A treatise on Páli grammar by Kaccáyana. The treatise is in eight divisions, each division comprising suttas or rules, expressed with great brevity; vutti or supplements, to render the suttas intelligible; payoga or grammatical analyses, with examples, and nyása or scholia, explanatory notes of the principal grammatical forms in the shape of questions and answers. The nyása often exists as a separate book, called the Mukhamattadípaní. Orthodox tradition ascribes the whole work to Mahá Kaccána, but another tradition, recorded in the Kaccáyanabheda, states that the aphorisms are by Kaccáyana, the vutti by Sanghánandí, the illustrations by Brahmadatta and the nyása by Vimalabuddhi - all perhaps belonging to the same school of Avanti (see above, Kaccána).
Kaccáyana's work shows clearly the influence of Sanskrit grammar, chiefly the Kátantra. Many later works were written about the Kaccáyana (as it is called) or were based on it, the chief among them being the Rúpasiddhi, the Kaccáyanabheda, the Kaccáyanasára and the Kaccáyanavannaná (q.v.). For details see P.L.C.179ff; Bode, 21.