A Critical Edition of Pāthikavagga of Dīghanikāya (With special reference to the various manuscripts found in four Theravāda countries.)

Abstract

By way of presenting this thesis, a new edition has been done in relation to the Pāṭikavagga ‘a segment coming under the Dīghanikāya of the Tipiṭaka. What is special of this edition is to do it as a critical edition done giving priority to the primary and secondary sources according to the reliable principles. In this context, the manuscripts used in the process of Pāṭikavagga edition are considered while referring to the related commentaries and sub commentaries couple with the discussing the feature of the editions printed at present. In this attempt of making of this thesis, what is expected is to do a critical study while discarding errors found in the contemporary editions so as to present an edition with a critical approach. The new edition is based on a greater number and range of witnesses than those used in previous editions of Pāṭikavagga. The new edition has been edited according to stemmatic principles, using a careful selection of eight palm leaf manuscripts (in Burmese, Sinhalese, Khom, Tham and Mon scripts) and five printed editions (in Burmese, Sinhalese, Pāli Text Society, Cambodian and Thai) It is attempted here to present a new edition with an innovative bend, make using a greater number of manuscripts when compared to the former editions. More generally this thesis demonstrates the indispensability of manuscripts for the historical study of pāli language and literature.