> bases of Indian linguistics.  Classically we see it in the padapaa.tha
texts of the Vedas as
> opposed to the sa.mhitaapaa.tha.  The pratishaakhyas are statements of the
relation
> between the two, restricted to a particular veda.  The 'word texts' play a
role both in
> memorization of the 'connected' (and sacred) texts, and in preserving them
in the oral
> tradition.  Presumably this role is somewhat different in a Buddhist
and/or grammatical
> context.

Thank-you for this. It is certainly worth mentioning.

> Vibhatyantapada- echoes Panini 1.4.14: supti"nanta.mpada.m (a word is what
ends in
> -sup [a verbal agreement suffix] or -ti"n [a case and number suffix]).
This sense of pada
> has to be distinguished from that in padapaa.tha, which applies to many
items (for
> instance vaa, but also prefixes like sa.m) which do not meet Panini's
definition.  It should
> not be surprising that there is no consistency on this point.

Your "-sup [a verbal agreement suffix] or -ti"n [a case and number suffix])"
should be: -sup [a case and number suffix] or -ti"n [a verbal agreement
suffix]).

Aggava.msa offers a definition of "pada" that would include, in my opinion,
indeclinables and prefixes as follows:

vibhatyantam avibhatyanta.m vaa atthajotaka.m pada.m. (Sd 27)

However, Paa.nini's definition of "pada" (1.4.14) certainly excludes
avibhatyantapadas. But I notice that indeclinables and prefixes could very
well fall within his definition of "praatipadika" (1.2.45) according to S.C.
Vasu's reference to Patanjali's opinion. Also of interest in the
Mahaabhaa.sya for a usage of pada that doesn't fully agree with Paa.nini's
definition, is the following statement that caught my attention some years
back:

catvaari "s.r:ngaani catvaari padajaataani naamaakhyaatopasarganipaataa.h ca
. [Mahaa-bh I.3]

This is part of an interpretation of a passage in the .Rgveda where the four
horns of a bullock (personified as speech) is a metaphor for the four
classes of words. These are precisely the same classes used in the
a.t.thakathas and the topic of pariccheda 27 of the Saddaniiti.

> Thanks for the reference to GRETIL.  I would appreciate some idea of how
to get copies of
> the other commentaries you mention.  (If you covered this before, I missed
it.)

How I received my copies has been brought up on the list before . They were
mailed to me through the generous help of some list members living in
Thailand. Sutt-nidd, Kacc-va.nn, and Kaccaayanatthadiipanii are publications
of Buddhaghosa College and offered for free (they may even have Mmd). The
main problem is that the college isn't set up to handle mail orders and
someone has to show up in person to procure these publications. Even though
they are free, it is advisable to give a donation as a good will gesture. In
message 1815 (May 16/06) Justin McDaniel gave the following contact
information regarding donations but I think it's equally applicable for
those wishing to make enquiries about their Pali grammar texts:

<< As for contacting Buddhaghosa College, you can e-mail them at:
buddhakosa@... or snail mail them at:
Mahachulalongkorn Rachawithayalai, Withayalai Baliseuksa
Phutthakot, Nakorn Pathom, Wat Mahasawatnakphuttharam, Tambon
Homkret, Amphur Samphran, Changwat Nakorn Pathom 73170. Or
call (034) 299-356. I would address your letter to: Chakkrit
Chandradam (assistant to the dean). Since they have trouble
cashing checks sometime, I would enquire about the way they
receive donations (probably wire transfer). >>

Best wishes,
Jim

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