SV: "Buddha" before the Pali Canon?//r-l

[Rajesh Kochhar]

IS THER AN r-l divide in the Magadhi-Pali texts?
Rajesh Kochhar
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Prof Rajesh Kochhar
Director
National Institute of Science, Technology and Development Studies
Pusa Gate , K S Krishnan Marg , New Delhi 110012
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-----Original Message-----
From: L.S.Cousins <selwyn at NTLWORLD.COM>
To: INDOLOGY at LISTSERV.LIV.AC.UK <INDOLOGY at LISTSERV.LIV.AC.UK>
Date: Wednesday, September 20, 2000 12:03 PM
Subject: Re: SV: "Buddha" before the Pali Canon?


>Madhav Deshpande points out:
>
>>The use of the term Maagadha as referring to an inhabitant of Magadha is
>>at least as old as the Atharvaveda, which predates the consolidation of
>>Magadhan hegemony.  Thus it is very likely that the dialect of Magadha was
>>called Maagadhii long before the hegemonic political developments.  This
>>of course does not prove that the Buddha spoke a dialect which was called
>>Maagadhii.  Best,
>
>I take it that the Maagadhaa are a tribe who lived around the area of
>Rajgir.  The area they controlled is therefore called called the
>country or kingdom of the Maagadhans and/or the kingdom of the
>Maagadha prince.
>
>The evidence of the early Buddhist texts (whether in Pali or Sanskrit
>or in translation) is clear that Kaasi, Kosala and Videha were not
>part of the territories of the Maagadha-raaja. There is no reason to
>suppose that they spoke a language called Maagadhii. They certainly
>spoke a dialect of Middle Indian. We do not know in what ways that
>differed from Maagadhii; it might have differed a lot or only a
>little, but some difference is likely.
>
>Or, are you suggesting that there is explicit Atharva evidence for
>the use of the term Maagadha as applying more widely ? That seems
>offhand very unlikely.
>
>Lance Cousins
>--
>HEADINGTON, UK
>
>CURRENT EMAIL ADDRESS:
>selwyn at ntlworld.com