On the Origin of the Indian Brahma Alphabet c3.19

c3.19

(3) M. Halévy’s attempt to bring the Jātakas into the period after Alexander by deriving their term *phalaka* from the Greek πλὰξ and the word *piṭaka* (which itself does not occur “in the texts of the Stūpas”) from πιττάκιον, only shows that his knowledge of Sanskrit is open to improvement and that he does not even take the trouble to consult the standard dictionaries. Both words are regular derivatives from Sanskrit roots. *Phalaka* “a board”, comes from the very common verb *phal*, (*phalati*) “to split”, mentioned in all Sanskrit dictionaries, and means etymologically “a piece (of wood) split off”; compare the Latin *scindula* from *scindo* and the Greek σχίδα, σχίδαξ, σχίζα from σχιδ (σχίζω). The etymology is duly given in the larger Petersburg Dictionary under *phalaka*. *Piṭaka* means primarily and usually “a basket” (used for any purpose, as for carrying earth, storing meat, measuring grain, etc.), more rarely “a box”, as I have translated it, in which latter sense the cognate *peṭaka* is more common. Its employment to denote a receptacle for MSS., or the contents of such a receptacle, or a division of the sacred books, is mainly or entirely confined to Buddhistic literature. *Piṭaka* is derived from the Sanskrit root *piṭ* (*peṭati*) ‘to heap up, to store’, as the larger Petersburg Dictionary indicates under that verb, and it means etymologically “an implement for heaping up or storing (objects)”. Whatever may be the truth about the age of the Jātakas, these two words are certainly useless for M. Halévy’s purpose. The triumphant tone, with which he brings forward his supposed discoveries, and the display of misplaced learning in the notes, especially the appeal to king Pittakos’ name in support of the antiquity of the ἰδιωτικώτερον term πιττάκιον, make the passage most amusing to every scholar, possessed of philological training.