From: Kumaara Bhikkhu
Message: 7971
Date: 2005-06-19
>Ven. Sujato:
>> The topics of discussion on this list have, by and large, in
>> fact been concerned with issues and subjects to do with Pali
>> and Buddhism;
>
>Which nobody has disputed. The subject of this thread,
>bhante, is whether it would be better to keep the
>Pali-list's primary focus on Pali, rather than on "issues
>and subjects to do with Buddhism".
>
>> the problem is not the content, but the manner of the
>> discussion.
>
>In practice the content is a major determinant of the manner
>in which the discussion is likely to proceed. The
>discussions on linguistics lists are as a rule fairly cool
>and sober. Those on religious or political lists are seldom
>so, even on the better ones.
>
>> We come to this list for interesting discussions on dhamma,
>> pali, and related issues,
>
>I would have to exclude myself from your "we". I came to the
>Pali list to discuss Pali. For Dhamma I read e-mail lists on
>Dhamma.
>
>> and many of us know how difficult it is to find a community
>> of people who understand and care about these issues.
>
>That is not the case, bhante. It is only the issue of Pali
>for which it is difficult to find a community of interested
>people. Dhamma communities are ten a penny. As I have noted
>already, there are 2236 of them on Yahoo alone. And that was
>last week; by now there are probably a dozen more either
>born or in gestation.