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Question
Is Pali a very widespread used language? Is it worth learning? I'm from the states and am interesting in studying Buddhism.
Hi John,
Thank you for asking me.
Actually Pali is not a language. The meaning of "Pali" is "language of the text" which refers to the language used by the Buddha to explain his teachings. The language was Magandhian, the language spoken by the people of Magandha, the country around north-east India where the Buddha recided. Because the Buddha used this language to explain his teachings, the Magandhian language was referred to as the language of the text, Pali. Pali is very similar to Sanskrit. Pali has fewer "R" sound, while Sanskrit has a lot of "R" sound. Examples are Nibbana, Kamma, Sutta and Tipitaka which are Pali. The Sanskrit equivalents are Nirvana, Karma, Suttra and Tripitaka.
As such Pali is solely for learning the Buddha's teachings. As for me, it is a very difficult language to learn. It is not necessary to learn Pali in order to study Buddhism because the teachings have been translated into English by learned language scholars. However it is essential to be familiar with the more important Buddhist concepts in Pali. Of course if you have the interest and the ability to master the language, then by all means go ahead. You will definitely benefit from it.
Smile from justinchoo :-)
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Answers by Expert:
Justin Choo
Expertise
When in doubt seek it out. All your questions will be answered, and you may not have to agree with the answers. Such is the beauty of Buddhism. You are free to decide. I follow the Theravada tradition, and have been studying Buddhism for more than 40 years. Please view my profile for more details. I have answered more than 1500 questions since joining this category. You may like to give me the honor to answer your question.
Experience
I was brought up in the 50's as a Buddhist. For the past 40 years I have read numerous books on Buddhism and listened to numerous talks on Buddhism by well-respected and learned monks and lay teachers. I conduct Buddhist classes for parents of Sunday School children in a Theravada Buddhist Temple.
My teacher was the late Chief Reverend, The Ven. K Sri Dhammananda of The Brickfields Buddhist Mahavihara, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. You can view the relevent website in memory of my revered late teacher @
http://www.ksridhammananda.com
Organizations
I am a life member of the Buddhist Missionary Society Malaysia.
Publications
YOU ARE INVITED TO VISIT MY BLOG @
http://lifeislikethat999.blogspot.com/
Published a book called "The Rainbow And The Treasure". It is a compilation of extracts from various sources to introduce Buddhism to beginners. (Currently out of print)
Education/Credentials
Bachelor of Commerce And Administration, Victoria University Of Wellington, NZ.(1974)
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