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Shri Mahavir Jain Aradhana Kendra
www.kobatirth.orgAcharya Shri Kailashsagarsuri Gyanmandir
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be reduced to 981 (989 (2+6)]. How far this process of reduction can proceed iu the text itself it is difficult to say. There are no doubt a number of mechanical multiplication of verses which has practically no rnison d'étre, and has a marked tendency to swell up the volume without bringing out any new idea. We have do right to deduct the verses thus multiplied from the Udānavarga, but must on the other hand count them as they occur in it. General reduction is bowever possible in relation to earlier texts, if any, where certair verses forming a sub-group in a chapter of the Udānavargat are found less in number. The case in hand could be fairly proved, if by the process of reduction, just mentioned, the total 981 cculd be further reduced to a number approximating 900.
Dr. Nanjio says that the fourth or last Chinese version of the Dhammapada, the F4-tsi-sun-yko-kir, dated A.D. 382-1000, is no other than the text portion of the Chuh-yau-king (p. xvi). But from a comparison of a few chapters of the two Chinese versions with the kind help of our friend Mr. R. Kimura, we are constrained to admit some differences between them, though we can only so far readily concede to Dr. Nanjio that they show a general agreement in many respects. Remembering that a similar agroamert can also be shown to exist between the text portion of the Chuh-yau-king and Rockhill's Udāpavarga, as well as judging by the dates of the Tibetan version and the fourth Chinese version, we may be justified in holding that their originals were the same, making due allowance for slight variation as may exist between two manuscripts of one and the same text. With regard to the date of the Saus:rit Udãnavarga, one can definitely say that it was compiled some time before the time of its commentator Prajnavarman, who lived in the 9th century A.D., while this much is certain as regards the text portion of the Chub-yau-king that it was extant before the 3rd century of the Christian era. Not knowing any other copy of the Dhammapada than one with 900 verses which Wai-chi-lan could avail himself of in adding a few chapters resonibling those in the Udánavarga, we
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