Dear Jon Fernquest,

It is very interesting what you wrote about philosophical aspect of Pali Grammar regarding the relation between language and the world described. I have often speculated on this topic, but I've never encountered more explicit information about the viewpoint of the Buddhist tradition itself on these matters. Unfortunately I can't obtain this book by Stephen Collins, that's why I would be very grateful if you could provide these examples from the sentences he quotes, as you kindly offer.
Thank you in advance.

With metta,

Ardavarz

--- On Sun, 12/21/08, Jon Fernquest <bayinnaung@...> wrote:
From: Jon Fernquest <bayinnaung@...>
Subject: [Pali] Re: The New Pali Course Part II [3-8/8]
To: Pali@yahoogroups.com
Date: Sunday, December 21, 2008, 7:40 PM











Dear Yong Peng and all;



Here is a link to the publisher's page of the Steven Collins book:



http://www.silkworm books.com/ each_titles/ e_buddhism/ pali.htm



(This book is very easy to buy in Bangkok.

For example, the new Silkworm Books branch

at the Siam Society at Asoke station or at the

Kinokuniya bookstores.)



Judging from studying many of the example sentences, Pali grammar also

seems to have a philosophical aspect to it, how the descriptions given

by language relate to the world described, a sort of metaphysics or

semantics. (I can provide examples from the sentences Collins quotes).

In Burma Pali works focused on grammar and Abhidhamma.



gdbedell: "...the Paali grammarians did not set out to write the

grammar of Paali on the basis of primary data (the canon); rather they

formulated rules based on those given in Sanskrit grammars and then

searched for relevant examples in the canon."



I wonder how commentary writers used formal Pali grammar rules in

interpreting ambiguous passages? Or how committees of monks editing

definitive editions of the Tipitaka or how translators used it when

faced with difficult points of grammar?



BTW has anyone ever seen "Kachchayano' s Pali grammar with Chrestomathy

and Vocabulary" by Francis Mason, D.D., Toungoo, Burma, 1868? Does

this work actually reflect Kaccayana's Pali grammar?



With metta,

Jon Fernquest





























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