Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit: The Original Language

The article addresses the historical and ideological status of Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit by situating it within classical Indian debates concerning sacred language, linguistic purity, and primordial speech. Through comparative analysis of Brahmanical Sanskrit, Theravāda Pāli, Jain Ardhamāgadhī, Buddhist grammatical traditions, and passages from Candrakīrti and Bhartṛhari, Bronkhorst explores how Buddhist intellectuals may have reconciled the non-classical linguistic features of their scriptures with the authority traditionally attributed to sacred language. The study thereby contributes to the history of Buddhist Sanskrit, Indian grammatical thought, and the relationship between linguistic form and religious legitimacy.