Tulsi Prajna 1992 07

SR No.: 524571
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Parmeshwar Solanki
Publisher: Jain Vishva Bharati
Publication Year: 1992
Total Pages: 154
Language: Hindi
Classification: Magazine, India_Tulsi Prajna, & India
File Size: 8 MB

Page 148

TULSI-PRAJNĀ, July-Sept., 1992
The present book is a collection of some of his papers on this subject. In the first chapter Dr. Chandra illustrates the linguistic anamoly in the published editions of the Canon.
In the second chapter, Dr. Chandra discusses what he regards as the main features of old AMG. Common features in Pāli and AMG. may indicate some of the characteristics of the language of ancient Magadha and/or Kosala. We can accept case terminations like Instr. Pl. -bli, Dat. Sg. -āya, Loc. Sg. -ssim or the derivatives from Vedic forms as old AMG. This whole chapter deserves careful study.
Although I do not agree with the date assigned to the Pataliputra Vācanā, I accept that it was the first Vācanā. (Dr. Chandra assigns 4th Cent. B.C. vide p. 59, Footnote 1, according to Max Mullar's "Sheet anchor of Ancient Indian Chronology", on the basis of Brahmaņical Mahāpurāņas, Candragupta Maurya was coronated in 1530 B.C. which I follow) But that does not affect the historicity cf the first Vacanã at Patalipūtra. 1, however, doubt whether the AMG Canon was settled in that Vācanā or whether some time later but before Māthuri Vacanā. We come cross references to the Vacanã at Māthur. I wish to know if there are references to Pataliputra Vācanā in the Canon. The same is the case with the Pali Canon. Although Mahā Kassapa took the lead to collect the Buddha Vacana in the ist Sangiti at Rājagsha, scholars do not believe that the present Pali Canon is the sam; as in the first Sangiti at Rājagțha.
Apart from this, Dr. Chandra deserves our thanks for collecting linguistically interesting and important material in this chapter. There is no doubt that AMG was an East Indian language, though its name is rather enigmatic. Geographically it is supposed to belong to a “Half of Magadha". But which Half ? And what language was spoken in the other half of Magadha ? Linguistically AMG does not share the differentia of Māgadhi viz. the change of Sk. S, S, S to Ś and uniform change of Sk. R to L. Hemacandra rightly calls it ARSA. Pali and AMG are like the Sindhu and the Brahmaputrā. They rise from the Mānasa Lake, but flow in different directions. The same had happened in the case of Pali and AMG. They belonged to practically the same region. But Pali was fortunate to get royal support and was preserved better. When it came to be fixed at the time of king Kaniska in Kashmir, its linguistic form remained more ancient. The history of Pali does not mention or reflect the effect of the great famine in the reign of Chandragupta Maurya, Jain