672 PROCEEDINGS OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY. 



example of the harm done by ignoring the native divisions of a work is 

 seen in Grassmann's Dictionary to the Rig-veda, where the hymns are 

 numbered from 1 to 1017, with entire disregard of the historically 

 most important division into mandalas. It is a lamentable fact that 

 usable minor divisions are indeed often lacking in the Pali prose books, 

 as in the Vinaya or the Visuddhi-magga. The minor divisions (chap- 

 ters and paragraphs) of Oldenberg's Vinaya were made by the editor. 

 In metrical texts or texts of mingled verse and prose which show 

 minor divisions in native mss., the editors have often treated those 

 divisions so unpractically and unclearly as to render it very inconven- 

 ient to make practical use of them. Thus it would be far better to cite 

 Dhamma-pada by vagga and stanza (for with this method we need not 

 mention the edition), and the Sutta-nipata by vagga, sutta (puccha), 

 and stanza, had not Fausboll numbered the stanzas consecutively. 15 

 And the Siamese ed. gives no usable indication of the minor divisions. 



It would seem, therefore, that, until the editiones principes are 

 replaced by better ones made with more regard to the needs of Occi- 

 dental students, we must content ourselves by indicating the place in 

 the book by stating the volume (and edition) and page. The place on 

 the page may be indicated by stating the number of the stanza (a poor 

 makeshift) or (better) by designating the four quarters of the page as 

 a, b, c, and d. • 



Indication of the title of the book. — This part of our problem is 

 not affected by the shortcomings of the editors. The abbreviations 

 are given in the following table (Table I), opposite the titles concerned. 

 Apart from the Vinaya, the canonical books are given in the usual 

 order, and then follow the post-canonical books, first the varjsas, and 

 then the "other books," in alphabetic arrangement. I earnestly beg 

 my colleagues to criticise my proposals most rigorously and to send 

 me any suggestions of improvement, in order that I may be enabled, 

 if necessary, to publish my list soon again in revised form for the use 

 of lexicographers and of editors of texts. 



15 The numbering in his own translation does not even coincide with that 

 of his own text I 



