hello June,


Well, all is subjective, but i think you'll find that many share
your feelings.

The early PTS translations were admirable pioneering efforts, but
quite inadequate now. Part of what has changed is our better
understanding of Dhamma, especially mediation. Partly it's due to
changes in linguistic styles (although if you read the PTS
translations next to other literarature of the times you realize
that they were very old-fashioned, if not self-consciously archaic,
even when they were written). A more serious problem is that, as is
well known, the long-time president of the PTS, Caroline Rhys-
Davids, fell into notorious wrong views, insisting on reading
a 'Self' into everything she could (i have heard that this was
prompted by a crisis after the death of her son). She in turn
influenced a whole generation of Pali scholarship in the West (from
about the 1920s to the 1960s).

Anyway, we must be very grateful, especially when we remember that
the Pali Tripitaka was translated into English before it was
translated into Sinhalese!



in Dhamma

Bhante Sujato







Because not long ago I ordered many translations, but in

> trying to read them, I'm finding the language is a bit hard to

understand

> (so no joy arises in reading them)! Is this the general opinion,

or is it

> just me?
>
> June
>
>
>
> --- In Pali@yahoogroups.com, "Bhante Sujato" <sujato@...> wrote:
> >
> > Hello June,
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > --- In Pali@yahoogroups.com, "junet9876" <junet9876@...> wrote:
> > >
> > > Or was there a copyright problem?
> > >
> > > June
> >
> > The matter was discussed on the group some time ago, but for
> anyone
> > who missed it, i contacted PTS and they told me that the only
> > digital version that they have given permission for is the one

at

> > the Uni of Chicago (mentioned by Bhikkhu Pesala). All other
> > versions, apparently, contravene copyright.
> >
> > in Dhamma
> >
> > Bhante Sujato