Jainalogy In Western Publications

SR No.: 269649
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Kenji Watanabe
Publisher: Kenji Watanabe
Total Pages: 12
Language: English
Classification: Article
File Size: 2 MB

Page 5

Colette Caillat
(The Tale of the Quest for Ultimate Release of Sālibhadra and Dhanna). A work in Old Gujarātī. Critically Edited and Translated, with a Grammatical Analysis and Glossary by Ernest Bender (AOS 73, 573 pp.: chapter IV Grammar, VIII Glossary, IX Appendices [Index of verses ... ]).
4. As for “JŚ”, critical editions of chapters or sections of the Mūlācāra by K. OKUDA (No. 10) and of Sivārya's Mūlārādhanā by K. OETJENS (No. 13) have provided an opportunity to try to assess the linguistic characteristics and position of this variety of Middle Indo-Aryan (OETJENS pp. 35–53).
4.1. The denomination "JŚ” is rejected by K. O. who (probably following L. ALSDORF) considers this Prakrit idiom as an old stage of AMg: he would define it as the central or western type of MIA into which the early canonical scriptures of the Jains (old sayings previously expressed in an eastern dialect) had first been "translated” (pp. 46, 52). In spite of the many interesting remarks presented in this introduction, some of the conclusions seem somewhat speculative.
4.2. Again, the inconsistencies or idiosyncrasies noted in the language of Māc (No. 10, pp. 31ff.) should perhaps not just be dismissed as monstrosities. It is observed that they recur in the Svetāmbara Nijjuttis. This fact would point to common (grammatical, exegetical?) usages or conventions which require at least some investigation.
5. For the most part, linguistic and grammatical investigations have been focussed on the Svetāmbara canon, whether on the "seniors" (esp. Sūyagada, Uttarajjhāyā) or on later layers (Paiņnayas, various canonical Nijjuttis), i.e. on early AMg and early JM.
5.1. As far as grammar is concerned, it can be seen that PISCHEL's observations have on the whole proved remarkably accurate (and exhaustive). Hence, while including references to recent research papers, O. v. HINÜBER'S Das ältere Mittelindisch im Überblicks could still systematically refer to this authoritative book.
Naturally, in recent years many details have been further studied. As for