Re: Chaṭṭhasaṅgīti Piṭaka series in Sri Lanka

Dear Chris,

Prof. Somaratana, who is involved with the Dhammakaya Tipitaka edition that Brev and I referred to, wrote the following to Ven. Ananadajoti, to whom I inquired:

”BJ AN Volume I carries an introduction to the volume by Ven. Kodāgoḍa Ñāṇāloka Nayaka Thera and in it, on pp. xv,31-xvii,3, is a critique of Chaṭṭhasangāyana edition of AN I, where he says: 'We examined it and in it there are emendations (śodhana) that we do not agree.' Then he gives several examples. The first example he rejected was CS bahūnaṁ-katīnaṁ and with grammar he says bahunnaṁ katinnaṁ is the proper form. Then there are three-four other examples, mainly his point is that he cannot accept them when examined from the linguistic and commentary point of view.”

It is well known that the Burmese Pali texts have been heavily influenced by Pali grammars, especially the Saddanīti of the 12 century Burmese grammarian Aggavamsa, and have been 'standardized' and sanskritized to remove prakritisms that were perceived as corruptions or as inconsistencies. Especially the German scholar called Oscar von Hinüber wrote about this Burmese trend.

I hope that this is of use. I can send you a PDF with the passage by Ven. Kodāgoḍa Ñāṇāloka Nayaka Thera, but it is in Sinhalese, so I doubt that it is of use to you.

Best wishes,
Bh Nyanatusita

On 2/17/2014 5:38 AM, Chris Clark wrote: