Re: Dhp 39

Hi Jim,

When it comes to the Buddhist dialects (other than Pāli) and the earlier Prakrit layer(s) underlying Pāli and BHS/Gāndhārī,  I think we're all on shaky ground, as it's just not a subject that has been studied in any detail. We only have snippets here and there and the morphology (inflections) is probably better understood than exactly what happens with the phonology. Dhp 39 is a good example as it's hard or impossible to figure out what word the Patna Dhp redactors were working with before they tried to Sanskritize it, or whether it's just an error in writing or copying from another text. And of course there is always the possibility of a separate transmission, as some have argued (i. e. the Buddha said different things at different times rather than being uniform),

I would love to study the grammars too when I get the time. Geiger's has a very good introduction to phonological variations in Pāli (from Sanskrit and some Prakrit forms). Do Kaccaayana and the Saddaniiti have anything on phonological variations between Pāli and the other Prakrits? or do they just concern themselves with Pāli?

Best wishes,

Bryan






________________________________
From: Jim Anderson <jimanderson_on@...>
To: palistudy@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Sun, December 13, 2009 2:03:25 PM
Subject: Re: [palistudy] Dhp 39

  
Dear Bryan,

You wrote:

<< I guess that supports your view as to the corruption of
anaprāśraya, as the Vism is around 500 A. D. and the Paṭsambhidamagga
is also quite late, at least a few hundred years after the Dhp, >>

I don't have a view I'm trying to support, and the Vism reference
wasn't given for that purpose. And besides, I hardly know the Patna
Dhp so I'm really in no position to give conclusions on its readings
or have an informed discussion on them. Saying that I thought the
reading seemed corrupt was only based on my first impressions. I do
not know the language or dialect of the Patna Dhp. To me it seems like
a text mixed up with Sanskrit, Pali, and the Prakrits and is unlikely
to have its own grammar texts like that of Pali which must have at
least a humdred.

My main area of interest is in the study of traditional Pali grammar,
in particular, that of Kaccaayana with most of its commentaries and
subcommentaries and the Saddaniiti. I'm working with the idea that
knowing these texts thoroughly will go a long way in helping us
understand the intricacies of the Pali language. These grammar texts
also help to preserve the language. Without them the language would
degrade at a more rapid rate.

Best,
Jim.





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