Agam 39 Chhed 06 Mahanishith Sutra

Author(s): Punyavijay, Rupendrakumar Pagariya, Dalsukh Malvania, H C Bhayani
Publisher: Prakrit Granth Parishad

Page 62

MAHĀNISIHA STUDIES AND EDITION IN GERMANY
18. CONCLUSIONS
by SCHUBRING and DELEU
18.0 Walther Schubring has summarised the results of his studies of the MNA at two places: (1) MNSt.A.1918,pp.95-101, and (2) MNSt.B: 1963, pp.171-174. Here we present them in a free translation and with some abridgements. As 8.3 we reproduce some part of "A Preliminary Note" by Jozef Deleu (B,pp.1-2).
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18.1 Schubring, MNSt.A,pp.95-101.
8.1.1 The most important question, in our opinion, arising out of our studies of the MNA is, whether the text should be regarded as the WORK of an individual author or as an anonymous TEXT belonging to the Canon. As it is now available, the MNA can, in one sense, be considered as a work, but the author, or rather compiler, has first created this composition out of elements which may, in most cases, be his own work, yet many of them are certainly of foreign origin, and these were either borrowed [verbatim] or at least utilized by him. The passages of transitional character from his pen would have been hardly necessary, if they were not needed to connect tracts of varying origin with one another. From the view point of language, the foreign origin is clearest in the case of the tract about sexuality (II.§10-24: B,pp.38-46) and about kusīla (III.§1.39-46: B.pp.50.68-71). both of which are composed in Ardhamägadhi, unlike the rest which is in Jaina Mähäräştri (except, of course, the introduction to the text which is full of canonical phrases). From the view point of contents, there are numerous insertions in the Vth Chapter. In the Pacchitta-sutta we notice a rationality of not allowing extremism while determining the punishments; such extremism does appear in other parts of the MNA, rather just after the rationality mentioned above. We would also like to presume that the complete middle portion, not only the kusila-tract, has been inserted into the superstructure. Besides the contents, its form deviating from the main portion, viz. both, the prose and the äryä verses, would support our presumpticn.
8.1.2 The spirit of a definite personality which still remains unknown to us has spread his typical cover of language over all material, his own or borrowed, including that in Ardhamägadhi. The compiler uses the nom.sing.masc. in -e / -o (mainly in -e in prose of non-narrative contents, exclusively in -o in verses); nom.pl.masc. in -e and -a (in -e mainly in prose, in verses also in e). In a general aeglect of differentiation between genders, he tends to make neuter forms of words which are otherwise masculine. His prose suffers not seldom under the false excess of strange expressions and stylistic clumsiness. In verses, he is not afraid of creating the even padas of anustubh containing seven asaras, and composes more gitis than äryäs (contrast MNA.III.,37: B.p.59 with Avasyaka-niryukti, 1332, see MNSt.A,p.58); he does not get disturbed by the break in