I would like to briefly introduce and share another work that was finalized recently.
- This is a slightly improved version of the Māgadhabhāsa grammar, with added cover. https://www.academia.edu/51439550/M%C4% ... i_Buddhism
The paper provides answers to the following questions:
- What is the vinaya-legal situation regarding an acquaintance with the stars/asterisms for bhikkhus based upon the Pāḷi canon, its commentaries and sub-commnetaries and, to a lesser extent, the Chinese canon?
- What kind of calendar was used by the early Buddhist *saṅgha* and what is its predecessor?
How does one navigate and tell the time of the night by means of the stars/asterisms, without any assistance from modern technology (vinaya requirement)?
- What makes a calendar Buddhist?
- Did the Buddhist count the months and seasons always from full moon to full moon (*pūrṇimānta* scheme), or is there any evidence in Pāḷi literature to suggest that they counted from new moon to new moon (*amānta* scheme)?
- What season marks the beginning of the Buddhist year start and how long does the Buddhist era last?
How does one calculate the fortnights of the lunar months to tell which *pātimokkha* comes next and which No. it is in the season without technological assistance?
- How does one calculate the extra days and months (*adhikavāra* and *adhikamāsa*) to be inserted occasionally to keep the lunar year in sync with the solar year, again, without any technological assistance?
- What are the 27/28 stars/asterisms the Buddha was talking about?
A. Bhikkhu