Thanks, Madhav. This is very helpful. Yes, we have vitasti also in Kauṭilya — viewed as 12 aṅgulas, or about 24 cm (my own vitasti is only 21 cm, but I have a small hand!!). There would then be 4.5 vitastis in a hasta.
Thanks again. Patrick On Jan 3, 2025, at 11:12 AM, Madhav Deshpande <[email protected]> wrote: Patrick, I found one likely explanation: Source<http://dictionary.sutta.org/>: Sutta: The Pali Text Society's Pali-English Dictionary Vidatthi, (f.) (cp. Vedic vitasti; see Geiger, P. Gr. 383) a span (of 12 aṅgulas or finger-breadths) Vin. III, 149 (dīghaso dvādasa vidatthiyo sugata-vidatthiyā); IV, 279; J. I, 337; III, 318; Miln. 85; Vism. 65, 124, 171, 175, 408; DhA. III, 172; IV, 220; VbhA. 343 (dvādas’ aṅgulāni vidatthi; dve vidatthiyo ratanaṃ, etc.). (Page 621) Not connected to "hasta". The word "vitasti" likely survives in Marathi as वीत vīt, a measure "from the tip of thumb to the tip of the small finger of a stretched hand". This is a common Marathi word. Madhav Madhav M. Deshpande Professor Emeritus, Sanskrit and Linguistics University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA Senior Fellow, Oxford Center for Hindu Studies Adjunct Professor, National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bangalore, India [Residence: Campbell, California, USA] On Fri, Jan 3, 2025 at 7:33 AM Patrick Olivelle via INDOLOGY <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: Friends: Happy New Year. Someone from Thailand sent me this query, and I turn to you all for any possible answers: The reference we found states: "...the sugatavidatthi is really just the sugata hattha" * The definition and relationship between sugata and hattha in your research * The historical and textual basis for the 42.6cm measurement of a hattha Additionally, if you are familiar with Buddhist texts, we would be very interested in understanding: 3. How this measurement might relate to the Buddha's span (sugatavidatthi) as mentioned in the Vinaya texts. However, we completely understand if this falls outside your area of research. This information is crucial for his research on Vinaya rules regarding robe dimensions (particularly the 6-hattha height limit for robes) and monastic dwelling specifications. Understanding these measurements has practical implications for maintaining authenticity in modern Buddhist monastic practice. With thanks and warm good wishes, Patrick _______________________________________________ INDOLOGY mailing list [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> https://list.indology.info/mailman/listinfo/indology
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