What Was Buddhism's First Written Language?

Textual analysis and comparative discussion on early Buddhist sects and scriptures.
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Dragon Lady
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What Was Buddhism's First Written Language?

Post by Dragon Lady »

Hello. I'm sorry if this is a very beginner-type question.

Is it known definitively what language the sutras were first recorded in? I know Gandhari was involved, at some point. Did Pali texts predate recorded texts in Gandhari, or were they simultaneous? Or is this being hotly debated?

Thank you for any info you could provide.
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Dhammanando
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Re: What Was Buddhism's First Written Language?

Post by Dhammanando »

Dragon Lady wrote:Or is this being hotly debated?
Not hotly, but you will find this and ancillary issues coolly discussed in this thread.
Yena yena hi maññanti,
tato taṃ hoti aññathā.


In whatever way they conceive it,
It turns out otherwise.
(Sn. 588)
Dragon Lady
Posts: 16
Joined: Sun Nov 30, 2014 8:31 pm

Re: What Was Buddhism's First Written Language?

Post by Dragon Lady »

Thanks, but I carefully avoided the question of what language did the Buddha speak, as I"m aware that he spoke several languages/dialects. I'm interested in learning what language was first used to record the words of the Buddha, which is something that occurred after the Buddha's death. My understanding (which may be faulty or incomplete, or both, lol ) is that Sanskrit came later, and that the earlier languages used to write down the sutras were Pali and Gandhari. So I was wondering if it's known at this point which one of those came first, or if a definitive answer awaits further archaeological discoveries.
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Dhammanando
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Location: Mae Wang Huai Rin, Li District, Lamphun

Re: What Was Buddhism's First Written Language?

Post by Dhammanando »

Dragon Lady wrote:Thanks, but I carefully avoided the question of what language did the Buddha speak, as I"m aware that he spoke several languages/dialects. I'm interested in learning what language was first used to record the words of the Buddha, which is something that occurred after the Buddha's death.
This is discussed in the thread that I linked to.
Yena yena hi maññanti,
tato taṃ hoti aññathā.


In whatever way they conceive it,
It turns out otherwise.
(Sn. 588)
Dragon Lady
Posts: 16
Joined: Sun Nov 30, 2014 8:31 pm

Re: What Was Buddhism's First Written Language?

Post by Dragon Lady »

Dhammanando wrote:
Dragon Lady wrote:Thanks, but I carefully avoided the question of what language did the Buddha speak, as I"m aware that he spoke several languages/dialects. I'm interested in learning what language was first used to record the words of the Buddha, which is something that occurred after the Buddha's death.
This is discussed in the thread that I linked to.
I see. Thank you. That's quite a discussion.
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