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Art. XIV.—On the Origin of the Buddhist Arthakathás

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 March 2011

Extract

About eighteen months ago I was engaged in preparing an edition of Brahmajála Sutta, and of Buddhaghosa's commentary upon it which forms the first section of the Sumaṅgala Vilásiní. Buddhaghosa's commentary upon Brahmajála Sutta is one of the most important of his writings, since it contains a detailed account of the First General Council, held immediately after Buddha's death for the purpose of settling the text of the Buddhist Scriptures. Intending to publish this work in the same volume with the Brahmajála which it comments upon, I began, and made considerable progress with, a translation of it. At the very outset I met with a difficulty, in the shape of an historical statement in Buddhaghosa's introductory verses which seemed in the highest degree improbable and untrustworthy.

Type
Original Communications
Copyright
Copyright © The Royal Asiatic Society 1871

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References

page 290 note 1 Released from the five Gatis or states of existence, i.e., existence as a deva, as a man, as a preta, as an animal, or as one suffering in hell.

page 290 note 2 Viz., at the 2nd and 3rd Councils.

page 290 note 3 In Ceylon.

page 291 note 1 Immediately after Buddha's death.—R. C. C.

page 292 note 1 Attho kathíyati etáyâti aṭṭhakathá, thakárassa ṭhakáraṃ katvá dukkhassa píḷanaṭṭho ti ádisu viya.—Ṭíká of Samanta Pásádiká.

page 293 note 1 See note A.

page 293 note 2 Alaṃ ávuso má socittha má paridevittha, upaddutá ca, homa “idaṃ vo kappati idaṃ vo na kappatîti,” idáni pana mayaṃ yaṃ icchissáma tarn karissáma yam na icchissáma taṃ na karissáma.—Samanta Pásádiká.

page 293 note 3 See note B.

page 294 note 1 Ahaṃ bhikkhave yávad eva ákaṅkhámi vivicc 'eva kámehi-Pe-paṭhamaṃ jhánaṃ upasapajja viharámi Kassapo pi bhikkhave yávad eva ákaṅkhati-Pe-viharati.—Samanta Pásádiká.

page 294 note 2 Tato Mahákassapo therásane nisíditvá áyasmantaṃ Upáḷiṃ vinayaṃ pucchi, paṭhamaṃ ávuso Upáḷi párájikaṃ kattha paññattan ti, Vesáliyaṃ bhante ti, Kaṃ árabbhâti Sudinnaṃ Kalandaputtaṃ árabbhâti, kasmiṃ vatthusmin ti, methunadhamme ti. Atha kho áyasmá Mahákassapo áyasmantaṃ Upáliṃ paṭhamassa párájikassa vatthum pi pucchi nidánam pi pucchi puggalam pi pucchi paññattim pi pucchi anuppaññattim pi pucchi ápattim pi pucchi anápattim pi pucchi. Puṭṭho puṭṭho Upálitthero vissajjesi.

page 295 note 1 Pucchávissqjjanapariyosáne pañca arahantasatáni saṅgahaṃ áropitanayen' eva gaṇasajjháyam akamsu.

page 295 note 2 These are distinctly enumerated by him—

Mahá-aṭṭhakathá c'eva Mahápaccarim eva ca

Kurundi câti tisso pi Síhaḷaṭṭhakathá imá.—Samanta Pásádiká.

page 295 note 3 See note C.

page 296 note 1 See note D.

page 296 note 2 Aṭṭhakathá ádito vasísatehi pañcahi saṅgítá.

page 298 note 1 See Preface to Minayeff's Pátimokkha, pages vii and viii, notes 9,10,11,12.—R.C.C.

page 299 note 1 Múlaṭṭhakathásáram ádáya, etc.

page 299 note 2 Poráṇaṭṭhakatháṇaṃ sáraṃ ádáya.

page 299 note 3 See note E.

page 301 note 1 The old Siṃhalese Prákrit, still used in writing poetry. The Siṃhalese now spoken in Ceylon contains a vast admixture of words borrowed from Sanskrit. —R.C.C.