Further on the ātmanepada of precative/āśīr-liṅ: as is often the case, Louis Renou's *Grammaire sanscrite *contains information that is absent other standard grammars (Whitney, etc.). On p. 451, he says: “la formation est ancienne et des précatifs de type véd. subsistent dans les S[ūtras] … *en particulier au moyen*,” citing forms such as *bhakṣīṣ**ṭa* and *janiṣīṣṭa*. Renou also notes that the precative appears "productivement dans l'épigraphie de style kāvya." In my experience this typically occurs in introductory maṅgala-ślokas, often with *bhūyāt *or *kriyāt*. But I don't know of any epigraphic examples with ātmanepada forms.
Rich Salomon On Fri, Mar 20, 2026 at 2:48 AM Matthew Kapstein via INDOLOGY < [email protected]> wrote: > Dear Harry, > > I was following the text given by Amano: > Abhisamayālaṃkārakārikāśāstravivṛti by Haribhadra. Skt. > ed. Koei H. Amano, Kyoto: Heirakujishoten, 2000. > and consulting the earlier editions as well. > > I think that the readings you find in GRETIL are simply typos and not > genuine variants. > > Matthew > > Matthew T. Kapstein > Professor emeritus > Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes, PSL Research University, Paris > > Associate > The University of Chicago Divinity School > > Member, American Academy of Arts and Sciences > > https://ephe.academia.edu/MatthewKapstein > <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://ephe.academia.edu/MatthewKapstein__;!!K-Hz7m0Vt54!gt43BClrfshXyiAYm9Yt4WT7Cpd2Wd9clZdHTpzd3c9Up9WzTiM9I1U_9ovIzJLV5qLpi8pePS3TJBvlh6bhnczLgA$> > > https://vajrabookshop.com/product/the-life-and-work-of-auleshi/ > <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://vajrabookshop.com/product/the-life-and-work-of-auleshi/__;!!K-Hz7m0Vt54!gt43BClrfshXyiAYm9Yt4WT7Cpd2Wd9clZdHTpzd3c9Up9WzTiM9I1U_9ovIzJLV5qLpi8pePS3TJBvlh6azfQxkuA$> > > > https://www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/book/9781501716218/tibetan-manuscripts-and-early-printed-books-volume-i/#bookTabs=1 > <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/book/9781501716218/tibetan-manuscripts-and-early-printed-books-volume-i/*bookTabs=1__;Iw!!K-Hz7m0Vt54!gt43BClrfshXyiAYm9Yt4WT7Cpd2Wd9clZdHTpzd3c9Up9WzTiM9I1U_9ovIzJLV5qLpi8pePS3TJBvlh6ZM0IeEpQ$> > > > https://www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/book/9781501771255/tibetan-manuscripts-and-early-printed-books-volume-ii/#bookTabs=1 > <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/book/9781501771255/tibetan-manuscripts-and-early-printed-books-volume-ii/*bookTabs=1__;Iw!!K-Hz7m0Vt54!gt43BClrfshXyiAYm9Yt4WT7Cpd2Wd9clZdHTpzd3c9Up9WzTiM9I1U_9ovIzJLV5qLpi8pePS3TJBvlh6br22YxEQ$> > > https://brill.com/edcollbook/title/60949 > <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://brill.com/edcollbook/title/60949__;!!K-Hz7m0Vt54!gt43BClrfshXyiAYm9Yt4WT7Cpd2Wd9clZdHTpzd3c9Up9WzTiM9I1U_9ovIzJLV5qLpi8pePS3TJBvlh6bE6JrN4Q$> > > Sent with Proton Mail > <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://proton.me/mail/home__;!!K-Hz7m0Vt54!gt43BClrfshXyiAYm9Yt4WT7Cpd2Wd9clZdHTpzd3c9Up9WzTiM9I1U_9ovIzJLV5qLpi8pePS3TJBvlh6aNUGTtcw$> > secure email. > > On Friday, March 20th, 2026 at 12:51 AM, Harry Spier < > [email protected]> wrote: > > Dear list members, > > Matthew Kapstein and ( David Reigle using edition 1929 by Stcherbatsky > and Obermiller) spell the word as *vīkṣiṣīraṃs* . Same text in GRETIL > (different editions) spell it *vīkṣīṣīraṃ*s and *vīkṣiṣiraṃs* > > Are these misprints or alternate spellings in GRETIL? *pratipatsīrann* is > spelled the same in these etexts > > *Matthew Kapstein and ( David