Gunnar and Piya,
Thanks for your responses to my query about the Pali Bible. I had not realized that there
was one until I read Gunnar's note. I now assume that the reference I found is it. Anyone
who wishes to see a page should look at the following site:
www.worldscriptures.org/pages/pali.html
My interest in the Pali Bible has no religious motivation whatever, but is purely linguistic,
though it is related to my use of Bible translations for studying other languages, some of
which have no easily available literature other than the Bible. As Gunnar suggests, some
translations are acceptable and useful for linguistic purposes, and some are not. There is
no way to know without looking at the particular translation. Christians quite justifiably
boast of the number of languages into which the Bible has been translated, though I think
this has more to do with several centuries of Western cultural and economic hegemony
than with any truth or efficacy of Christian ideas.
I disagree with Piya that a language is necessarily influenced by what is said or written in
it. Languages are adaptable to whatever their speakers or writers (not limited to native
speakers or writers) want to use them to say. It might be difficult to show this in the case
of Pali since, as Gunnar notes, it is overwhelmingly used to convey Buddhist ideas, either
directly or indirectly. That is one reason why one might be interested in the Pali Bible.
Anyhow it might not be completely fair to blame the messenger if you are unhappy with
the message (or conversely to esteem the messenger if you like the message). I also
doubt that Pali was created to pass on the Dharma. It was (when it was a living language
in North India) flexible like any other. Historical vicissitudes have resulted in its present
condition.
Since Piya has actually read this Bible, I would appreciate it if he could tell us more. Did
you read it in Burmese script? Did you notice any howlers of the sort suggested by
Gunnar? And do you know how to obtain a copy? This last question is addressed to
everyone who reads this list.
George B
Decades back, as a monk, I remember reading the Pali Bible, and feeling deeply
joyful at
the Pali, but not what is thrusted upon it. It's like pasting a copy of Hieronymus
Bosch onto
a beautiful Chinese nature line-painting, or blowing a trumpet in a
sensitve rendition of
sitar music!
In a sense, we can say that a language is heavily influenced by the message it
habitually
carries. Pali, being a language specially put together to pass on the
Dharma, is thoroughly
coloured by it.
Similarly English is often deeply coloured by Christianity, but since English is a
living
language, it is constantly evolving. Pali has attained nirvana as it were, so
it is unlike to
undergo much change, if any! (Anyone still thinking of conversing in
Pali :) But, no, we still
could.
The upadhi-struck minds of some Christians never cease to amaze me. They are
as
appropriative as ever. In Singapore, it is not uncommon to see permanent
banners outside
churches, shouting: "Jesus is Lord" and there is a "City Harvest
Church" promising
prosperity to believers. So we are sheep to the Shepherd,
fishes for the Fisher of men.
The Buddha: "let go, and you will be free!"
With metta and mudita,
Piya Tan
On Feb 2, 2008 10:13 PM, Gunnar Gällmo <gunnargallmo@ yahoo.se
> wrote:
>
> --- George Bedell <gdbedell@... com <gdbedell%40yahoo. com
> skrev:
>
> > Gunnar,
> >
> > In your Paliforum post of 1/27, you mentioned 'the
> > Pali Bible'. After some investigation online, I
> > found reference to a New Testament in Burmese script
> > attributed to Tolfrey and de Thomas and published in
> > Colombo in 1835. Is this the one you were referring
> > to? Whether it is or not, do you have any idea how
> > to obtain a copy? I would appreciate any
> > information.
>
> Actually, I don't know any details; I have heard
> several times that either the Bible, or perhaps only
> the New Testament, have been translated into Pali to
> convert bhikkhus. I have also heard that this
> translation have given some knowledgeable bhikkhus a
> great joy, but of a quite different kind than the one
> intended.
>
> I have heard similar stories about other Bible
> translations (such a choosing the wrong synonym for
> "love"...)
>
> Some Christians tend to boast about how many languages
> the Bible has been translated into. I always wished to
> know how many of these translations are of an
> acceptable quality - but I suppose there's no-one who
> could check that.
>
> Gunnar
>
> http://metrobloggen .se/esperanto
>