formal debate technique

[Dominik Wujastyk]

Tibetan formal debating is quite physical, with the hands being clapped 
etc.  This will be familiar to many readers of this list and is described, 
for example, in Georges Dreyfus, The Sound of Two Hands Clapping (2003), 
pp.217 ff.

See, e.g., http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Crvh74HtYJA


In the Carakasaṃhitā, vi.8.15, there is a description of some reasons why 
one might want to debate.  The text says that in the heat of a debate, a 
teacher may accidentally blurt out some information about advanced topics 
that the students have not yet covered.  So its advantageous to them.

ācāryaḥ ... paraspareṇa saha jalpan piṇḍena vijigīṣur āha saṃharṣāt /

arguing with each other, the teacher, out of excitement (saṃharṣa) says 
that [i.e., secret], with a piṇḍa.

I'm writing to ask about this piṇḍa.  The 11th century commentator 
Cakrapāṇi glosses it as "sāroddhāreṇa", i.e., "with a pithy text".  So a 
piṇḍa is a "gobbet," in 20th century parlance.  That works quite well, but 
I'm not convinced.

The 20th century editor, Trikamji, notes in a footnote that there is 
another reading "paṇḍena", that the commentator Gaṅgādhara explains as 
being "by the light of his learnedness".  Hmm.

It crossed my mind that this piṇḍena - if that's what the MSS really say - 
might possibly refer to some physical gesture.  Does anyone have any 
suggestions about this?

Thanks,
Dominik


-- 
Dr Dominik Wujastyk
International Institute of Asian Studies
http://iias.nl

long term email address: wujastyk at gmail.com