LANGUAGE IN INDIA

Strength for Today and Bright Hope for Tomorrow

Volume 21:9 September 2021
ISSN 1930-2940

Editors:
         Sam Mohanlal, Ph.D.
         B. Mallikarjun, Ph.D.
         A. R. Fatihi, Ph.D.
         G. Baskaran, Ph.D.
         T. Deivasigamani, Ph.D.
         Pammi Pavan Kumar, Ph.D.
         Soibam Rebika Devi, M.Sc., Ph.D.

Managing Editor & Publisher: M. S. Thirumalai, Ph.D.

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Suddhamāgadhi: The Language of Buddhavacana

Mukesh Mehta

Abstract

Scholars have different opinions about the origin of the Pāḷi, that we recognize as a language today. Different scholars have tried to make the origination of the word Pāḷi with different words like- Pariyāya, Pāṭha, Pamkti, Pāṭ ali, Palli, Prāleyaka, etc. Similarly, there is a difference of opinion among the scholars regarding the origin-places of the Pāḷi language. Different scholars consider it as a language of different ancient territories like- Kaliŋga, Kosala, Ujjayinī, Vindhya-Pradeśa, Magadha, etc. However, from the viewpoint of the literal and regional roots of the Pāḷi language, the Magadha region seems to be more logical and prominent as origin-place of the Pāḷi. Thus, Māgadhī is the more appropriate denotement for the Pāḷi and it is widely accepted by many scholars of Pāḷi, Buddhology, Linguistics and other allied disciplines.

But there is a big confusion among students, researchers, and scholars somehow associated with linguistics, ancient languages, Buddhist literature, Jaina literature, or Vaidika literature. Although some of them consider Pāḷi as an independent language, they may not be aware that Pāḷi could be the modern denotement of the ancient language Māgadhī. On the other hand, many others know this fact, but they become confused with the Māgadhī-Prākṛta.

Thus, through this research paper I have attempted to discuss and introduce both Māgadhī-Pāḷi and Māgadhī-Prākṛta comparatively and tried to discuss and point-out those features that have established Pāḷi as an independent language and differentiate it from Prākṛta. And while doing all this, an attempt has been made to discuss whether the word Suddhamāgadhi used by Sri Lankan scholar Suriyagoḍa Thera for the Māgadhī-Pāḷi is appropriate or not.

Keywords: Pāḷi, Māgadhī, Addhamāgadhī, Suddhamāgadhī, Buddhavacana.

This is only the beginning part of the article. PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE IN PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION.

Mukesh Mehta
Research Fellow
Department of Pa?i & Buddhist Studies
Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi – 221005
mehtabhu18@gmail.com
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