Mahanisiha Studies And Edition In Germany

Author(s): Chandrabhal Tripathi
Publisher: Chandrabhal Tripathi

Page 21

MAHĀNISĪHA STUDIES AND EDITION IN GERMANY
Ind.Stud. 16,p.373) is eo ipso clear. Then follows the figure of the useful copartnership of the lame with the blind man which is specially emphasized:
hayam nāņam kiyāhīņam, hayā annāņao kiya / pāsamto pamgulo daļdho dhāvamāņo a amdhao 11 ...
amdho ya pamgū ya vaạe samecchā, te sampauttā nagaram pavitthā 1127 Furthermore, emphasis is laid upon reverence (vamde, vamdiyyā) for pictures (padimā) and temples (ceia, ceiyālaya). A special formula seems to have been made use of in this connection, an enigmatical treatment of the letters which occurs after the fashion of the treatment of a um (om) in the Upanishads and in similar formulas in the tantra ritual. This entire subject was a riddle to the copyist (see I.$28.2], and so it remains for us. After the real conclusion of the work, in an addition, a similar subject is treated of in like manner merely by means of single letters (VIII.846, see MNSt.C, pp.106-7).
Book II is entitled kammavivāyaṇam [rec.: -vivāga-vāgaraņa), ... At the end is found an obscure statement which perhaps has reference to Ajjh.I.II and which reads: eesim tu ... [see II.$37.2; 19.2).
Books III and IV, without specific titles, are composed almost entirely in prose, and treat specially of the kusila. It is noticeable that in Book III frequent reference for, reverence?] is paid to the duvālasamgam suya-nānam and the samgôvamga-duvālas'. amga-samudda. The commencement with sāmāiya is retained, and the suya-nāņam is then characterized as sāmāiya-m-āi logabindu-sā<ga>ra-payyavasānam. We find in the text the following statements which are very characteristic as regards the origin and history of Book III: tattha tattha ... (cf. III,846). This is an example of the saying qui s'excuse s'accuse. It is more probable that the above is a production of the author himself than it emanates from the hand of the copyist who is inclined to doubt. Book IV contains a legend of two brothers, Sumati and Nāila28, in which we may observe an occasional reference in Sanskrit!) to an old elucidation (!) of Anga 10:
27 [These vss. are MNA.L.35*-37* (Deleu,p.20), most probably borrowed from the Āvaśyaka-niryukti (see the Visesavajyaka-bhāsya of Jinabhadra-gani, ed. by Pt. D.Mālvania, LDS.10.1966, pp.220-222, vs.1156, 1162, 1166 = Niry. 101-102-103). CJ. also Leumann, Av.Erzählungen,p.19: 11.22.)
28 Weber.fn.93: In the Theravali of the Kalpassūtra), one of the four scholars of Vajra(svāmin), or of Vajrasena, is called by this name. He was the founder of a school which bore his name. Bhūadinna, the scholar of Nāgajjuna, was from the Nāilakula: see vs.41 of the Therâvali in the Nandissūtra).