Why do Buddhists say monks are "Wadinawa" instead of saying they are coming or going?
Why do Buddhists say monks are "Wadinawa" instead of saying they are coming or going?
Why do Buddhists say monks are "Wadinawa" instead of saying they are coming or going?
“As the lamp consumes oil, the path realises Nibbana”
Re: Why do Buddhists say monks are "Wadinawa" instead of saying they are coming or going?
I doubt if you are going to get a technical/linguistic answer on this mostly English speaking website.
It's just a feature of the language. English for the most part doesn't have these levels of speech, but we can see it in other languages. Like German has the "du" and "Sie" form depending on who you talk to. I imagine that Hella also had verbs like this for talking about the Kings and queens. I know Thai has a different vocabulary and grammar used when talking to and about kings.
I'm also reminded that in German there is a word for when people eat (essen) and when animals eat (fressesn). Sinhala has a similar between monastics and lay people, as I'm sure you know. "valandanawa" and "kanawa." There is also "apawatuna" and "maeruna" for death (spelling is probably wrong).
In ancient times people were far more respectful towards the sangha than they are now in Sri Lanka. So even though that respect has started to disappear, the language has been slower to change.
It's just a feature of the language. English for the most part doesn't have these levels of speech, but we can see it in other languages. Like German has the "du" and "Sie" form depending on who you talk to. I imagine that Hella also had verbs like this for talking about the Kings and queens. I know Thai has a different vocabulary and grammar used when talking to and about kings.
I'm also reminded that in German there is a word for when people eat (essen) and when animals eat (fressesn). Sinhala has a similar between monastics and lay people, as I'm sure you know. "valandanawa" and "kanawa." There is also "apawatuna" and "maeruna" for death (spelling is probably wrong).
In ancient times people were far more respectful towards the sangha than they are now in Sri Lanka. So even though that respect has started to disappear, the language has been slower to change.
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