Studying Pali

Explore the ancient language of the Tipitaka and Theravāda commentaries
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cooran
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Studying Pali

Post by cooran »

Hello all,

One of the Dhamma friends at the forest monestary I attend on weekends (Dhammagiri - Queensland) is John Kelly (a translator) who has some of his work on AccessTo Insight: http://www.accesstoinsight.org/cgi/sear ... erms=Kelly" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
He is encouraging me to return to studying Pali. I did a couple of first year Pali subjects at Queensland University before the untimely death of Dr. Primoz Pecenko - which eventually resulted in the complete closing of the Buddhist, Pali and Sanscrit studies courses at that institution.

I am wondering if anyone else is studying to enable the reading of the Canon in the original - and to be able to check the (sometimes) unusual translations of others?
I have the textbook which John has recommended "A New Course in Reading Pali" Entering the Word of the Budda by James W. Gair and W.S. Karunatillake - and which, coincidentally, is the one at this site:
http://www.bodhimonastery.net/bm/about- ... guage.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

metta
Chris
---The trouble is that you think you have time---
---Worry is the Interest, paid in advance, on a debt you may never owe---
---It's not what happens to you in life that is important ~ it's what you do with it ---
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Ben
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Re: Studying Pali

Post by Ben »

Thanks Chris

In my new life in Van Dieman's Land from February this year, I may have an abundance of free time during the day until I find appropriate employment. The thought has crossed my mind to begin studying Pali and I was looking for some quality sources and guidance.
Kind regards

Ben
“No lists of things to be done. The day providential to itself. The hour. There is no later. This is later. All things of grace and beauty such that one holds them to one's heart have a common provenance in pain. Their birth in grief and ashes.”
- Cormac McCarthy, The Road

Learn this from the waters:
in mountain clefts and chasms,
loud gush the streamlets,
but great rivers flow silently.
- Sutta Nipata 3.725

Compassionate Hands Foundation (Buddhist aid in Myanmar) • Buddhist Global ReliefUNHCR

e: [email protected]..
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cooran
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Re: Studying Pali

Post by cooran »

Hello Ben,

This is great! Maybe we can start together and do Gair and Karunatillake's 'A new Course in Reading Pali 'with Bhikkhu Bodhi''s tutorial talks using the same book?

metta
Chris
---The trouble is that you think you have time---
---Worry is the Interest, paid in advance, on a debt you may never owe---
---It's not what happens to you in life that is important ~ it's what you do with it ---
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Ben
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Re: Studying Pali

Post by Ben »

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
“No lists of things to be done. The day providential to itself. The hour. There is no later. This is later. All things of grace and beauty such that one holds them to one's heart have a common provenance in pain. Their birth in grief and ashes.”
- Cormac McCarthy, The Road

Learn this from the waters:
in mountain clefts and chasms,
loud gush the streamlets,
but great rivers flow silently.
- Sutta Nipata 3.725

Compassionate Hands Foundation (Buddhist aid in Myanmar) • Buddhist Global ReliefUNHCR

e: [email protected]..
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cooran
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Re: Studying Pali

Post by cooran »

Hello Ben, all,

As grammar and sentence structure is a little different in Pali than in English, it is very worth while to get this book also Pali Grammar for Students by Steven Collins (2006, Silkworm Books, ISBN 978-974-9511-13-8) - Bhikkhu Bodhi recommends that it be used in conjunction with book by James W. Gair and W.S. Karunatillake.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/974951 ... ive=380601" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

So ... the time frame will allow us (and anyone else interested in joining us) to get both books and be ready to go by the end of February, 2009.

One funny thing ... although I have now forgotten most of the Pali I learned at Uni. .... on my last trip to India, the Pilgrimage group was down at the Burning ghats, very tired at the end of a long day of visual, vocal, aural, gustatory, olfactory, tactile sensations that make up Indian cities.
I had been 'harassed' by an indian male beggar for an hour or more, and I finally dispensed with politeness and told him quietly to go away as I was not giving him any more. He drew himself up and stalked away, curling his lip and sneering "Pandaka" and spitting on the ground. I wasn't insulted but almost ran after him to ask him (with a smile) to say it again please so I could record it on my mobile.
Pandaka is a Pali word, and he was using it as a modern obscenity fueled by anger ~ basically commenting (I think) on my short hair and make-up (Indian women having beautiful hair down to their waists.
So Pali isn't as dead a language as we sometimes think. :jumping:
Homosexuality and the original meaning of Pandaka
http://www.buddhistchannel.tv/index.php ... 22,0,0,1,0" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

metta
Chris
---The trouble is that you think you have time---
---Worry is the Interest, paid in advance, on a debt you may never owe---
---It's not what happens to you in life that is important ~ it's what you do with it ---
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Ben
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Re: Studying Pali

Post by Ben »

Wow!
I remember having some pretty bizarre experiences in India as well. Its like another planet!
I'll endeavour to get onto amazon tomorrow and order Pali Grammar for Students and A New Course in Reading Pali.
Kind regards

Ben
“No lists of things to be done. The day providential to itself. The hour. There is no later. This is later. All things of grace and beauty such that one holds them to one's heart have a common provenance in pain. Their birth in grief and ashes.”
- Cormac McCarthy, The Road

