Why Learn Pali
Posted: Thu Jul 04, 2013 4:48 am
Some of my fellow Forum members are anxious about Pali meanings and dictionaries.
I have a question. Why does a Theravadan Buddhist need to learn Pali ?
Here are my arguments against making a conscious effort to learn Pali.
A ) Old Testament is written in Hebrew and Aramaic and New Testament in old Greek. Does that mean a person who reads the Bible in English is any less devout ? Does it mean that Mother Teresa who did not know old Greek and was a simple Catholic nun failed to carry out Christ's teaching ?
B ) Pali is a dead language. No one anywhere speaks it. From Sanskrit we have an idea how it is pronounced. Pali scholars and monks have deciphered Pali texts but it takes a life time of education and dedication. Most Theravadan monks cannot understand Pali - verified from a Bhikkhu whom I know [ though they can read Pali written in English or any other language phonetically ] [ just like an ordinary Christian priest can speak some Latin verses used in Church liturgy but cannot converse in Latin ]
Such as take the word Sati - and you try to learn it's meaning. Pali is a way that common people pronounced Sanskrit 2500 years ago. Such as an educated Indian today will say college but an illiterate Indian will say kalej [ I am an Indian so no harm done if I poke my own race in the eye ].
In same way what was in Sanskrit " Smriti " meaning memory or remembering became Sati in Pali and has no relationship with the actual word Sati in Sanskrit [ wife of Shiva who killed herself because Shiva insulted her father - Hindu mythology - probably Puranas ].
So if you try to search Sati in the internet you will end up really confused. Now imagine trying to understand " Kamasukhallikanuyogo ". I can make out that Kama means lust and Sukh means happiness beyond that I am lost. I kind of get that the word must mean happiness from sensual pleasure and guess what - Thanissaro Bhikkhu has translated it as " craving for sensual pleasure " and Ven Nanamoli Thera as " craving for sensual desires ". But I cannot get the meaning of 90 % of what is written in a Pali stanza let alone translate it to erase my doubts should I have reason to believe a translation I am reading is incorrect.. And unlike me you do not know Sanskrit - the root language. For all I know Kamasukhallikanuyogo might have meant refrain from sensual desires !! And I just made a lucky guess.
My suggestion to the members who are not going to devote their life to learning Pali is learn 200 common Pali words and their English meanings. But other than that read the English translations [ more than one if possible ] and get the essence of the Sutta.
Arijit
I have a question. Why does a Theravadan Buddhist need to learn Pali ?
Here are my arguments against making a conscious effort to learn Pali.
A ) Old Testament is written in Hebrew and Aramaic and New Testament in old Greek. Does that mean a person who reads the Bible in English is any less devout ? Does it mean that Mother Teresa who did not know old Greek and was a simple Catholic nun failed to carry out Christ's teaching ?
B ) Pali is a dead language. No one anywhere speaks it. From Sanskrit we have an idea how it is pronounced. Pali scholars and monks have deciphered Pali texts but it takes a life time of education and dedication. Most Theravadan monks cannot understand Pali - verified from a Bhikkhu whom I know [ though they can read Pali written in English or any other language phonetically ] [ just like an ordinary Christian priest can speak some Latin verses used in Church liturgy but cannot converse in Latin ]
Such as take the word Sati - and you try to learn it's meaning. Pali is a way that common people pronounced Sanskrit 2500 years ago. Such as an educated Indian today will say college but an illiterate Indian will say kalej [ I am an Indian so no harm done if I poke my own race in the eye ].
In same way what was in Sanskrit " Smriti " meaning memory or remembering became Sati in Pali and has no relationship with the actual word Sati in Sanskrit [ wife of Shiva who killed herself because Shiva insulted her father - Hindu mythology - probably Puranas ].
So if you try to search Sati in the internet you will end up really confused. Now imagine trying to understand " Kamasukhallikanuyogo ". I can make out that Kama means lust and Sukh means happiness beyond that I am lost. I kind of get that the word must mean happiness from sensual pleasure and guess what - Thanissaro Bhikkhu has translated it as " craving for sensual pleasure " and Ven Nanamoli Thera as " craving for sensual desires ". But I cannot get the meaning of 90 % of what is written in a Pali stanza let alone translate it to erase my doubts should I have reason to believe a translation I am reading is incorrect.. And unlike me you do not know Sanskrit - the root language. For all I know Kamasukhallikanuyogo might have meant refrain from sensual desires !! And I just made a lucky guess.
My suggestion to the members who are not going to devote their life to learning Pali is learn 200 common Pali words and their English meanings. But other than that read the English translations [ more than one if possible ] and get the essence of the Sutta.
Arijit