Some Remarks on Buddhaghosa’s use of Sanskrit Grammar: Possible Hints of an Unknown Pāninian Commentary in Buddhaghosa’s Grammatical Arguments

Abstract

This article explores hints of an unknown Pāninan grammatical commentary in the writings of Buddhaghosa. In addition, it speculates on the religious affiliations of the grammatical lineages that meditated Buddhaghosa’s use of Sanskrit grammar and, in doing so, questions the common assumption that Buddhaghosa’s knowledge of Sanskrit and Sanskrit grammar originated within a Brahmanical literary culture.