Dear Nina & friends,
The Ara.na,vibhanga Sutta says:
M 139.12
'You should not cling to a regional language; you should not reject
common usage.' So it is said. In what connection is this said?
How, monks, is there clinging to a regional language and rejection of
common usage?
Here, monks, in different regions, they call a "bowl" paati, patta,
vittha, seraava, dhaaropa, po.na or pisiila. So whatever they call it in
such and such a region, they speak accordingly, firmly adhering (to the
words) and insisting, 'Only this is right; anything else is wrong.'
This is how, monks, there is clinging to a regional language and
rejection of common usage.
And how, monks, is there no clinging to a regional language and no
rejection of common usage?[1]
Here, monks, in different regions, they call a "bowl" paati, [235]
patta, vittha, seraava, dhaaropa, po.na or pisiila. So whatever they call it
in such and such a region, without adhering (to the words), one speaks
accordingly.
This is how, monks, there is no clinging to a regional language and
no rejection of common usage.
So it is with reference to this that it is said, 'You should not cling
to a regional language; you should not reject common usage.'
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----
[1] The Vinaya relates an incident where two monks complained to the Buddha
that other monks of various origins were distorting the Buddha's Teaching in
using their own dialect (sakya niruttiy) and proposed that the Teaching be
transmitted in Vedic verse (chandaso). The Buddha refused and declared: 'I
allow you, monks, to learn the Buddha Word in your own dialect.' (anujnmi
bhikkhave sakya niruttiy Buddha,vacanaµ pariypuöituµ, V 2:139; Geiger,
PLL 1968:6 f).
I've never heard of the rule that makes it "an offence to use a language
other than Pali for terms explaining the Dharma"--perhaps I'm ignorant of
this but will be glad to change my view otherwise. It might be Buddhaghosa's
opinion. Moreover, I would not treat the Canon and other texts like the
Bible, much as I respect them but na pi.taka,sampadaaya (Kaalaama Sutta).
If certain Buddhist terms are in the English dictionary (like Nirvana,
karma, stupa), I think we should use them. If wise monks like Nyanatiloka
and others use them, I'm sure they have good reasons for doing so. Again
there is nothing wrong with sticking to Pali terms throughout if one is
writing for a thesis or for one's own personal study. But we should think of
readability and the open audience.
Sukhi.
Piya
----- Original Message -----
From: "nina van gorkom" <nilo@...>
To: <Pali@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Monday, September 08, 2003 2:50 AM
Subject: Re: [Pali]Pali and Sanskrit for Dhamma terms.
Dear Dimitri and Ivan,
Yes, I had heard this, for a monk it is an offense to use a language other
then Pali for the terms explaining the Dhamma.
Ven. Nyanatiloka uses karma and nirvana in his Buddhist dictionary. That is
why I am inclined to say, in the context of the Theravada tradition and
Pali, we should use the words kamma and nibbana.
Nina.
op 06-09-2003 09:00 schreef Dimitry A. Ivakhnenko (Äìèòðèé Àëåêñååâè÷
Èâàõíåíêî) op koleso@...:
> Hello Ivan!
>
> It's Vinaya II.139 = Culavagga V.33.1.
> "na,
> bhikkhave, buddhavacana.m chandaso aaropetabba.m. Yo aaropeyya,
> aapatti dukka.tassa. Anujaanaami, bhikkhave, sakaaya niruttiyaa
> buddhavacana.m pariyaapu.nitun"ti.
>
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
[Homepage] http://www.tipitaka.net
[Send Message] pali@yahoogroups.com
Paaliga.na - a community for Pali students
Yahoo! Groups members can set their delivery options to daily digest or web
only.
Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/