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PREFACE.
XV
There is little hope to find a self-consistent system of orthography even in the oldest MSS. ; for inconsistency in spelling is probably as old as Jaina writing. The differences between our two MSS. are chiefly the following:
1) A more generally retains the original consonant between two vowels, while B prefers a substitute (resp. a luk or blank) allowed by the laws of Jaina Prakrit. Not to extend unduly the various roadings by noting every single case of difference, yet to show as much as possible the actual state of the MSS., the consonants which are retained only in one MS. are printed in italics, e.g. vadati is printed
vadati' if both MSS. read thus, but 'vadati,' if A or B has vayai. An italicized h indicates that B has ilh.
2) B has in the greater part of the work no yacruti after i, i, u, ú, e, o. We have, in this regard, followed the not quite uniform practice of A.
3) B prefers i and u before two consonants, while A has e and o. Where both MSS. differ, a semicircle is added to e and o, viz. 1, o.
It must be mentioned that both MSS. are equally inconsistent in the choice between the lingual and dental nasals when initial or doubled. We have adopted the lingual only where the Sanskrit prototype has it.
Another help for my labours was the Calcutta cdition of the Acârânga, together with Pârçvacandra's Bâlâvabodha or Guzerati Gloss, Jinahamsasûri's Dipikâ, Çîlârika's ?'îkâ and Bhadrabâhu's Niryukti (Calcutta Sam. 1935). This edition is of the ordinary stamp of native publications, which generally have about the same value as a corrected MS. In the present instance, the practice of not separating the Prâkrit words, nor visibly marking the end of sentences, even of lessons and lectures, renders the book rather inconvenient for our use. Nevertheless this edition is more convenient than MSS. ; I have therefore 'constantly used it. Occasionally noted various readings from the text of this edition, which nearly agrees with that of A, even in minor details, are marked C.
The division of my text into paragraphs is partly my own
