Re: Bhumibalobhikkhu Foundation

--- In palistudy@yahoogroups.com, "Jim Anderson" <jimanderson_on@...>
wrote:
> Hi Amara,
>
> > > reimbusement. I'd prefer that the books be sent by sea which I
> think
> > > might take about 3 months.
> >
> >
> > I've checked with the lady again and she said she often mails them
> by
> > sea, and it takes 2 weeks.  Let's give it three, since I am sending
> > you the complete list of their publications, in case you wanted to
> > order something else, since the shipping cost starts at about
> 400/kg,
> > but the more weight the less the average, which is why your 4 kgs
> come
> > to about 1000 including packaging.
> >
> > For comparison, my 8 volumes of dictionary comes to 10 kgs,
> according
> > to my maid, and cost 5000 bhts/set, for some reason, coming to
> around
> > 600 bhts/vol, the cost of your entire 3 book set!  I have no idea
> how
> > this works, but in your case the shipping is going to cost more than
> > the books themselves.  Which is why I am sending you the list in
> case
> > you would like to order more and lower the shipping cost average
> > further by ordering all the books you want from them at once.
>
> I still find it hard to believe that it will only take 2 weeks or so
> to come from Bangkok by sea to Canada.
> When I order books from PTS in
> the UK (maybe a quarter to a third of the distance) it normally takes
> about a month by sea. Would the high shipping cost be due to it being
> sent by private courier rather than through the post office? Thank you
> for posting the BBF list of titles which is truly amazing as it
> contains a lot of rare books not published by PTS and I can see that I
> will want to add many other titles to my order. So don't have any
> books sent to me until I decide on which ones I want included. I think
> it might be better if they charge everything directly to my credit
> card as I think the total bill is going to be high.
>

Hi Jim,

Perhaps it would be best for you to contact the lady directly,

Khun Thavorn,
Bhumibalobhikkhu Foundation,
Office in the Wat Srakesa Precinet,
Chakrabardibong Rd.
Bangkok 10100

I will tell her to expect your mail, together with the rest of the
order, the shipping, as well as about your method of payment.  [I
really don't think they have the credit card system, though, they
don't even use computers!!!  Perhaps you could mail them a check or a
cashier's check. 


> > > I'm interested in the name Saddavisesa for
> > > the series as 'visesa' is a word that I often have trouble
> > > understanding as I did in my recent explanation of the first
> > > derivation of se.t.tho. I think the sadda part is used like the
> sadda
> > > (meaning language) in Saddaniiti but how do you understand the
> meaning
> > > of the 'visesa' part in the combination with sadda?
> > >
> >
> > Visesa has been incorporated in the Thai usage, but the meaning
> might
> > have shifted slightly, according to my So Sethaputra, 'wisehd'
> means:
> >
> > vi. adj. - superb (chance), splendid, topping, tops; magic, magical
> > (power)
> >
> > My newly acquired BF Paali - Thai - English vol. 7 says [all
> questions
> > beginning with ? mine]:
> >
> > Visesa [fr. vi+sis(? the s's here have special phonetic symbols) cp.
>
> These refer to two Sanskrit s's not found in Pali. They can be
> represented in the Velthuis scheme by "s (s with the acute mark above)
> and .s (underdot s), and so vi+"si.s.
>
> > Epic Sk. visesa]
> > 1. (mark of) distinction, characteristic, discrimination A I.267; S
> > IV.210;] II.p; Miln 29; VvA 58, 131; PvA 50,60. -
> > 2. elegance, splendoour, excellence  Jv.151; DhA 1.399.
> > 3. distinction, peculiar merit or advantage, eminence, excellence,
> > extraordinary state D I.233 (so for vivesa all through?)[? I wonder
> if
> > there is some mistake here].
>
> I agree. I think 'vivesa' is a typo for 'visesa'.
>
>   A III.349 (opp. haana);  J O/435;  VvA
> > 157 [Pu~n~na]; PvA 71(id.), 147 (sukha). -
> > 4. difference, variety SnA 477, 504; VvA 37,81,135 (pl. = items).  -
> > 5. specific idea (in meditation), attainment J. vi.69: see & cp.
> > Brethren 24.n.i; 110.-Cp.pati.-aadhigama specific attainment A
> iv.22;
> > M ii.96; Nett 92; Miln 412; DhA i.100.  [Cp. BSk. visesadhigama Civy
> > 174].  -gaamin  reaching distinction, gaining merit A ii.349 sq.;  S
> > v.108. -gu reaching a higher state of attainment J vi.573.  Paccaya
> > ground for distinction of progress (spiritually) D iii.272 sq.;
> > 277,282; Nett 77; Vism ii 88 (abstr. bhaagiyataa)
>
> This is also what the PTS's PED entry has as well. So your dictionary
> took it right from there.
>

