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In Search of the Original Ardhamāgadhi
K.R. Chandra
jāṇittu (Ācārānga), caittu (Uttarādhyayana), pavisittu, pamajjittu (Daśavaikālika), vaṁdittu (Kalpasūtra), suņittu, bhunjittu (Daśavaikālika), etc.
All these examples are found in senior Ardhamāgadhī texts, and have been quoted by Pischel.
These same affixes are found employed in the Ashokan inscriptions. Hence, they could be prevalent only in the works belonging to that period. If they were not in currency at that time, how could they find place in the Ardhamāgadhi? Some instances from the Ashokan incriptions are as follows:
jänitu/-ttu (Dhauli Separate inscription) sutu/ - ttu (Kālasī, Toparā), śrutu /- ttu (Shāhabazgaḍhī, Mānaseharā)'. All the five peculiarities, shown above, viz., initial y = a-, mati = muti, the Dative Singular termination - ãe, the Present Participle Affix - māna -mīna, the affix -ttu of the Absolutive Gerund, are found in the Ashokan inscriptions. We have no inscriptional evidences of the period anterior to them. Hence, we cannot say how much archaic they are than even the Ashokan inscriptions. But it is certain that the very fact of their occurrence in the Ardhamāgadhī Āgama texts proves that some of the Agama texts are at least as old as the inscriptions of the Ashokan period.
(2) Peculiar Characteristics of the Eastern Dialect (of the Ashokan Period) available in the Ardhamāgadhi (G) r =
In the Ardhamāgadhī Āgama texts, one finds numerous usages with 1 in places of r, as for instance :
In the First Śrutaskamdha of the Acārānga there are found ladha (294, 295, 298, 300), lukkha (176), lūha (99, 161, 198, 295, 310) elisa (177), aṇelisa (229), elikkha (297), palichimdiya (145), palichimdiyāṇam (115), palichinna (144), paliochanna (151), palimokkha (151), urāla (udāra, 263), etc.;
In the Su. Kr. these forms are traced; (MJV. Edn.) paligove 1.121, palibhinda 279, paiiumca 447, 560, paiimamtha 448;
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