Reigle)* > > sarvākārajñatāmārgaḥ śāsitrā yo'tra deśitaḥ| > dhīmanto vīkṣiṣīraṃs tam anālīḍhaṃ parair iti ||1|| > > smṛtau cādhāya sūtrārthaṃ dharmacaryāṃ daśātmikām | > sukhena pratipatsīrann ity ārambhaprayojanam ||2|| > > -------------------------- > > *GRETIL abhisamayālaṃkaranāmaprajñāpāramitopadeśaśāstram * > > > https://gretil.sub.uni-goettingen.de/gretil/corpustei/transformations/html/sa_maitreyanAtha-abhisamayAlaMkaranAmaprajJApAramitopadezazAstra.htm > <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://gretil.sub.uni-goettingen.de/gretil/corpustei/transformations/html/sa_maitreyanAtha-abhisamayAlaMkaranAmaprajJApAramitopadezazAstra.htm__;!!K-Hz7m0Vt54!gt43BClrfshXyiAYm9Yt4WT7Cpd2Wd9clZdHTpzd3c9Up9WzTiM9I1U_9ovIzJLV5qLpi8pePS3TJBvlh6YVIDpyqA$> > input by Christian Coseru (no source book given) has; > > sarvākārajñatāmārgaḥ śāsitrā yo 'tra deśita / > > dhīmantī vīkṣīṣīraṃstamanālīḍhaṃ parairiti // Abhs_1.1 // > > smṛtau cādhāya sūtrārthaṃ dharmacaryā daśātmikā / > > sūkhena pratipatsīrannityārambhaprayojanam // Abhs_1.2 // > > -------------------------------------- > > GRETIL Abhisamayālaṃkāra > https://gretil.sub.uni-goettingen.de/gretil/corpustei/transformations/html/sa_abhisamayAlaMkAra.htm > > <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://gretil.sub.uni-goettingen.de/gretil/corpustei/transformations/html/sa_abhisamayAlaMkAra.htm__;!!K-Hz7m0Vt54!gt43BClrfshXyiAYm9Yt4WT7Cpd2Wd9clZdHTpzd3c9Up9WzTiM9I1U_9ovIzJLV5qLpi8pePS3TJBvlh6YqzE73GQ$>Data > entry: members of the Digital Sanskrit Buddhist Canon Input Project > Based on the ed. by Ramsankar Tripathi: Abhisamayalankaravrttih Sphutartha. > Sarnath : Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies (CIHTS), 1977. > grānthārambhaprayojanam sarvākārajñatāmārgaḥ śāsitrā yo 'tra deśitaḥ / > dhīmanto vīkṣiṣiraṃstamanālīḍhaṃ parairiti // asa_1.2 //smṛtau cādhāya > sūtrārthaṃ dharmacaryāṃ daśātmikām / > sukhena pratipatsīrannityārambhaprayojanam // asa_1.3 // > > Harry Spier > > > On Thu, Mar 19, 2026 at 5:30 PM Matthew Kapstein via INDOLOGY < > [email protected]> wrote: > >> Many thanks to all who replied on- and off-list. I am sorry that I was >> not aware of David Reigle's paper, addressing my query so precisely, >> beforehand, and I am grateful to him and to Asko Parpola for sharing it. >> Walter Slaje's helpful remarks lend some support to my thought that the >> benedictive form may have had an intentionally archaic nuance. >> >> Matthew >> >> Matthew T. Kapstein >> Professor emeritus >> Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes, PSL Research University, Paris >> >> Associate >> The University of Chicago Divinity School >> >> Member, American Academy of Arts and Sciences >> >> https://ephe.academia.edu/MatthewKapstein >> <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://ephe.academia.edu/MatthewKapstein__;!!K-Hz7m0Vt54!gt43BClrfshXyiAYm9Yt4WT7Cpd2Wd9clZdHTpzd3c9Up9WzTiM9I1U_9ovIzJLV5qLpi8pePS3TJBvlh6bhnczLgA$> >> >> https://vajrabookshop.com/product/the-life-and-work-of-auleshi/ >> <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://vajrabookshop.com/product/the-life-and-work-of-auleshi/__;!!K-Hz7m0Vt54!gt43BClrfshXyiAYm9Yt4WT7Cpd2Wd9clZdHTpzd3c9Up9WzTiM9I1U_9ovIzJLV5qLpi8pePS3TJBvlh6azfQxkuA$> >> >> >> https://www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/book/9781501716218/tibetan-manuscripts-and-early-printed-books-volume-i/#bookTabs=1 >> <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/book/9781501716218/tibetan-manuscripts-and-early-printed-books-volume-i/*bookTabs=1__;Iw!!K-Hz7m0Vt54!gt43BClrfshXyiAYm9Yt4WT7Cpd2Wd9clZdHTpzd3c9Up9WzTiM9I1U_9ovIzJLV5qLpi8pePS3TJBvlh6ZM0IeEpQ$> >> >> >> https://www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/book/9781501771255/tibetan-manuscripts-and-early-printed-books-volume-ii/#bookTabs=1 >> <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/book/9781501771255/tibetan-manuscripts-and-early-printed-books-volume-ii/*bookTabs=1__;Iw!!K-Hz7m0Vt54!gt43BClrfshXyiAYm9Yt4WT7Cpd2Wd9clZdHTpzd3c9Up9WzTiM9I1U_9ovIzJLV5qLpi8pePS3TJBvlh6br22YxEQ$> >> >> https://brill.com/edcollbook/title/60949 >> <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://brill.com/edcollbook/title/60949__;!!K-Hz7m0Vt54!gt43BClrfshXyiAYm9Yt4WT7Cpd2Wd9clZdHTpzd3c9Up9WzTiM9I1U_9ovIzJLV5qLpi8pePS3TJBvlh6bE6JrN4Q$> >> >> Sent with Proton Mail >> <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://proton.me/mail/home__;!!K-Hz7m0Vt54!gt43BClrfshXyiAYm9Yt4WT7Cpd2Wd9clZdHTpzd3c9Up9WzTiM9I1U_9ovIzJLV5qLpi8pePS3TJBvlh6aNUGTtcw$> >> secure email. >> >> On Thursday, March 19th, 2026 at 3:39 PM, Asko Parpola < >> [email protected]> wrote: >> >> Dear Matthew, David Reigle ha written a paper (attached) on these very >> two occurrences of the benedictive. >> With best wishes, Asko >> >> On Thu, Mar 19, 2026 at 11:39 AM Matthew Kapstein via INDOLOGY < >> [email protected]> wrote: >> >>> Dear friends, >>> >>> In the opening verses (given below) of the *Abhisamayālamkāra-śāstra *(ASA), >>> an important Mahāyāna Buddhist treatise (said to have been revealed to >>> Asaṅga by the bodhisattva Maitreya), we find two instances of verbs that I >>> take to be examples of “precatives” or “benedictives” (*āśīrliṅ*) in >>> the middle voice (*ātmanepāda*) third person plural. Whitney (925) and >>> Macdonell (150) both flatly state that the precative middle, though current >>> in Vedic, does not occur in Classical Sanskrit. Renou (330-331) does not >>> affirm this categorically, but suggests that the *āśīrliṅ *(without >>> specifying voice) is commonly met with in kāvya and epigraphy, though >>> unknown to Buddhist usage. Edgerton, BHS Grammar, has nothing at all to say >>> about the *āśīrliṅ*, probably due to its absence in the corpus that he >>> consulted, though the ASA is not in any case written in “hybrid” Sanskrit; >>> its terminology is distinctly Buddhist, of course, but without peculiarly >>> BHS grammatical forms. >>> >>> Conze, in the vocabulary accompanying his summary translation of the ASA >>> (SOR VI) offers no grammatical analysis, but treats *vīkṣiṣīran* as an >>> aorist optative, “have been able to behold,” and *pratipatsīran* as a >>> future optative, “will be able to make progress.” (It seems simpler to me >>> to adopt a mildly benedictive reading of both, “that the wise may behold… >>> and that they may easily master…”) >>> >>> What I wish to ask the vyākaraṇa specialists, however, is whether I am >>> correct to take these verbs as middle voice *āśīrliṅ* third person >>> plural? And, if so, are there other instances, whether in Buddhist or >>> non-Buddhist works, that similarly call into question Whitney and >>> Macdonell’s assertions? I would welcome any other observations about this >>> apparently unusual form that you may be able to share. In particular, I am >>> wondering if it is plausible to take its use here as a deliberately >>> archaizing gesture. >>> >>> >>> sarvākārajñatāmārgaḥ śāsitrā yo'tra deśitaḥ| >>> >>> dhīmanto *vīkṣiṣīraṃs* tam anālīḍhaṃ parair iti ||1|| >>> >>> smṛtau cādhāya sūtrārthaṃ dharmacaryāṃ daśātmikām | >>> >>> sukhena *pratipatsīrann* ity ārambhaprayojanam ||2|| >>> >>> with thanks in advance for your