Gandhari Prakrit Version Of Rhinoceros Sutra

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This article, written by J.C. Wright, discusses the significance of the Gandhari Prakrit version of the Rhinoceros Sutra, discovered among early South Asian manuscripts from eastern Afghanistan. The text, preserved on birch-bark scrolls in Kharoshti script, is a Gandhari adaptation of the Khaggavisāņasutta (Rhinoceros Sutra) found in the Pali Buddhist canon.

Key Points and Findings:

• Manuscript Survival: The earliest South Asian manuscripts, dating to around the first century AD, have been remarkably preserved in eastern Afghanistan due to an ancient practice of interring them in jars.
• Gandhari Version's Uniqueness: The Gandhari text, meticulously reconstructed from fragmented scrolls, presents significant differences from the Pali version. These differences include:
  • Verse Readings: Many readings in the Gandhari text align more closely with Sanskrit versions where available, although this doesn't fundamentally challenge the authenticity of the Pali tradition.
  • Verse Arrangement: The Gandhari text exhibits a different arrangement of verses, which the author suggests might indicate an earlier stage in the compilation process. Richard Salomon, the editor of the Gandhari text, is hesitant to reconstruct an "Urtext" due to the poem's overall repetitive nature, which consistently emphasizes solitude and careful companion selection.
• Verse Structure Analysis: Wright identifies three distinct types of verse structures in the Gandhari text:
  1. Gerund-based verses: Similar to specific verses in the Pali text and Dharmapada, these verses connect the rhinoceros image directly to the act of "going one's way" (care).
  2. Adjectival phrase-based verses: These constitute about half of the verses and require inferring the rhinoceros image's relation to the verb "care" by analogy with Dharmapada verses, or by understanding the rhinoceros as both ferocious and peace-loving, like a lion or deer.
  3. Verses avoiding syntactic links: A smaller group of verses, including framing verses, clearly relate the image to "care" by creating a syntactic separation from the preceding pādas. An elephant verse is identified as belonging to this category.
• Interpretation of "Rhinoceros": Salomon advocates for translating "Khaggavisāņa" as "Rhinoceros" rather than "Rhinoceros Horn." This interpretation emphasizes the refrain "eko care Khaggavisāņa kappo" as a recommendation to live unconcerned, like a grazing rhinoceros. While acknowledging a potential pun, Wright argues that a focus on the horn might obscure the image of the solitary rhinoceros and its unique horn, possibly a later addition.
• Rhetorical Ambiguity and Commentarial Misinterpretations: The verb "car-" carries a dual meaning of "to go one's way" and "to graze," creating a rhetorical ambiguity. Later commentators, particularly in the Niddesa, misinterpreted this, correlating "like it" with "horn" instead of "rhinoceros," leading to a strained explanation. The Niddesa's etymology of "khaggavisāna" as "one-horned khagga" is also discussed and critiqued.
• Etymological Considerations: Evidence suggests an indigenous word for "rhinoceros," with Persian, Greek, and Sanskrit adaptations. The term "viṣaṇa" (horn) might have been introduced by analogy with antler mythology, with Gandhari potentially being the source for Persian and Greek forms. The association of the animal's name with "viṣaṇā" (antler) might have led to comparisons with deer, despite their gregarious nature.
• Textual Arrangement and Relationships: The article explores the arrangement of verses in both Gandhari and Pali versions, highlighting how the Gandhari text's potentially more naive arrangement contrasts with the Pali text's sophisticated juxtapositions. The Gandhari text's grouping of similar gerundial constructions is noted, suggesting a possible seminal role for the distichs in the text's evolution.
• Influence and Interrelationship: Wright observes a "pattern of interrelationship and influence" between the Gandhari text, the Dharmapada, and the Sutta Nipāta. Similarities in phrasing and verse order between these texts are analyzed, suggesting that the Gandhari and Atharva Veda versions might preserve a more original sequence.
• Vocabulary and Emendations: Specific vocabulary items unique to Gandhari and Dharmapada are discussed, along with instances of scribal substitution and potential emendations. The article delves into the complexities of textual variations in specific verses, examining possible origins of misinterpretations and emendations by scribes and commentators.
• Verse Count and Compilation: The Gandhari text likely originally contained 40 verses, supported by an Uddāna (catchword index). The Pali version, however, has 42 verses due to conflation and duplication. The Gandhari text reaches its 40-verse count through duplications caused by graphic corruption and a creative triplication of the title-verse, which combines themes of non-violence and celibacy. The Sanskrit text, a 12-verse adaptation, is seen as a demonstration of how gāthās could be multiplied for individual enlightenment, rather than an original nucleus.
• "Pratyekabuddha" vs. "Pratyayabuddha": The article discusses the term "paccekabuddha" and its relationship to "pratyekabuddha" and "pratyayabuddha." Evidence suggests that "pratyeka-buddha" (individual enlightenment) is more original than "pratyayabuddha" (enlightenment derived from external causes). The distinction in Gandhari orthography between these terms could indicate that the confusion was primarily in Sanskrit and related traditions.

In conclusion, the Gandhari Prakrit version of the Rhinoceros Sutra is presented as a vital early witness to the textual history of this important Buddhist scripture. Its unique readings, arrangement, and linguistic features offer valuable insights into the processes of compilation, interpretation, and transmission of Buddhist texts in ancient India. The ongoing work of manuscript projects like the British Library and University of Washington's Early Buddhist Manuscripts Project promises further discoveries and deeper understanding of these foundational texts.