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script sources. We would also wish to convey our congratulations to Dr. K. R. Chandra on the appearance of his stimulating re-appraisal of the linguistic form of the text of Acarangu.
J. C. Wright Professor of Sanskrit in the Univ. of London
School of Oriental and African Studies.
From :
South Asia Dept., Professior J. C. Wright SOAS, University of London,
Thornhaugh St., Russel Sq., Londoan WCIH OXG
28/5/97 Dear Dr. Chandra,
Thank you for sending me a copy of your report on the outcome of the Original Language' Seminar.
Of cource I remain most interested in the progress of your re-appraisal of the testimony of Acaranga MSS for the language of Amg. texts, and hopeful that you can publish more of the information gleaned. Would that someone might be inspired to produce facsimile reproductions of the principal MSS, in emulation of the Satapitaka Series. That is something that ought to be demanded at every conference, before the MSS disintegrate entirely.
Your findings seem to confirm that a return to the method of Jacobi's 1882 edition of Acaranga would be appropriate. In case of variation, he gave in italics the most antique-looking reading that happened to be available (e.g.... nātam bhavati... ovavāiye...), even although, on his own showing, such readings can always be put down to an instinct to clarify the meaning. Thus he rightly could take note of effects like 1.2 mäyä me pitā
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