Pali Literature and Language c5.3

c5.3

Pāli is an archaic Prākrit a Middle-Indian idiom, which is characterised by the same peculiarities which distinguish the Middle-Indian from the Old-Indian ² Pāli however cannot be directly derived from Sanskrit; for it shows a number of characteristic features which suggest its closer relation to Vedic. Thus the g.r. in -tvāna (beside -tvā), the forms tehi, yehi = Ved. tebhis, yebhis (as opposed to Skr. tais, yais), etc. This has always to be borne in mind when in the following Pāli forms are compared with Sanskrit forms. The former cannot be derived from the latter but stand beside them as later formations.