I think they mentioned this.  This is probably why the dictionary was
so much more expensive than the rest of their publications, because
they are probably paying for the use of PTS material.  For their own
Thai translations there was probably no cost whatever, like for the
rest of the books, 'just the cost of the paper' as the octagenarian
gentleman told me.  And to think they donate their books to
educational institutions, who probably just leave them on the shelves.
  I think the ones they are donating to the WFB library will be put to
good use, though.


> > Together with Saddha wouldn't it mean something like 'detailed
> > analysis of words'?  [Although as a book title, 'The Wonder of
> Words'
> > sounds more magically appealing to me.]
>
> Interesting but not sure about 'analysis', though 'detail' could be a
> translation of 'visesa' (differentia).


Just a minor point, but practically wouldn't you have to analyse
something in order to differentiate them, Jim?


>I looked up Apte's Sanskrit
> dictionary and found an entry for /"sabdavi"se.sa.h/ with the
> definition: a variety of sound. That doesn't seem applicable in our
> case. My guess so far is that 'visesa' refers to a category and with
> sadda (also speech or sound) it is specifying a class of works
> relating to the Pali language. 'Visesa' is derived from the prefix
> 'vi' + the root 'sis' + a primary affix 'a'. Visesa is given as one of
> the many meanings of the prefix 'vi' and you will also see its past
> partciple form 'visi.t.tha' used to explain the 'abhi' of 'abhidhamma'
> and the 'vi' of 'vi~n~naa.na' (discriminating awareness). The
> Saddaniti, p.567 gives the meaning of 'atisaya' (superiority) to
> 'vi'+'sis' which is interesting as Panini uses ati"saya to explain the
> usage of the affixes of comparison whereas Kc and Sd use 'visesa'.
>
> .....
>
> > > Kaccaayanavyaakara.na only takes up 411 pages. I'd be interested
> in
> > > finding out more about the contents of this set, whether it
> contains
> > > other works on Kaccayana as well.
> >
> >
> > I think it does, and our friends at NP are bringing the sets to the
> > WFB soon.  If you send me the list of books you want we might add
> them
> > to the lot I had ordered, and we might even ask them to send this
> set
> > together with the rest.
>
> That would be good if the BBF could ship out the Kaccayana set along
> with my order of books from them. If you see the Kaccayana set could
> you perhaps check to see exactly what's in them. I'm geting curious.
>

I'll try to have them send it off with the rest, and try to remember
to note a few things for you.  Unless you would prefer to wait a
little longer and discover them for yourself!


> > I'm sorry I have another busy afternoon/evening coming up, but will
> > try and send you the BF list as soon as I can, if possible before I
> > leave.
> .....
>
> > I seem to be able to get through OK, perhaps they have fixed it by
> > now, thank you for the informtation.   I typed out the list for you;
> > please see below:
>
> I think the problem was quite short-lived and might have been just
> part of a larger internet problem. Thank you for taking the trouble of
> typing out this very useful list. There's one item I'd like you to
> clarify:
>
> > [9] SADDHAMAPAKASINI ANAOABASATU             150
>
> What is this ANAOABASATU? It doesn't look like a proper Pali spelling.
> Could you check?
>

It's ANAPANASATI, sorry about that.  [I am a slow typist especially
with all the Paali, which must be my excuse, plus the constant phone
calls while I was typing.]


> Thanks for your great help! Remember not to have any books sent to me
> until I've sent you a complete list of the books I want from the
> foundation.
>
> Best wishes,
> Jim


I've told the lady to hold everything and wait for your letter, which
you can also email me to fax to her, if you wish.  Or send it to her
by surface mail, of course,

Anumodana with your studies,

Amara