Pali & Prakrit Language

Pali & Prakrit Language

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PALI & PRAKRIT LANGUAGE

The linguistic history of India spans from the Indus civilization. According the

history of Indo-Aryan language, there are three stages of the development of these

languages:

Old Indo-Aryan language (1500 BC – 600BC) belonging to Vedic Sanskrit,

Middle Indo-Aryan language (600 BC – 1000AD) containing Sanskrit

(formal - only of Brahmins) and Prakrit ( Pali, Ardhamagadhi, Magadhi,

Saurseni, Maharashtri, Paisachi, Apabhramsa – for common masses)

Modern Indo-Aryan language (1000AD till date) containing languages like

Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Gujrati, etc.

Among the above three stages, the Middle Aryan language is important as far as

Pali literature is concerned. Unlike other religious leaders, Mahavira and Buddha

preached in common man’s dialect to propagate their doctrines. On the contrary,

all Brahmanic teachings were in Vedic Sanskrit language.

According to Wilhelm Geiger, Pali was developed in 4 stages:

Verse portions of Sutta Pitaka

Prose portions of the Pali Canon

Pali Commentary & Sub-commentary

Pali poetical composition


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Other scholars like Rhys David (in Buddhist India) as well as B.C.Law (in History

of Pali Literature-I) classified the development of Pali in 10 stages.

PRAKRIT:

From the earliest times to the first century A.D., inscriptions were composed

exclusively in Prakrit. Ashoka left behind 30 inscriptions in Prakrit. Even in

literature Prakrit came to be used particularly in plays. Prakrit itself consists of

different dialects. There were several other Prakrits of lesser importance. By the

time of the Guptas, the Prakrits were standardized and had lost their local

character. The vernaculars had already developed beyond them. What Panini did

for Sanskrit, others did for the Prakrits and these languages began to resemble

more. The languages actually were based on the conventions of dramatic theory

and they never represented popular life nor did they reflect in any way the

linguistic conditions of society. Some plays are composed exclusively in Prakrit

and they are technically called Sttakas. The Karpuramanjari (about 900 A.D.) in

which Rajasekhara depicting love between man and woman is the most important

work of this type.

Continuing the secular aspect of Prakrit, a number of stanzas were written both on

love and maxims. The most remarkable amongst such texts is the Gatha Saptasati

of Hala one of the Satavahana rulers. This book consists of 700 stanzas about love


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depicting the varied phases of South Indian rural life. The king probably ruled in

the 1st century A.D. The poems are notable for their conciseness and for their

great economy of words and masterly use of suggestions. Some poems contain

simple and natural descriptions and references to the lives of peasants and the

lower class. More important is the fact that narrative literature and epic poems are

fairly extensive in Prakrit. The most noteworthy among them are the Brihatkatha

of Gunadhya composed in Paisachi dialect and Setubandha of Pravarasena.

Apart from secular literature, Prakrit was also used for religious literature like the

Jaina canonical works. It was during the 5th century A.D. that most of the Jaina

canons were written down. In Prakrit literature the Jaina writings have very little

literary- the poetry of the Jainas is better than prose. Its poetry is written in lively

vernacular style.

Furthermore it is to be stated here that scholars treated Apabhramas as a kind of

Prakrit. It boasts of extensive literature particularly narrative stories. The first

writer to make use of it was Ashvaghosa. The others who followed the example

were Bhasa (3rd century A.D.) and later Vishakhadatta and Kalidasa.

In the Apabhramsa, the meter doha was adopted as powerful form of expression

of religious and philosophical thoughts. Both Jaina monks and contemporary

writers of Tantrik Buddhism utilized this meter. Incidentally, stray poems dealing

with morals, maxims, ethics, religious discourses and legions’ were commonly


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written in Apabhramsa. Among the Jains, the texts on the life and activities of

Jaina heroes were written in Apabhramsa. It may be noted here that Apabhramsa,

Sanskrit and Prakrit had a great influence both on Gujarati and Hindi as late as the

16th century.

Furthermore, Prakrit is of linguistic importance since it is illustrative of the

linguistic evolution from Prakrit to Apabhramsa and finally to a new regional

language. Apabhramsa meaning ‘falling down’ was a corrupt form of Prakrit

dialect. It is believed to have originated in the north-west and traveled from that

region along with the migrant people who scattered and settled in central and

western India after the Hun invasions. The Prakrit as used by Jains was greatly

influenced by Apabhramsa. It is here that the link between the older and the new

languages of Maharashtri and Gujarati is evident.

