Interesting suggestion. It is possible for mā + icchāmi to be micchāmi in Ardhamāgadhī (or pseudo-Ardhamāgadhī) because lopa-sandhi is common in such contexts (see Pischel §158), but since the phrase occurs in the context of the pratikramaṇa, and in a few cases specifically refers to the evil of an already-committed transgression (jaṃ khaṇḍiyaṃ jaṃ virāhiyaṃ tassa micchā mi dukkaḍaṃ), it seems more natural to me to read it in the traditional way rather than as a resolution not to desire evil deeds in the future.

2017-08-26 7:26 GMT-04:00 Madhav Deshpande via INDOLOGY <indology@list.indology.info>:

Dear Colleagues,

     Someone recently asked me the meaning of the Jain phrase "micchāmi dukkaḍam".  On most of the web sources, the explanation is given like this: micchā mi dukkaḍam (Skt. mithyā me duṣkr̥tam) meaning "May my evil deed be ineffective".  I am wondering whether micchāmi in this phrase is originally "mā+icchāmi" and the phrase meaning: "May I not wish evil."  In several textual contexts, micchāmi occurs with other first person singular verbs like khāmemi: मिच्छामि दुक्कडम् खामेमि सव्व जीवे, सव्वे जीवा खमंतु मे।  I will appreciate any light that our Prakrit scholars can shed on this.  With best wishes,

Madhav Deshpande

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