Mahaasangiiti; Thai Tipitaka edition

Many thanks to Nyanatusita for this latest round of messages; all very
informative.

Re:
> As far as I understand first
> one thousand sets will have to be distributed to universities and other
> institutions around the world. A Thai delegation will have to go to each
> of these places, stay in 5 star hotels, give glamourous presentations
> and dinners. So far they have only distributed a handful so there will
> still be a while to go...

This is a familiar pattern for Thai Royal editions; one of the sad things is
that so very few of these editions are ever used after they are installed. 
Despite the true scarcity of Pali books of any kind, the edition installed
in Lao has remained apparently untouched in its glass "birdhouse" --as have
several copies that I have seen in temples around the Issan country.  Often
the cases are locked, and it is quite clear from inspecting the books
(through the glass) that none of the monks have ever used them.  One of the
justifications for using modern Thai script was to make a "secular" edition
that could be handled as a textbook --whereas Lanna & Khom are still
regarded as full of potent magic in Thailand (examples: tattoos & magic
mandalas are still written in these scripts, never modern Thai).

Although this pattern of projecting both Royal and sacred status onto the
books is subject to criticism in more respects than one (e.g., the five star
hotels as mentioned...) there seems to me a fundamental problem in that this
same sacred/royal status seems to remain behind as a barrier to the books
ever being used.  The monastery puts up a photograph of the proud moment of
the Royal visit, and the books stay in their "glass birdhouse" display case,
serving as little more than a reminder of that Royal visit.

It might be more useful to publish the Titpitaka as a series of newspapers
  --on cheap, A3 broadsheet-- and to encourage monks to use these disposable
editions without fear of staining them.

E.M.


--
A saying of the Buddha from http://metta.lk/
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He who has passed beyong this quagmire, this difficult path, the ocean of
life (samsara), and delusion, who has crossed and gone beyond, who is
meditative, free from craving and doubts, who clinging to naught, has
attained Nibbana, - him I call a Brahmana.
Random Dhammapada Verse 414