taxonomy question

[Valerie J Roebuck]

I would have thought that in the Buddhist context it would include devas too.

Valerie J Roebuck

On 13 Aug 2011, at 14:39, Deshpande, Madhav wrote:

> 
> 
> I think the expression dupada in this context probably does extend beyond humans, though in other places, such as the Pāli expression dipaduttamo or Skt. dvipadāṃ varaḥ, it is most certainly limited to humans.
> 
> Madhav M. Deshpande
> 
> ________________________________________
> From: Indology [INDOLOGY at liverpool.ac.uk] on behalf of Artur Karp [karp at UW.EDU.PL]
> Sent: Saturday, August 13, 2011 8:13 AM
> To: INDOLOGY at liverpool.ac.uk
> Subject: Re: [INDOLOGY] taxonomy question
> 
> Aśoka's Edicts again.
> 
> Another broad taxonomical division appears in the text of Pillar Edict II.
> 
> Delhi-Topra version (Hultzsch,line E): dupada-catupadesu
> pakhi-vAlicAlesu vividhe me anugahe kaTe [...].
> 
> Amulyachandra Sen's Sanskritized text: dvipada-catuSpadeSu
> pakSi-vAricareSu vividhaH mayA anugrahaH kRtaH [...]
> 
> - and his translation: "On bipeds and quadrupeds, on birds and aquatic
> animals, various benefits have been conferred by me [...]".
> 
> It's not clear whether the category "bipeds" includes also monkeys and
> apes, and whether animals such as crayfish or water insects are
> included in the category of "aquatic animals".
> 
> Regards,
> 
> Artur Karp