Dear Justin,
Would it be possible for you to mail me your overview of pali studies in
Thailand? If you have information on published Pali gramm. Lit. in Thailand
as well as catalogues of Pali gramm. lit. accessible in ms.s in Thailand, I
would be grateful to you, if you could tell me how to access it.
With kind regards,
Ole Pind
-----Oprindelig meddelelse-----
Fra: palistudy@yahoogroups.com [mailto:palistudy@yahoogroups.com] På vegne
af justinm@...
Sendt: 16. maj 2006 08:26
Til: palistudy@yahoogroups.com
Emne: Re: [palistudy] Padarupasiddhi
Dear Jim,
Buddhaghosa College and Section 25 of Mahachulalongkorn Rajavidyalaya
(Mahachula for short) are connected, but they are not the same thing.
Section 25 is not officially "in" Wat Mahathat; however, section 25 is on
the grounds of Wat Mahathat (Mahaadhaatu) as part of Mahachulalongkorn
Monastic University. A monk, mae chi, or novice can be a part of Wat
Mahathat and not be a student of Mahachulalongkorn and vice versa. They
share grounds, but are not completely connected administratively.
As regards to Mahachulalongkorn Monastic University (one of the two premier
monastic universities in Thailand (Mahamakut Monastic University being the
other). Both have several branch campuses. Buddhaghosa College is one of
these branch campuses (in Nakorn Pathom about 30 miles from Bangkok). It is
a specialists campus for the study of Pali grammar and literature
(Paliseuksa), as opposed to other divisions in modern Thai monastic
curricula--Dhammaseuksa and Samanseuksa.
In many ways Buddhaghosa College is becoming the "main campus"
of Mahachulalongkorn, because of classroom space problems and transportation
at Mahachula. I would guess that many teachers and students will moce to the
Nakorn Pathom campus over the next ten years. The same thing is happening to
the secular Thammasat University (which is next to Mahachula) in Tha Phra
Chan. Undergraduates have been moved to the Rangsit Campus near the Don
Muang Airport because of space issues (and maybe to take away the power of
Thammasat U. as a center of Thai "radicalism" over the past 35 years, many
former socialist professors at Thammasat have protested this move).
As for donations, Phra Yuttadhammo is absolutely correct.
Section 25 does great work and has lots of students who the teachers serve
for free. They also produce (esp. Phra Sompong) lots of high quality books
(expensive binding, good acid free paper, etc.) and distribute them for
free. I studied there and was always treated with kindness (well, unless I
made a mistake with my Pali grammar -- then they were very tough!) and was
very impressed with the dedication of the teachers who are crammed into a
little building with a small basement classroom. They need the donations and
most likely were the publishers of the books you received.
Buddhaghosa College is growing quickly and they are involved with the
Tripitaka project started out of Mahidol University.
I am not sure what direction they will take, but it certainly is articulated
by the teachers there as in the tradition of Siamese "renewal." Some see
this as Thai chauvanism and triumphalism, others see it as a great start to
jumpstarting Pali study (which has become very fashionable among the middle
class in Bangkok). All the better I suppose. Still, these projects can
obscure as much as they illuminate, but the intentions are good, and there
are some really smart people involved in the whole campus project.
I have written a book on this structure and the basic breakdown of the
history of the two universities lineages (Mahachula and Mahamakut). It will
be published soon in a shortened form. I will tell you when it is published
(sometime in early 2007 I think).
I also wrote a basic overview of Pali Study in Thailand, that will be part
of larger project on contemporary Pali scholarship in Thailand. It can be
mailed as a draft to interested parties (I would like comments and
criticism). I should have time when classes end in June. The diacritics are
in an old system, so snail mailing would be the easiest. If you want this
basic overview please send me your address and I will send you the draft.
As for contacting Buddhaghosa College, you can e-mail them at:
buddhakosa@... or snail mail them at:
Mahachulalongkorn Rachawithayalai, Withayalai Baliseuksa Phutthakot, Nakorn
Pathom, Wat Mahasawatnakphuttharam, Tambon Homkret, Amphur Samphran,
Changwat Nakorn Pathom 73170. Or call (034) 299-356. I would address your
letter to: Chakkrit Chandradam (assistant to the dean). Since they have
trouble cashing checks sometime, I would enquire about the way they receive
donations (probably wire transfer).
I hope this helps.
Best,
justin
---- Original message ----
>Date: Mon, 15 May 2006 10:04:43 -0400
>From: "Jim Anderson" <jimanderson_on@...>
>Subject: Re: [palistudy] Padarupasiddhi
>To: <palistudy@yahoogroups.com>
>
>Dear Justin,
>
>Do you have the address and whom to make payment to for those
interested in
>donating money for supporting the publication of Pali
grammatical texts by
>Buddhaghosa College?
>
>I've had four of these wonderful texts sent to me and would
like to make a
>donation.
>
>I don't know if I have a complete list of these publications,
but I wonder
>if the list of 23 grammatical texts on pages xxxix-xl of their
>Kaccaayanava.n.nanaa could be it. It's near the end of Phra
Maha Nimitr's
>introduction (dated 2547). It begins with 1) Kaarikaa and
ends with 23)
>Niruttibhedasa"ngaha.
>
>Best wishes and thanks for any information you can provide,
>
>Jim
>
>Your response to Phra Yuttadhammo's message:
>> 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.
>> Thanks for bringing his work to the attention of the group.
>> Best,
>> jm
>>
>
>
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______________
Dr. Justin McDaniel
Dept. of Religious Studies
2617 Humanities Building
University of California, Riverside
Riverside, CA 92521
909-827-4530
justinm@...
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