Re: Padarupasiddhi

Ven. Yuttadhammo wrote:
> I received a free copy of the Padarupasiddhi in Thai Pali
> (to compliment the Thai translation found at Wat Doi
> Suthep), and Ven. Dhammanando, whom I brought to take a look
> at the resources there, asked for and received what I think
> is one of the commentaries to it - whether it was in Thai or
> Thai Pali, he'll have to tell himself.

I didn't actually ask for anything. I just enquired of the
phra khru who received us whether U Gandhasaaraabhiva.msa's
_Padaruupasiddhima~njarii_ was in print yet. He replied that
only the first volume was so far available, and then very
generously presented me with his own copy of it.

The work is one of about a dozen published in the last two
decades whose titles end in -ma~njarii. Each one is an
explanatory Thai translation of some Sinhalese or Burmese
treatise on Pali grammar, aesthetics or Netti studies. The
explanations accompanying each translation are by various
monks trained by U Dhammananda (Tha Ma O Sayadaw) and are
exceptionally thorough, drawing heavily upon a wide range of
Burmese grammar .tiikaas. In the case of the
Padaruupasiddhima~njarii, the first volume consists of a
translation of the first three chapters of the
Padaruupasiddhi (about 300 pages), with about 900 pages of
commentary by Gandhasaaraabhiva.msa. But alas, how will one
ever find the time to read it? When I meet with books like
this I find myself wishing that I had been born in one of
those aeons in which humans have lifespans of 84,000 years.

Justin wrote:
> I used to study in this section of Wat Mahadhatu. It was
> actually founded by the lineage of Phra Dhammananda from
> Burma (based at Wat Thamma-O). The head teacher, Phra
> Sompong Mudito, is a very dedicated teacher and kind person.
> Yes, he indeed does a lot of work and receives very little
> funding. However, he has gathered lots of lay and ordained
> students for evening classes, including many lay women and
> Mae Chi.

Indeed. We were told that there are now more than 200
laypeople attending the evening Pali and Abhidhamma classes
taught in Section 25. It seems to be part of a fairly
widespread (and very encouraging) revival of interest in
pariyatti among the Thai laity. In the Greater Bangkok area
alone there are now at least a dozen institutions offering
Pali Yai ("Great Pali", i.e., Kaccaayana-based) courses to
the laity. They are all free of charge, with some modelled
on the Burmese syllabus of U Dhammananda and others on the
Muula-kaccaayana one that was used in Thailand before the
reforms of Wachirayanawororot.

Best wishes,
Dhammanando