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

Page 131

REVIEWS AND OPINIONS ON ÄCĀRĀNGA
(i) N retained i na, natthi, neva, jonio, anudisão, (ii) JN=NN : sannā (samjñā), parinnā (parijñā), (iii) NY=NN : anne (anye), annesiṁ (anyesām), (iv) NN=NN : padivanna (pratipanna).
There are exceptions which show change to cerebral n. For example:șani (nūnam), nāna (jñāna), appaņa (ātman).
(2) A tendency to retain intervocalic K, c, 1, or p and occasionally to change them to g, j, d, (the earlier three respectively). The elision of medial consonants is Mahārāştrīsm. Thus kappati is an old AMg form while kappai shows the influence of Mahārāştri and hence a younger form.
In morphology we find the following old terminations preserved in the restored text :
For example : Nom. Sg. -e (for the Mahārāștri -o which is frequently used in other texts of the Canon.
Neuter Nom. and Acc. plural suffix - ni., Instrumental Sg.-ena (not enam), Instrumental Plutral in-hi (from Vedicbhiḥ as in karnebhih śrunuyāna devāh), Ablative Sg.-to., Locative Sg. -ssiṁ (Old.Skt.-smin).
Sometimes editors unaware of the -e termination of Nom. and Vocative Sg.create some confusion. The main reason is that old MSS. do not separate words in writing as we do so today. All the letters are written without any adequate gap between two words. Thus we find the opening sentence of Acaranga printed as follows:
Suyam me ausaṁ tenam Bhagavayā evamakkhāyam
(ii) Sutaṁ me ausaṁteņa (or āusasteņaṁ) Bhagavatā
evamakhătań (सुतं मे आउसंतेण (अथवा आउसंतेणं) भगवता एवमक्खातं)
The Cūrni interpretes: mayā āvasatā (9241 371974) "By me while worshipping." Tradition tells us that Sudharman heard it directly. It is to Jambusvāmin that he calls "āusaṁ (Āyuşman) Long-lived" (37741847).
If the reading is taken as "Āusantenan"(313 ) that will qualify the instrumental Sg. Bhagavayă (04). To call the Lord "Āyuşman" (3774047) is really strange.
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