Navsuttani

SR No.: 003556
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Tulsi Acharya, Mahapragna Acharya
Publisher: Jain Vishva Bharati
Publication Year: 2000
Total Pages: 1316
Language: Prakrit
Classification: Book_Devnagari, Agam, & Canon
File Size: 29 MB

Page 94

84
NISITHA
Four versions, printed and hand-written, have been utilized in constituting the text of the Niśitha. Among them 'a' and ' versions belong to a particular class and *** and to another class. Readings have been accepted after a critical consideration of all the versions and the curni We get readings sanctioned at two separate councils. In one of them the version is abridged while in the other it is expanded. The complete text is not available in any of the versions.
completed almost all the readings, by following up the gaps. Most of the gaps in the Nisitha have been completed on the basis of Niśitha itself. In some places the completion has been done on the basis of the Aydracula and the Vyavahara, In many an uddelaka, completion of gaps has resulted in the inflation of the size, but the meaning has been made clearer as a consequence thereof. The reader will derive great benefit from this. We have also properly utilized the edition of Walther Schubring. His abridged text is not unscientific but it has not lessened the difficulties of the text and its readers. We have therefore preferred to expand the text by filling in the gaps.
We have also kept in view the Suttagame edited by Pupphabhikkhu. But we are surprised at his method of dropping the passages repugnant to his whim. We are citing below some passages in this connection.
Nistha (edited by Schubring) 1/4 ghaeņa vā vasãe vā navaṇiena vā 11/80 je bhikkhu maṁsälyam
Suttagame (part II)
1/4 ghana va navaṇīeņa vā 11/727 je bhikkhu ābeņam vå.
macchaiyath va mahsa-khalam va maccha-khalaṁ vā āheņa vā. 12/1 je bhikkhů koluṇapadiyae annayarim.
19/1-7 je bhikkhu viyadam.
19/7 wanting.
Such manipulation destroys the authenticity of the edition. This type of foul play with the basic text is something done out of bravado.
12/740 je bhikkhu annayarim.
Doubt persists even after critically constituting the text. On account of corrupt script the readings sometimes defy the attempt at determining their meaning. In the eleventh sutra of the ninth uddeŝaka the reading 'jo tamh annam' does not give any appropriate meaning. There is already the nominative 'je bhikkha that precludes the necessity of another nominative, viz. 'jo'. The expression "uvavuhaniyam' means food, etc., and therefore the term 'annam' is redundant. What remains is the expression 'tam'. The author of the curṇi has taken up 'tam' only and explained it as 'tam puna pähuḍam'. Thus the text should read 'avvocchiņṇāe tam padiggaheti. But all the words are not explained in the cúrni, and such reading is not found in any of the versions used for the edition. This is the reason