Sushruta Samhita
सूचनात् सूत्रणाच्चैव सवनाच्चार्थसन्ततेः । षट्चत्वारिंशदध्यायं सूत्रस्थानं प्रचक्षते ॥१२॥
"The twelfth chapter specifies that there are forty-six chapters in the Sutrasthana (the section on principles). This is according to the instruction, the systematization, and the continuity of meaning."
english translation
sUcanAt sUtraNAccaiva savanAccArthasantateH । SaTcatvAriMzadadhyAyaM sUtrasthAnaM pracakSate ॥12॥
hk transliteration by Sanscript