Learn this from the waters:
in mountain clefts and chasms,
loud gush the streamlets,
but great rivers flow silently.
- Sutta Nipata 3.725

Compassionate Hands Foundation (Buddhist aid in Myanmar) • Buddhist Global ReliefUNHCR

e: [email protected]..
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tiltbillings
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Re: Studying Pali

Post by tiltbillings »

I would not rule out A.K. Warder's excellent INTRODUCTION TO PALI. It is a sutta based Pali, primarily drawing from the Digha. Since it can be gotten fairly cheaply, I'd recommend trying it by working through the first 10 to 15 lessons. Actually, if you are working on you own, using more than one book is quite helpful.
>> Do you see a man wise [enlightened/ariya] in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.<< -- Proverbs 26:12

This being is bound to samsara, kamma is his means for going beyond. -- SN I, 38.

“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?” HPatDH p.723
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cooran
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Re: Studying Pali

Post by cooran »

Thanks Tilt.

I have got Warder somewhere - it was one of the texts used at Uni - and I think I can find my book by A.P. Buddhadatta The New Pali Course — Parts I & II,though it was so poorly bound that pages were coming out from day one.

metta
Chris
---The trouble is that you think you have time---
---Worry is the Interest, paid in advance, on a debt you may never owe---
---It's not what happens to you in life that is important ~ it's what you do with it ---
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retrofuturist
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Re: Studying Pali

Post by retrofuturist »

Greetings Chris,

I'm not sure if you check your e-mail often, but I've e-mailed you a text you might find beneficial.

Metta,
Retro. :)
"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."
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cooran
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Re: Studying Pali

Post by cooran »

Hello Paul,

Thanks!! I just checked gmail and found your email. Mostly I try to check it daily but sometimes I let it go a little longer.

Much appreciated!! :twothumbsup:

metta
Chris
---The trouble is that you think you have time---
---Worry is the Interest, paid in advance, on a debt you may never owe---
---It's not what happens to you in life that is important ~ it's what you do with it ---
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cooran
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Re: Studying Pali

Post by cooran »

Hello Ben, all,

My "Pali Grammar for Students" by Steven Collins arrived today. So I'll have a bit of time to have a look through it before settling down to doing the hard yards.

metta
Chris
---The trouble is that you think you have time---
---Worry is the Interest, paid in advance, on a debt you may never owe---
---It's not what happens to you in life that is important ~ it's what you do with it ---
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Kare
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Re: Studying Pali

Post by Kare »

Both Gair & Karunatilleke and Collins are good and useful, but in my view Warder is still the best. Once you have worked your way through Warder, you will be able to read canonical Pali fairly easily (of course with the PTS Pali-English Dictionary by your side - and Geiger's grammar not too far away). The commentarial language is another cup of tea - even after mastering Warder you will need some time to get use to the syntax in the commentaries. :reading:

Another book that is very helpful to the beginner, is Rune E.A. Johansson: "Pali Buddhist Texts". Johansson takes you directly into important and interesting texts from the suttas, explaining every word and grammatical feature along the way. Warder gives a far better and broader foundation, but Johansson at least gives you a nice and pleasant "illusion" of being able to read the word of the Buddha from day one. :reading:

If you read German, and are interested in comparing Pali with other Indo-European languages, Mayrhofer "Handbuch des Pali" is a real joy to read - but this is not a good book for learning Pali from scratch. :reading:
Mettāya,
Kåre
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cooran
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Re: Studying Pali

Post by cooran »

Hello Kåre,

Thank you for these suggestions and comments. They are much appreciated.

I found learning Pali with a small group with Dr. Primoz Pecenko at University of Queensland - before his untimely and regretted death - was very helpful.
But that was a few years ago. I'm hoping it comes back a little easily when I begin again.

..... which is why anyone else who is interested is very welcome to study along with Ben and I.

metta
Chris
---The trouble is that you think you have time---
---Worry is the Interest, paid in advance, on a debt you may never owe---
---It's not what happens to you in life that is important ~ it's what you do with it ---
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jcsuperstar
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Re: Studying Pali

Post by jcsuperstar »

you know if i wasnt trying to learn thai i'd so be right there with you guys...
สัพเพ สัตตา สุขีตา โหนตุ

the mountain may be heavy in and of itself, but if you're not trying to carry it it's not heavy to you- Ajaan Suwat
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Kare
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Re: Studying Pali

Post by Kare »

jcsuperstar wrote:you know if i wasnt trying to learn thai i'd so be right there with you guys...
Why not do both Thai and Pali? I had studied Pali for some years before I started learning Thai, but then I found that Pali was very useful. As you know, English and other Western European languages have imported lots and lots of words from Greek and Latin, and in the same way Thai has imported lots and lots of words from Sanskrit and Pali. The syntax and grammar are very different, but when I knew some Pali, I found that lots of words in Thai were "old friends" - although in a slightly different phonetic garb. For instance, the Thai word "roth" (car) is the Pali word "ratha" (wagon, chariot, cart). In Thai writing the two words are spelled exactly the same way, only the pronounciation is different.
Mettāya,
Kåre
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