A History of Indian Literature v2.c22.6

v2.c22.6

and *chando* by "metre," and makes Buddha say: "I order you, monks, to master the word of Buddha (Buddhavacanam) in its own grammar." He does not think it possible that *sakāya niruttiyā* can mean "each in his own dialect," and believes that the passage in question only contains a prohibition to versify the Canon. Even if this explanation be accepted, it is difficult to see why a versification of the word of Buddha should be detrimental to the propagation of the doctrine. Moreover, *nirutti* does not mean "grammar," but "linguistic expression."¹ *Chandas* may mean "metre" just as well as "Veda." *Chandas* has the latter meaning in *Sāvitthī chandaso mukhaṃ* too (Vinaya-Piṭaka, Mahā-Vagga VI, 35, 8 and Sutta-Nipāta 568). Oldenberg and Rhys Davids have taken it in the sense of "Veda dialect," and refer to the use of "*chandasi*" by Pāṇini. Buddhaghosa, too says: *chandaso āropemā ti vedaṃ viya sakkaṭa-bhāsāya vācanāmaggam āropema.*² The translation: "I allow you, O monks, to learn the word of the Buddha each in his own language" also accords well with Majjhima-Nikāya 139 (III, pp. 234f., 237) wherein it is said that the "middle way" which leads to rest, is for a man not to insist unduly on his own provincial dialect (janapadanirutti) and at the same time not to diverge from general linguistic usage.³