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Prajnaparamila-ratna guna-sarcaya-găthă following closely the chapters of the Sanskrit work. The Mahayana was a great religion; it had a large following in India. Though much of its literature is written in Sanskrit, the popular works were written in the mixed language, and the mixed language has profoundly influenced the languages of Eastern India, but scholars have rarely, if ever. taken cognizance of this influence.
The other party in the schism of Vaisālī was the Theravādins. They seem to have stuck to the ever-changing vernacular. The oldest work so far extent, is the Thera-theri-găthā. This contains the gathas written by the old followers of Buddha, and their followers, Chronologically the last therīwhose gatha is recorded in that anthology belonged to the reign of Vindusāra, the father of Asoka. It has many peculiar forms, in fact most of the vikalpas or optional forms given in the Pali grammars belong to these găthảs. They have been modernized, but modernization is difficult in poetry and especially in those pieces which were almost in everybody's mouth. So in these găthas we may have more than a peep into the structure of the language of the 5th and the 4" centuries before Christ. We have another genuine relic of the language of Asoka's time in the Kathāvatthu composed under orders of the third Samgiti held in the 17th year of Asoka's reign. The language goes under the name of Pali. It is not known how far it has been modernized. But still an examination of the structure of the language is likely to give us much information about the language of that time. And it would be exceedingly interesting if a scholar undertakes to give us the results of the comparative study of this work and the inscriptions of Asoka in so far as the language is concerned.
The next important relic of language is the Häthigumpha Inscription. Some great scholars have pronounced it to be nearer to Pali than the Asoka Inscriptions. Dr. Hoernle, in his preface to the Prakrit grammar of Canda thinks that Canda's grammar formulates rules for a language, which is very near Pali.
The modern theory about Pali is that it is the official language of Magadha as transplanted in the capital of the Andhras. This however, requires verification. But if it is true, Pali must be a more recent language than that of the Asoka Inscriptions, and the extensive literature it embodies must have the modernized forms of many ancient works. The oldest work of the Buddhists according to Kern is the Mahaparinibbanasutta. This is very natural. The Nirvana of Buddha produced a deep sensation among his followers and that sensation should find an early expression. But it is available only in the Pali form, and if the above theory is truc, - modernized in the 6th century of the Buddhist Era.
Cat W311 3104 - Fugate, 2002 C
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