English canonical commentaries & subcommentaries

Exploring the Dhamma, as understood from the perspective of the ancient Pali commentaries.
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Christopherxx
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English canonical commentaries & subcommentaries

Post by Christopherxx »

Hi guys.

I was wondering if anyone had a source for english translations of Atthakatha and the Subcommentaries. Both for purchase or if any free online ebooks exist even better!

This could be a great topic as I am sure many people visiting this section would love to review the source material before posting comments/questions.

with lots of metta friends :namaste:
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tiltbillings
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Re: English canonical commentaries & subcommentaries

Post by tiltbillings »

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>> 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
Christopherxx
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Joined: Mon Aug 20, 2012 9:59 pm

Re: English canonical commentaries & subcommentaries

Post by Christopherxx »

Thanks TB,

I was refering to the classical authors such as Buddhaghosa and Dhammapala. Along with the traditional writers of the Tika (Subcommentary).

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/auth ... guide.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Apart from purchasing and or viewing online, are there any monasteries and or buddhist centres that are known as hosts of these texts (all) in english?
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tiltbillings
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Re: English canonical commentaries & subcommentaries

Post by tiltbillings »

Christopherxx wrote:Thanks TB,

I was refering to the classical authors such as Buddhaghosa and Dhammapala. Along with the traditional writers of the Tika (Subcommentary).

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/auth ... guide.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Apart from purchasing and or viewing online, are there any monasteries and or buddhist centres that are known as hosts of these texts (all) in english?
Not that I am aware of. Commentarial Pali is different from sutta Pali and is rather dense and rather difficult, which is why, I would guess, so little has actually been translated.

Now, if you can find a good Pali teacher, ideally one also versed in Sanskrit, and if you have maybe five years to devote a fair amount of time to learning, you can probably start reading these texts on your own.
>> 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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Cittasanto
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Re: English canonical commentaries & subcommentaries

Post by Cittasanto »

There are some published by PTS
have a look at the comentaries section for the list of published ones
http://www.palitext.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
although one is found in the canon (Paṭisambhidāmagga) which is translated by them also.
Blog, Suttas, Aj Chah, Facebook.

He who knows only his own side of the case knows little of that. His reasons may be good, and no one may have been able to refute them.
But if he is equally unable to refute the reasons on the opposite side, if he does not so much as know what they are, he has no ground for preferring either opinion …
...
He must be able to hear them from persons who actually believe them … he must know them in their most plausible and persuasive form.
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tiltbillings
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Re: English canonical commentaries & subcommentaries

Post by tiltbillings »

Cittasanto wrote:There are some published by PTS
have a look at the comentaries section for the list of published ones
http://www.palitext.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
although one is found in the canon (Paṭisambhidāmagga) which is translated by them also.
The amount in English -- including the PTS and other sources -- is really very, very small compared to what there is of the main commntaries, not mention the sub-commentaries. It is too bad, but translating this stuff is work that requires a fair amount of training, plus having the time and desire to do it.

We can be very appreciative of the scholars who done the translation work to date, not just the commentaries, but also the suttas.
>> 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
Christopherxx
Posts: 109
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Re: English canonical commentaries & subcommentaries

Post by Christopherxx »

Agreed,

They have definitely done an invaluable service to the buddhist community as well as opening up the "practice" to scholarly debate/investigation.

Thanks Tilt and C.

I wonder if this community should start some kind of form in which to get public/governmental/believer awareness.

I can only imagine what could be accomplished in our tradition in the respect of academic secular study if the source materials where made availble in the language of investigation.

Maybe something we should look into as a community as to do our part where the monks and the other scholars have done theirs.

With metta :smile:
Christopherxx
Posts: 109
Joined: Mon Aug 20, 2012 9:59 pm

Re: English canonical commentaries & subcommentaries

Post by Christopherxx »

Fundraising,

Creating an awareness project for these kind of objectives, etc.

Much like what the western faiths have done out of conviction.
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