Studying Pali

[cooran]

Hello Kåre,

Your presentation?

metta
Chris

[Kare]

Hello Kåre,

Your presentation?

metta
Chris

Look under "Introductions". I posted it on February the 17th.

[cooran]

That would be fantastic!
I'll need to organise myself and get the texts first. Life won't settle down for me until the second week of Feb.
I'm looking forward to it!

Ben

Hello Kåre, Ben, all,

Thanks Kåre - got it!

Ben and anyone interested:

My text books have arrived and I'm ready to begin.

How is it with you?

metta
Chris

[Ben]

Hi Chris

Unfortunately for me my plans to study pali have been put on the back-burner. Finances are really tight subsisting on my wife's wage and this week I've been caring for a badly injured family pet who I think will be destroyed today.
Start without me.

Ben

[cooran]

Hello Ben,

I'm so sorry to hear of the upsetting news. Forget about the Pali for the moment and concentrate on dealing with the issues arising in Launceston.
I'm holding you in my heart and remembering you in my metta practice. End of life decisions are never easy.
You probably read my thread on my companion dog which begins with his sickness and ends with my deciding to have him put down:
Helping Animals to a better rebirth
http://www.lioncity.net/buddhism/index. ... topic=5316

metta
Chris

[cooran]

Hello Ben and all,

Lily de Silva "Pali Primer" is available free as an on-line text at the Vipassana Research Insitute - with fonts:

http://www.vri.dhamma.org/publications/ ... index.html

metta
Chris

[Ben]

Hello Ben,

I'm so sorry to hear of the upsetting news. Forget about the Pali for the moment and concentrate on dealing with the issues arising in Launceston.
I'm holding you in my heart and remembering you in my metta practice. End of life decisions are never easy.
You probably read my thread on my companion dog which begins with his sickness and ends with my deciding to have him put down:
Helping Animals to a better rebirth
http://www.lioncity.net/buddhism/index. ... topic=5316

metta
Chris

Thanks Chris

I've just returned from the Vet where Blaze died a little while ago.
You're right, I have been struggling with a number of issues since earlier in the week when the extent of Blaze's injuries had become clear. Not least of all the morality of euthanasia and the conflicting arguments of what is truly humane and compassionate. Its been a hard week which culminated last night and today. When be brought Blaze in to the vet, she seemed relieved that we had come to the decision to put down Blaze as it certainly appeared to me that further intervention was pointless. Perhaps I'll talk about it more elsewhere rather than hijack this thread.
Ben

[phil]

Hi Ben, Chris and all


First of all, very sorry to hear about your pet Ben. Hope everthing plays out with the least possible amount of suffering for everyone involved.

Chris, count me in for a de Silva study group if you can lead it. Very keen on Pali study these days, using that Dhammapada based site and the Narada. (I must admit sometimes I wonder why I'm so keen. The translators can be trusted, I feel, esp. B. Bodhi. But there is something very joyful and invigorating in a wholesome way in reciting Pali phrases, I find.)

Metta,

Phil

[cooran]

Hello Phil, Ben, all,

I spoke with Bhante Dhammasiha today - he is well versed in Pali. I showed him the books I have:

Intoduction to Pali ~ A.K. Warder
Pali Grammar for Students - Steven Collins
A New Course in Reading Pali ~ entering the World of the Buddha - James W. Gair and W. S. Karunatillake
Pali Primer by Lily de Silva

His suggestion was that I start with Lily de Silva and see how I go. He valued Warder, but wondered if it might be too difficult seeing as I wasn't in a formal class situation.

I am happy to start this week if you and Ben are happy with beginning with the on-line copy of Pali Primer. We can go as slow or as fast as we think necessary.

Anyone else is very welcome to start with us. Once again, the link to the text book is:
http://www.vri.dhamma.org/publications/ ... index.html

Who's up for it?

metta
Chris

[phil]

Hi Ben, Chris and all

Ben, sorry about Blaze.

You know what Chris? I'm thinking now that I might continue with the route I'm on, which is studying Dhammapada verses and learning the grammar as I go in a kind of osmotic (?) way. I'm getting such a kick out of reciting the Pali phrases that I had best carry on with that. I will read any posts you put up based on the primer with interest, but probably won't do the exercises myself. My other problem is that I don't want to study online and am already spending a lot of expensive printer ink printing out those grammar explanations for the Dhammapada.

Anyways, I'm sure others will join in on the Primer. Good luck!

Metta,

Phil

[cooran]

Hello Phil,

No worries! I'm happy to do it by myself, or with others. Whatever will be, will be.

metta
Chris

[pt1]

Hi Chris, I'll be glad to join

How do we go about it? One lesson a week sounds good?

Best wishes

[cooran]

Hello pt1, all,

Yes, I think that is a good idea. It gives us time to mull over it ourselves, discuss any mystifying parts, before we consult answers (which are available on the internet).

When dhamma friends are learning together It is not a contest or exam - so there is nothing to prove, and therefore no need to look up the answers before we have completed what we are capable of.

Let's start now and go to the next chapter next Sunday? What do you think?

metta
Chris

p.s. All are welcome to join in - now, or at a later time.

[pt1]

Hi Chris,

That sounds good - Pronunciation chapter this week, Lesson 1 on Sunday.

Was wondering, perhaps we should start a dedicated thread for Pali Primer only, because later on we might go on to another book, so it'll be easier to track the topic for us and others later?

Best wishes