In Middle Indo-Aryan verbs, middle endings are merged into active endings, whereas the passive (-ya-/-ī̆ya-) stem and the causative (-e-/-pe- etc.) stem function as the middle (voice). In this paper I report new, additional instances of a function of the middle shown by the passive stem.
The Old Indo-Aryan verb prati-muc means “to put something on something (active), to put something on oneself (middle).” In this case, a function of the middle is indirect-reflexive (or affective). In Pāli, prati-muc has the passive form paṭimucca-ti as opposed to the active form paṭimuñca-ti. At Saṃyutta-nikāya I 24, the passive form appears in “so veraṃ paṭimuccati <he harbors hostility>.” Although scholars have not pointed out this instance so far, paṭimuccati is appropriate for an indirect-reflexive middle from the viewpoint of meaning. Buddhagosa’s commentary also supports this opinion by supplementing the reflexive pronoun “attani.”
Jātaka IV 285 (parallel VI 148) is another example. In this instance, although the manuscripts contain the verb “paṭimuccatu <suffer!>”, the European editor reads this as “paṭimuñcatu.” This alteration arises from a misunderstanding. If we consider paṭimuccatu to function as an indirect-reflexive middle, there is no need to alter the original reading. Accordingly, knowledge of this phenomenon affects textual criticism.