observations and insights, >>> Matthew >>> >>> Matthew T. Kapstein >>> Professor emeritus >>> Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes, PSL Research University, Paris >>> >>> Associate >>> The University of Chicago Divinity School >>> >>> Member, American Academy of Arts and Sciences >>> >>> https://ephe.academia.edu/MatthewKapstein >>> <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://ephe.academia.edu/MatthewKapstein__;!!K-Hz7m0Vt54!gt43BClrfshXyiAYm9Yt4WT7Cpd2Wd9clZdHTpzd3c9Up9WzTiM9I1U_9ovIzJLV5qLpi8pePS3TJBvlh6bhnczLgA$> >>> >>> https://vajrabookshop.com/product/the-life-and-work-of-auleshi/ >>> <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://vajrabookshop.com/product/the-life-and-work-of-auleshi/__;!!K-Hz7m0Vt54!gt43BClrfshXyiAYm9Yt4WT7Cpd2Wd9clZdHTpzd3c9Up9WzTiM9I1U_9ovIzJLV5qLpi8pePS3TJBvlh6azfQxkuA$> >>> >>> >>> https://www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/book/9781501716218/tibetan-manuscripts-and-early-printed-books-volume-i/#bookTabs=1 >>> <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/book/9781501716218/tibetan-manuscripts-and-early-printed-books-volume-i/*bookTabs=1__;Iw!!K-Hz7m0Vt54!gt43BClrfshXyiAYm9Yt4WT7Cpd2Wd9clZdHTpzd3c9Up9WzTiM9I1U_9ovIzJLV5qLpi8pePS3TJBvlh6ZM0IeEpQ$> >>> >>> >>> https://www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/book/9781501771255/tibetan-manuscripts-and-early-printed-books-volume-ii/#bookTabs=1 >>> <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/book/9781501771255/tibetan-manuscripts-and-early-printed-books-volume-ii/*bookTabs=1__;Iw!!K-Hz7m0Vt54!gt43BClrfshXyiAYm9Yt4WT7Cpd2Wd9clZdHTpzd3c9Up9WzTiM9I1U_9ovIzJLV5qLpi8pePS3TJBvlh6br22YxEQ$> >>> >>> https://brill.com/edcollbook/title/60949 >>> <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://brill.com/edcollbook/title/60949__;!!K-Hz7m0Vt54!gt43BClrfshXyiAYm9Yt4WT7Cpd2Wd9clZdHTpzd3c9Up9WzTiM9I1U_9ovIzJLV5qLpi8pePS3TJBvlh6bE6JrN4Q$> >>> >>> Sent with Proton Mail >>> <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://proton.me/mail/home__;!!K-Hz7m0Vt54!gt43BClrfshXyiAYm9Yt4WT7Cpd2Wd9clZdHTpzd3c9Up9WzTiM9I1U_9ovIzJLV5qLpi8pePS3TJBvlh6aNUGTtcw$> >>> secure email. >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> INDOLOGY mailing list >>> [email protected] >>> https://list.indology.info/mailman/listinfo/indology >>> <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://list.indology.info/mailman/listinfo/indology__;!!K-Hz7m0Vt54!gt43BClrfshXyiAYm9Yt4WT7Cpd2Wd9clZdHTpzd3c9Up9WzTiM9I1U_9ovIzJLV5qLpi8pePS3TJBvlh6a3kBqWIA$> >>> >> >> >> -- >> Asko Parpola, [email protected] >> http://www.helsinki.academia.edu/AskoParpola >> <https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://www.helsinki.academia.edu/AskoParpola__;!!K-Hz7m0Vt54!gt43BClrfshXyiAYm9Yt4WT7Cpd2Wd9clZdHTpzd3c9Up9WzTiM9I1U_9ovIzJLV5qLpi8pePS3TJBvlh6ZES61naA$> >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> INDOLOGY mailing list >> [email protected] >> https://list.indology.info/mailman/listinfo/indology >> <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://list.indology.info/mailman/listinfo/indology__;!!K-Hz7m0Vt54!gt43BClrfshXyiAYm9Yt4WT7Cpd2Wd9clZdHTpzd3c9Up9WzTiM9I1U_9ovIzJLV5qLpi8pePS3TJBvlh6a3kBqWIA$> >> > > > _______________________________________________ > INDOLOGY mailing list > [email protected] > > https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://list.indology.info/mailman/listinfo/indology__;!!K-Hz7m0Vt54!gt43BClrfshXyiAYm9Yt4WT7Cpd2Wd9clZdHTpzd3c9Up9WzTiM9I1U_9ovIzJLV5qLpi8pePS3TJBvlh6a3kBqWIA$ >
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