________________
(32) ·
Chapters on Passions
could, however, try to compose the pro-canons based on their partial memory of the common heritage and in a language characterised mainly by Ardhamāgadhī.
As most of early Digambara ācāryas remained in south, their language was mostly immune to Mahārāstrī. They maintained their Ardhamāgadhī-based Saurasenī intact in their compositions in early periods of non-grammatisation as shown by Upadhye. However, one could not help it to be influenced by Saṁskṛta due to its growing literary character. Thus, the language of Jaina pro-canonical texts is a specific one-based on Ardha-māgadhi incorporating Sauraseni, Saṁskṛta and native languages- thus going beyond the specific grammar. In contrast with the Svetāmbara canons incorporating many Mahārāștri words, the Digambara canons have fewer native words due to their composition in South and have a special character of admixture of languages. To call it as pure Saurasenī is confusing and its linguistic refining is unjust and historically disastrous. Late Prof. Chandra and Banerjee have also recently clarified the nature of Digambara pro-canonical language. It is due to this peculiar character that western scholars have given it a special name 'Jaina Sauraseni rather than 'Digambara' language as suggested by Deneeke in his thesis. There should be no objection for this specified designation. Thus, 'Jaina Śaurasenī' is the language of SK and KP.
The tradition of Jaina Sauraseni continued up to about tenth century and KP had its credibility. However, going through the verses of KP, and many words used by the author there, one finds the various terms or words, alternative words, cases, junctions, compounds, suffixes, nouns, pronouns and verbs, which make an important topic for linguistic study of KP. There are many words and terms indicating hidden meanings or part-mentioning which required elaboration by
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org