4
Nîti Literature of Burma.
mechanical art; the knowledge of the "Nîti,"[1] the Byâkarein,[2] and music; manual dexterity, archery, antiquities;[3]
11.
Science of medicine, wit and humour,[4] astrology;[5] strategy,[6] versification; diplomacy, magic,[7] and grammar: these are the eighteen acquirements.[8]
12.
A wise man who is not questioned is like a drum;[9] one who is questioned is like a violent shower: a fool, whether addressed or not, speaks much.
13.
The knowledge that is in books, and the wealth that
- ↑ The ancient collection known as the Nîtiśâstras is referred to.
- ↑ Visesakâ is so translated in the Burmese niseya, and "grammatical analysis" probably referred to. "The word Vyâkaraṇa (Pali Byâkaraṇa, Burmese Byâkareiṇ) means literally 'undoing', and is applied first to linguistic analysis and then generally to grammar, especially to Pâṇini's Grammar. It opposite to Saṉakaraṇa, 'putting together,' whence the formed med language called Saṉskṛita, 'constructed.'"—Indian Wisdom. As there seems to be a great deal of misconception on the part of the Burmese translator in several of the renderings of words in the 10th and 11th stanzas, the rendering attached to visesakâ can scarcely be looked upon as the right one. I have no doubt that there is a reference to the Vaiśeshika philosophy, one of the six systems which had their origin in the Upanishads of the Vedas; so yoga may refer to the yoga system and not to "mechanical art.
- ↑ Or "Old Writings," i.e., the eighteen Purâṇas or Ancient Legendary Histories.
- ↑ The Itihâsas or "Legendary Poems" are referred to. Among them are the Ramayâṇa and Mahâbharata.
- ↑ Joti (jyotisha).
- ↑ Or "circumvention." By mâyâ, possibly "mysticism," such as we read of in connection with the Vedântist and Mîmânsâ systems, is the idea intended to be conveyed by text.
- ↑ Or "incantations," "the use of spells."
- ↑ The following is the Pâli text of the 10th and 11th stanzas, composed in the Vatta metre:—
(10) Suti sammuti saṅkhyâ ca yoga nîti visesakâ gandhabbâ gaṇikâ ceva dhanubbedâ ca pûraṇâ (11) tikicchâ itihâsâ ca joti mâyâ ca chandati ketumantâ ca saddâ ca sippâṭṭhârasakâ ime. - ↑ The sound may be produced from it whenever it is necessary.
III.The Dharmaśâstras (Law Books).
IV.The Itíhâsas (Legendary Poems).
V.The Purâņas (Legendary Tales).
VI.The Nîtiśâstras (Moral Precepts).
