Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v1.c8.s3.t5.3

v1.c8.s3.t5.3

The fourth volume of Yi Jing's *An Account of the Inner Law Sent Home from the South Sea* titled *Learning Dharma in the West* says that *Panini-sutra* was the fundamental classic of all sounds (linguistics), i.e., 'it was the fundamental sutras of all sounds'. The book containing about 1,000 slokas, explains the essential meanings of many words and expressions. *Panini-sutra* was also named *Astadhyayi* in about 4,000 sentences in all while adopting the form of *sutra*. Each sentence explained a rule so that a theory and grammar system could be built based on the texts. The book explained the complex grammatical system of the Sanskrit language, and was regarded as the oldest work dealing with the grammatical structure of Sanskrit texts. Furthermore, it had three appendices such as the Dhatupatha, Ganapatha and Unadi. Moreover, the later generations edited three kinds of appendices including Paniniya-siksa, Paribhasapatha and Linganusasana. *Panini-sutra* was the most authoritative classical Sanskrit book and was held as a classic by later Sanskrit writers. It is also regarded as the oldest intact grammar book in the world and was also claimed as 'one of the greatest milestones of human wisdom'.