COMMERCIAL EDITIONS ...

[GRUENENDAHL]

In his interesting contribution to the issue of editions, Carlos 
Lopez gives a fine illustration of what I had referred to earlier as 
the necessities and absurdities of academic life, and I sincerely hope 
the unfavourable circumstances he mentions will not discourage him.

As to his question:
> On Dr. Gruenendahl's reply, I would like ask the basis he considers
> the methods of classical philology (i.e. establishing a stemma) to
> be inapplicable or partly applicable to Sanskrit text?

My remark was not intended to cast doubt on the applicability of the
"classical" method in general. There is already enough of unqualified 
attacks of that nature, especially concerning Purana research.

I only referred to the concept of a stemma. As indicated, the stemmata
that I have taken a closer look at so far, as well as my own limited
experience in the field, give me little reason to believe that
something really deserving the name can be achieved in Sanskrit
"Textkritik", given the possible exceptions indicated before. [For 
details I again refer to the article mentioned in my earlier reply.]

In many cases, it is simply a question of quantity. The manuscript
tradition of many texts referred to in the various contributions to
this discussion (Kalidasa, Samkara, Veda, etc.) is so vast that it
takes a herculean effort just to sift it. The effort to proceed from
there to a classification of the MSS and to a determination of their
exact interrelations  - in my opinion a prerequisite of any stemma -
is hampered by the endless possibilities of "contamination", among
other factors.
I don't think classical philology has to encounter anything 
comparable to that.

> What methods should be used for editing Sanskrit texts? 

My undogmatic answer to this: I think, the "classical" method provides 
a very good orientation, but it should be adapted to the particular 
circumstances, i.e. to the manuscript material one has to deal with 
in every individual edition project.

Reinhold Gruenendahl
Niedersaechsische Staats- und Universitaetsbibliothek
37070 Goettingen
Germany
Phone: 0551/395283

(P.S. I will not be able to take part in this discussion in July.)