Page:The history of the Bengali language (1920).pdf/193

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LECTURE X
171

quested their master that his words or teachings might be allowed to be recorded in the language used by the cultured Brāhmaṇs, viz., the Chāndasa (ছন্দসো আরোপেম are the words in the text) and should not be allowed to be vulgarized by being recorded in the current speech of the people (সকায় নিরূত্তিয়া are the words in the text). The celebrated orthodox commentator of the Vinaya text rightly interprets the polite language by the Sanskṛta language of the Vedas, and explains সকনিরুত্তি as মগধবোহারো i.e., the language then current in the Magadha Country. The whole of this important text is given in the foot-note below for reference.[1]

We have to first notice, that if the polished respectable literary language of the time were known by the name laukika as distinguished from the obsolete Chhāndasa, Budha and his learned Brāhmaṇ disciples were sure to use the term laukika, for it was the Classical Laukika of the Brāhmaṇa literature as distinguished from the real Vedic language, which came into vogue in those days as the fit vehicle for all serious thought.

  1. তেন খো পন সময়েন য়মেলুতেকুলা নাম ভিক্‌খু দ্বে ভাতিকা হোন্তি ব্রাহ্মণজাতিকা কল্যানবাচা কল্যাণ বাক্‌করণা৷ তে যেন ভগবা, তেন উপসংকমিংসু; উপসংকমিত্বা ভগবন্তম্ অভিবাদেত্বা একমন্তম্ নিসীদিংসু; একমন্তম্ নিসিন্না, খো তে ভিক্‌খূ ভগবন্তম্ এতদ্ অবোচুম্: এতরহি ভন্তে ভিক্‌খূ নানা নামা, নানা গোত্তা নানাজচ্চা নানাকুলা পব্বজিতা; তে সকায় নিরুত্তিয়া বুদ্ধবচনম্ দূসেন্তি; হন্দ ময়ং ভন্তে বুদ্ধবচনম্ ছন্দসো আরোপেমাতি৷ [Then Buddha says,.........ন ভিক্‌খবে বুদ্ধবচনম্ ছন্দসো আরোপেতব্বম্] The commentary has:—ছন্দসো, etc.,... = বেদম্ বিয় সক্‌কত ভাসায় etc., সকায় নিরুত্তিয়া = [In the] মগধ বোহারো৷

    N.B.—It should be noted that though there is mention of ordinary ভিক্‌খুs to have been recruited from various sections it has not been said that the teaching were being put