Read Book Online : VOLUME 1 - http://www.archive.org/stream/historyofpalilit035453mbp#page/n3/mode/2up VOLUME 2 - http://www.archive.org/stream/ahistoryofpalili035454mbp#page/n3/mode/2up

Download pdf Book : VOLUME 1 - http://ia600409.us.archive.org/13/items/historyofpalilit035453mbp/historyofpalilit035453mbp.pdf VOLUME 2 - http://ia600208.us.archive.org/10/items/ahistoryofpalili035454mbp/ahistoryofpalili035454mbp.pdf

Pali Language Pali language is regarded as a cardinal ancient language of India, belonging to the Middle Indo-Aryan language or Prakrit of India. It is wholly popular and acknowledged as the language of the earliest surviving Buddhist scriptures, as compiled in the Pali Canon or Tipitaka and as the liturgical language of Theravada Buddhism. The hallowed and consecrated scriptures of Buddhism are absolutely penned in ancient Pali language. Pali literally stands for `sacred text`. It is assumed that Gautama Buddha was of the habit to mouth in Pali and thus, Pali canon is regarded as the most veritable version of the sermons delivered by Buddha. Buddhist scriptures in Pali are generally referred to as Tipitaka, standing for Threefold Basket. These three Baskets of fundamental law further are divided as: Vinaya-Pitaka (the collection of rules for Monks), Sutta-Pitaka (principal body of collected teachings) and Abhidhamma-Pitaka (the more advanced teachings). Pali language bears with itself rich historical development and maturing into that language, which still is being experimented by researchers worldwide. When the Aryan-speaking populace had moved into north India, approximately 2000 years B.C.E., they transported with them numerous variations of the Aryan language. Some of these dialects evolved into literary forms (i.e., with grammar) later. The most substantial dialect of these was Sanskrit. The word Pali literally with its meaning "the refined language" was lent a formalised appearance, the acclaim of which solely goes to the legendary grammarian Panini, who lived approximately 500 years B.C.E. In this context of Pali language, another language, Magadhi comes into the public eye. Magadhi spoken in the eastern part of north India very soon arrived, which was probably the language preferred and employed by Buddha. It was this language that came to be matured and evolved into a written language, which is now referred to as "Pali". The word "Pali" also stands for "text" and its vocabulary bears a special signification for the study of Buddhism, since its words have been well outlined for the demands of Buddha`s teachings. For example, in Pali language the word "Dhamma", is earmarked exclusively for Buddha`s ideas and ideals. On the other hand, "Dharma" in Sanskrit, possesses an extensive application - it is applied to physical and moral teachings, general teachings and even to the laws of nature. In the same manner, with the Pali word "Kamma", this is the moral law as laid down by Buddha. In Sanskrit, the word "Karma" assimilates Hindu theistical ideas. Thus, it can be stated that Pali is wholly the language of Theravada Buddhism. Pali is definitely not derived from Sanskrit. Pali language is called "the language of mankind`s philosophy". This is too because it has the most copious literature based upon religion and philosophy in the whole wide world. Pali essentially serves as a written language, though it possesses no special script to call its own. Although trade-links were developed first, Buddhist monks and royal envoys throughout the region further bettered its use. Pali was also the lingua franca of the Buddhist countries of south and south-east Asia for well over a thousand years. Each country subsequently developed its own Pali literature and chronicles. Read more at : http://www.indianetzone.com/31/pali_sacred_language_buddhists.htm

Learn to read, write and speak the Pali Language : Taught by Bhikkhu Bodhi Pali is the language used to preserve the Buddhist canon of the Theravada Buddhist tradition, which is regarded as the oldest complete collection of Buddhist texts surviving in an Indian language. Pali is closely related to Sanskrit, but its grammar and structure are simpler. Traditional Theravadins regard Pali as the language spoken by the Buddha himself, but in the opinion of leading linguistic scholars, Pali was probably a synthetic language created from several vernaculars to make the Buddhist texts comprehensible to Buddhist monks living in different parts of northern India. It is rooted in the Prakrits, the vernacular languages, used in northern India during the Middle period of Indian linguistic evolution. As Theravada Buddhism spread to other parts of southern Asia, the use of Pali as the language of the texts spread along with it, and thus Pali became a sacred language in Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. Pali has been used almost exclusively for Buddhist teachings, although many religious and literary works related to Buddhism were written in Pali at a time when it was already forgotten in India. Read and listen at : http://www.bodhimonastery.net/bm/programs/pali-class-online.html

The Pali Primer written by Lily de Silva : http://www.vridhamma.org/Pali-Primar-Online.aspx

An excellent scholar!