A History of Indian Literature v2.c19.s3.t2.183
A History of Indian Literature v2.c19.s3.t2.183
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v2.c19.s3.t2.183
Nevertheless we may certainly say that, on the whole, the Gāthās have a stronger claim to be regarded as canonical than have the prose portions of the Jātakas. At all events the prose was more exposed to changes. In many cases it is nothing but the miserable performance of a very late period. It contains allusions to Ceylon, and not infrequently it is at absolute variance with the Gāthās.² Moreover, the language of the Gāthās is more archaic than that of the prose.