1882.] G. E. Fryer — Tlie Pali Orammarian Kachchdyana, 119 



According to native tradition, Kachcliayana, also called Sariputta,* 

 pursuant to the declaration of liuddha that ' sense is represented by 

 letters,' proceeded with Buddha's pernfiission to Hiniavanta and there 

 composed tliis gramn[iar,t which, from this reputed origin, is considered 

 sacred. It is to be found in every monastery in Burma. The arrange- 

 ment of the work is irregular. The aphorisms follow each other without 

 any regard to system. As in Sanskrit grammars, the rules are given in 

 the form of concise aphorisms or sentences hanging together like threads 

 (sidtas) : the right understanding of which chain of rules depends upon a 

 knowledge of the adhiMra, or heading rule, and its influence on those that 

 follow ; thus Kachch. Nam. 2. 12. itthipumanapumsaJca-sanlchyam, * (the 

 rules about to follow relate to) nouns of number (and are alike applicable 

 to the three genders) masc, fern., neut.' is a heading rule, which is said 

 to exercise an authority over other aphorisms, inasmuch as these heading 

 rules consist of terms which other aphorisms, in order to complete their 

 sense, are under the necessity of borrowing. They are said to be of three 

 kinds, namely, sihagatika ' lion's gait' (applied to the habit of constantly 

 pausing and looking back, puhhnparavilokanato) ; manduhagatika ' frog's 

 leap' (the passing over, or skipping of, several aphorisms and supplying 

 from a previous aphorism) ; yatJidnupuhhika ' in regular or successive 

 order.' As brevity is regarded as a primary requisite, the following abbre- 

 viations are resorted to in the aphorisms. A word in the genitive case 

 is generally governed by thane understood (i. e., instead of such a word 

 or letter another is to be used) ; a word in the ablative hj param (i. e., 

 after such a word or letter, etc.); a word in the instrumental by s«/i« 

 (i. e., together with such, etc.) ; a word in the locative by pare understood 

 (i. e., lohen such a word or letter follows, the rule refers to that which 

 immediately precedes it); [q/! Cowell, pp. xvii — xviii]. 7^(i signifies 'op- 

 tion,' of which there are two kinds ; namely, vikappa, the allowing a rule 

 to be observed or not at pleasure, optionally enforced : and vavatthita- 

 vibhdsd, a fixed option, or one applicable throughout, the prescribed 

 operation being in the one case carried out throughout, and in the other 

 omitted throughout. 



There are several commentaries on Kachchayana's work, of which the 

 most important are, the Nyasa or Mukhamattadipani, by Vimalahuddhi, 

 an enlarged counterpart of Kachchayana, but with five additional aphorisms 

 in the 3rd (or karaka) book, which are to be found in the Katantra ; the 



* So called in a Talain work called Mulamule In the commentary on the 

 Eupasiddhi, Buddha is said to have selected Sariputta Kachchayana to elaborate the 

 rules of grammar propounded by him. (Maha. xxvii ) 



t Suttaniddesa by Chappada saddhammajoti-p&la at Pugan in A. D. 1279 during 

 the reign of king Kyau-tswa. 



