SV: Kacc 10 revisited

George,

(i)  In a given orthography, a cluster like 'tr' is written (vertically or
horizontally) in exactly the same way whether its vowel is affected by
sandhi or not.  Why does the sutta specify 'adho'?

Because /r/ of the cluster /tr/ is written adho.t.thitam i.e. below /t/:
consequently /a/ of tra has to be put above the line in order to be
graphically joined to the a of ayam. This would not have been possible, if
the two a´s were joined below the line, for the long a would then be hanging
below the line with /y/ of the following word above the line. Orthographic
practice, however, writes long a above the line. The terms "above" and
"below" are incomprehensible as referring to anything but orthography.
I think that at least some of the so-called sandhi rules were based upon ms
readings of particular texts. Dhammapada comes in handy in this context as
the example shows.

<I do not agree that the orthographic interpretation of Kacc 10 is 'very
simple' or 'makes sense'.  Rather it seems as contrived as anything in the
dustbin>

Alright! There is, however, plenty of evidence available from inscriptions
that would support my interpretation.

Ole Pind





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