A History of Indian Literature v2.c19.s3.t1.8

v2.c19.s3.t1.8

[^1): For instance, when stanzas are introduced by the words: "Here the following is said" (tatth' etaṃ vuccati) they are self-evidently quotations (*e.g.*, in Dīghanikāya 30). On the other hand, when significant words in verse form are put in the mouth of Buddha, and these verses begin with such sentences as "Thus spake the Master" or "The Lord addressed him in the following verses" (*e.g.*, Dīghanikāya 31; Majjhimanikāya 7, Vol. I, p. 39; 34, Vol. I, p. 34), we may take it that they are verses composed by the author of the Sutta himself: at least this would generally be the case, for in ancient India no clearly defined distinction was ever made between one's own literary work and that others.