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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In Search of the Original Ardhamāgadhi
K.R. Chandra hardly necessary to say that in the new edition of the Āgamas, only the reading “khettanna' should be adopted as proper, appropriate and the archaic one.
Similarly, from the point of view of different times and places, the word took many shapes, and these are found in different forms in different manuscripts of the three stages of the collation of the versions of the Āgamas. The cause of all this is the influence of the local usages of the changing times and places. If this word was uttered by Lord Mahāvīra, and was given a word-form by the Gañadharas in writing and recitation of their compilation of his teachings, as also in the First Redaction of the Jaina Anga Āgamas compiled in Pātaliputra, the form of this word must have been 'khettana' as is evidenced by the Ashokan inscriptions of the Eastern region; and hence only this form of this word should be taken as original and appropriate. If this be unacceptable, the next choice would be the (Saurasenī) reading 'khedanna' or khedanna’ of the Second Redaction as but proper. In case this too is not acceptable, the third choice should be the reading 'kheyanna' only of the Third Redaction fixed up in Valabhī. Thus, it will ultimately mean that it is Devardhigani who composed the Āgama texts and his language is influenced by the Mahārāștri rather than the Māgadhī. But the question that arises is, how can the usges of the anterior period and prevalent in different times and places occur in the same composition of a same later date. The only explanation in such a case is that, if this work is an ancient text, and that too of the Eastern region (Magadha-deśa), the only proper and acceptable archaic reading of the word should be the khettanna one; and this should be adopeted in the Ācārānga text. This is the only conclusion justified on the basis of the linguistic and historical development. By chance, as an additional evidence, we find the readings ‘a-khettanna; (642), 'a-khettanna' (641), 'khetanna' (680) in the printed MJV. edition of the Second Śruta-skandha of the Sūtrakstānga. Do the last two readings, not support the reading “khettanna or Khetanna' of this word ?
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