In Search of the Original Ardhamagadhi English Translation

Author(s): K R Chandra, N M Kansara, Nagin J Shah, Ramniklal M Shah
Publisher: Prakrit Text Society Ahmedabad

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REVIEWS AND OPINIONS ON ACARANGA
acteristics common to Māgadhi. On the contrary it shows surprisingly great affinity with Mahārāstrī. Scholars of linguistics explain the transformation as an inevitable result of the powerful impact of the dominant literary Mahārāstrī. It is a well known fact that from the days of Dandin's Kävyādaría Mahārāștrī has enjoyed the enviable status of 'prakrstam prākrtam'- the best among all Prakrit languages. The language of the canon which was undergoing changes slowly and imperceptibly during the very long period of 1000 years from the days of Mahāvīra, when it came in contact with literary Mahārāstrī, after migration, it was very natural, that it should be highly influenced by the latter (the literary Mahārāstrī).
Muni Punyavijayaji has a somewhat different explanation. The phonological changes in the readings of the text had not been due to a natural process but these changes in the spelling of the words have been brought about intentionally by the later Acāryas at different times or on account of losing contact with the original forms of the ancient Prakrit when the community of monks was unable to understand the original forms of the language (Ardhamāgadhi). Ācārya Abhayadeva, Acārya Malayagiri etc., found it necessary to change old forms into the new or younger forms and it is they who have transformed old forms.
Whatever be the circumstances responsible for the changes, the fact remains that the original (Ardhamāgadhi) language of the Svetāmbara Jain Canon is greatly influenced by the standard Mahārāstrī Prakrit.
Now, it is an admitted fact that the Jain Agama texts are not sabda-pradhāna but artha-pradhāna. The Jains have tried to preserve the true meaning (artha) and not the original words (śabda) of Mahāvīra :
अत्थं भासइ अरिहा सुत्तं गंथंति गणहरा णिउणं ।
(Mahāvīra promulgates the true meaning of scriptures in the course of his religious discourses, and his
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