Scholars agree that Prakrit language is older than the Vedic language and the latter

was a refinement of the former.

PALI:

Pali evolved as a common man’s language nearly 3000 years ago. It was also

known as Magadhi since it was used in the Magadha kingdom. During those times

Sanskrit was reserved only for the selected few, whereas Pali, a commoner’s

language was ever-flowing and flexible in adoption. The earliest known literature


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depicting India’s cultural, political, religious and social history is written in Pali.

Both Buddha and Mahavira spoke in common man’s language to propagate their

philosophies. Actually the term Palibhasa or Pali was not known until 6th

or 7th

century A.D. Pali was known early as Magadhi. As per Winternitz, Pali is a

language of literature which has been exclusively employed by the Buddhists and

has sprung like every literary language with a mixture of various dialects.

ORIGIN OF PALI:

Some of the notable scholars have given account of how Pali originated –

W. Geiger says that “if we accept Pali as the form of Magadhi which was

used by Buddha, then the Pali canon would have to be regarded as the most

authentic form of Buddhavachana” (Pali Language & Literature, W.

Geiger).

Rev. R. Siddhartha says, “Pali is one of the oldest Indian languages of which

we have records at the present day. Its real name, that is the name by which

it was known to those who used it was Magadhi” (Buddhist

Studies,Chap.XXIV, pg 641-56).

R.C. Childers mentions that “viewed as a body of sacred literature, the

Buddhist canon is called Pali” (Dictionary of Pali Language, R.C.Childers)

James Alwis states “at the time of rise of Buddhism, Sanskrit was not

regarded as the vernacular speech of people. Pali which was the language of


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Magadha was used at that time” (The Buddhist Scriptures and their

Language, James Alwis)

Dr. Oldenberg feels that Pali was the language of Kalinga. According to

him, the character of Pali language was exactly like the character of the

inscription of Khandagiri of Kharvela.

M. Winternitz agrees that Pali can be mentioned as a language of literature

which issued by the Buddhists and like the rise of every literary language, it

has taken its shape from an admixture of several dialects. Literary Pali was

used as a spoken language and it became a medium of literary instruction in

the University of Taxilla (History of Pali Language, B.C.Law)

Pali literature falls into two main divisions – the canonical texts consisting of three

pitakas and non-canonical texts including commentaries, sub-commentaries and

chronicles.

The Pali literature has nine angas(limbs) –

1. Sutta (teachings of the Buddha in prose)

2. Geyya (sermons mixed in prose and metrical forms)

3. Veyyakarana (expositions)

4. Gatha (stanzas)

5. Udana (ecstatic utterances)

6. Itivuttakar (brief sayings)


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7. Jatakas (stories of former births of the Buddha)

8. Abbhuta dhamma (description of supernatural powers)

9. Vedulla (question an answers)

The entire Pali literature can be grouped based on periodicity as follows:

Tripitaka -Buddha vachana (from Buddha’s Mahaparinibbana till 1st

Century A.D.)

Anupali – anupitaka, atthakatha and independent sources (1st A.D. till

date)

The Anupitak literature can be further grouped based on periodicity:

1st A.D. to 4

th A.D. - Pre-Buddhagosha’s period having literary

works like Nettipakaran, Petakopdes, Suttasanghaho, Milindpanho,

Mahavamsa and Dipvamsa.

5th

A.D. to 12th

A.D. - Buddhagosha’s period containing works like

Vissudhimagga and its atthakathas, Buddhadatta & Dharmapala’s

atthakathas, Kacchayana’s grammar, Abhidhammathosangho and

atthakathas of Tripitaka.

12th

A.D. till date – commentaries, sub-commentaries and analysis

of atthakathas written in the earlier period, are the mark of this

period.


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IMPORTANCE OF THE STUDY OF PALI:

The study of Pali is essential for reconstruction of the history of ancient India. Pali

literature is vast and rich in materials and the Pali commentaries furnish us with a

great store-house of invaluable information regarding literary, linguistic, social,

economic, political, architectural and religious history of ancient India. The

psycho-ethical analysis of dhamma, classification of various types of

consciousness, mental processes form a highly special contribution in Pali to

Indian wisdom.

ATUL M. BHOSEKAR

M.A (I) – BUDDHIST STUDIES

REFERENCES:

Pali Language & Literature, K.L.Hazra, vol. 1

The History of Pali Language, B.C.Law

The Pali Language – Dr.N.K.G.Mendis, Nova Scotia, Canada

Prakrit and other Issues – Dr.Usvatte Aratchi, The Island , 25th

Sept. 2011

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Pali & Prakrit Language