present participles in the Bhikkhuni Patimokkha

Hello,

I am working on an edition of the Bhikkhuni Patimokkha. While comparing
some printed editions I noticed that one Sinhalese edition has the
feminine present participle forms jaanantii and abhijaanantii instead of
jaana.m and abhijaana.m, for example in Sanghadisesa 2. “Yaa pana
bhikkhunii jaanantii cori.m vajjha.m vidita.m…”
This reading is supported by the Vinayavinicchayatika (Be): Jaanantiiti
saama.m vaa jaanaati, aññe vaa tassaa aarocentii ti vuttanayena jaanantii.
The Bhikkhuni-vibhangas I looked at had jaana.m, but the Padabhajana,
strangely enough, comments on jaanaati: ''jaanaati saama.m vaa
jaanaati...'' which perhaps suggests that the original reading was
jaanantii.

The Padamala of the Saddaniiti (Be p. 241) has the following discussion
on the usage of jaanantii instead of jaana.m:
Idaani samagatikattepi “jaana.m, passan”ti-aadiina.m
li"ngavibhattivacanantaravasena yo viseso dissati, ta.m vadaama. Tathaa
hi “saa jaana.myeva aaha na jaanaamiiti, passa.myeva aaha na
passaamii”ti evamaadiisu jaana.m passa.m saddaana.m “jaanantii
passantii”ti li"ngantaravasena parivattana.m bhavatiiti da.t.thabba.m.
Iminaa “gaccha.m”iti saddassapi yathaapayoga.m “gacchantii”ti itthiyaa
kathanattho labbhati tehi samaanagatikattaa, na “gacchanto”ti saddassa
“gacchantii”ti itthiyaa kathanattho labbhati tehi asamaanagatikattaati
kaara.na.m dassita.m hoti. “Api nu tumhe aayasmanto ekantasukha.m loka.m
jaana.m passa.m viharathaa”ti ettha “jaanantaa passantaa”ti
vacanantaravasena parivattana.m bhavatiiti da.t.thabba.m.

I am not familiar with the terminogy of the Saddaniiti and wonder if one
of the members could clarify what the Saddaniti states and whether the
readings jaanantii, etc, in the Bhikkhuniipaatimokkha could be original
or a change due to the influence of grammarians.

Regards,
Bh Nyanatusita