Applications for the next, bilingual (En-Zh), The Golden Path journey are open.
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A few interesting niche titles have been newly added to our catalog.
The first newly-added title, Nature and the Environment in Early Buddhism, is a publication by the Buddhist publication Society (BPS). It contains an in-depth investigation of the natural environment that the Buddha lived in, as depicted in early Theravada Buddhist texts. The first part examines how north Indian Buddhists tried to explain, define and classify their natural world; everything from its topographical features to metrological phenomena and of course its flora and fauna. The second and largest part lists alphabetically the 580 different Pāli names of every animal and plant mentioned in early Theravada scriptures, including descriptions, scientific names and uses. The last part lists the medicinal herbs mentioned in the scriptures with their traditional application and modern usage. Comprehensive, detailed and well-referenced, this book will be an essential companion for anyone interested in the early Buddhist understanding of the natural world.
The author, Shravasti Dhammika was born in Australia in 1951 into a Christian family and converted to Buddhism at the age of 18. In 1973 he travelled to Thailand, Laos and Burma, and to India where he ordained under Venerable Matiwella Sangharatna, the last disciple of Anagarika Dharmapala. Bhante Dhammika studied Pāli in Sri Lanka.
Overcoming Doubts is the first translation from Pāli into a Western language of the commentary on the list of rules (Pātimokkha) for Buddhist monks (bhikkhus) and nuns (bhikkhunis) ascribed to Buddhaghosa, a 5th-century Indian Theravada Buddhist commentator, translator and philosopher who worked in the Great Monastery at Anurādhapura, Sri Lanka.
The first volume covers the commentary on the Bhikkhu-Pātimokkha. It comprises an Introduction discussing text, author, date, sources, etc., a heavily annotated translation, and a Glossary of important terms.
The hardcover book - The Catalogue of Manuscripts in the U Pho Thi Library gives details of over 780 palm-leaf manuscripts and five parabaiks (paper folding books) of the U Pho Thi Library (Sadhammajotika Monastery, Thaton, Myanmar) that will be made available as PDF-documents on a website being prepared by the staff of the Robarts Library, University of Toronto, Canada. Currently, PDFs of individual texts can be requested by contacting the Pali Text Society.
The texts cover a wide range of Pāli canonical texts, commentaries, and sub-commentaries. There are also many rare texts in Burmese, Burmese nissayas, and Mon nissayas*.
*Nissaya are works in which each word or phrase of a Pāli text is followed immediately by its Burmese translation. Mon is an Austroasiatic language spoken by the Mon people, who live in Burma (Myanmar) and Thailand.
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How Goenkaji's Chantings Led to Online Pāli Courses
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A Volunteer's Effort Through the Years
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We asked Klaus Nothnagel about what’s involved in creating these helpful online tools for studying Pāli. Below is a report of the information he sent us, giving an unexpected and wonderful insight in the olden days as well.
Klaus started practicing Vipassana in the early 1970s with Goenkaji and studying Pāli in the late 1980s, and in hindsight it was an experience in his very first course that became the cornerstone for his affinity with and interest in Pāli. Many Vipassana meditators look back on their first courses thinking they slept more hours then the course schedule technically allows, and Klaus shared with us it was the same for him.
After having slept in for the first few days of the course, the day he did make it to the hall early Klaus was surprised to find Goenkaji on the Dhamma seat, chanting. “To me it seemed that suddenly the whole atmosphere of the hall was engulfed by calm and peace and I was surprised about my deep meditation at that moment,” he said. “It was only more than a decade later that I learned that the chanting was a sutta spoken by the Buddha in the original language of Pāli.”
The Acquiring of Knowledge
It was in the late 80s Klaus read in a rarely-received Vipassana Research Institute (VRI) newsletter (a paper copy as there was no internet at the time) that VRI was planning a one-year residential Pāli course. Klaus said he felt thrilled, but by that time he was married and working as a teacher in government service (in his home country Germany) and chances were slim he would be able to take a year off, something much more common these days. “Due to whatever reason I found a loophole in the official regulations and was granted four years off - a leave that only later I was informed had been a bureaucratic mistake.”
Dhamma works, and fortunately Klaus was able to join that first Pāli course. It was there that he met Sean Salkin, who—like Klaus—is currently one of the teachers conducting Pariyatti Pāli workshops. Especially in those days India was not a country known for its efficiency, and the Pāli students ended up serving at Dhamma Giri a lot more than studying Pāli.
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Dhamma Server Klaus Nothnagel references Pāli Texts in his dedicated 'Pāli corner'.
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Even though Klaus felt his Pāli knowledge was “like zero”, he did put his hand up when VRI looked for a volunteer to edit the then-used Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta translation—Vipashyana Vishodhan Vinyas from All India Press—that had some paragraphs missing and contained various errors. “I slowly went through the sutta; I checked nearly every word in the dictionary. I made a literal translation and corrected several errors. This process refreshed and deepened my interest in Pāli and I started to spend as much time I had available reading different suttas.”
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Lesson 3.7.9 Ānāpānassatisutta: Satta Bojjhaṅge —Perfecting the Seven Factors of Enlightenment— has recently gone online. You’re invited to follow a thorough investigation into the important constituents of the thirty-two bodhipakkhiyā dhammā. While lesson 3.7.3, Saṃvarasuttaṃ, emphasizes the importance of arduous effort in developing mental qualities that lead one onwards on the path towards liberation (bhāvanāppadhānaṃ) and cultivating the seven factors of enlightenment, the present lesson quotes a selection of the Ānāpānassatisutta that describes their gradual and systematic step-by-step training. All of the satta bojjhaṅgā need strengthening but all links, all limbs (aṅgā) are interrelated, depend on each other, find support and base in one another; one reinforces the other.
The introduction tries to throw light on the manifold aspects that support their accomplishment, thus be prepared for detailed references and footnotes!
Similar to the preceding lesson 3.7.8, the Nīvaraṇapabbaṃ, the reader will find notes that likewise highlight the condition, nutriment and sustenance that support, foster, strengthen and help develop, cultivate and bring to fulfillment —bhāvito bahulīkato the satta bojjhaṅgā. Further ‘supporters’ or ‘benefactors’ for each bojjhaṅgā are designated as leading to the arising of each factor —dhammā …bojjhaṅgassa uppādāya saṃvattanti. These factors, leading to enlightenment, need to be practiced, strengthened, developed and brought to fulfillment. When all these factors are cultivated and perfected, the Buddha guarantees that one of the seven results and fruits can be expected: final knowledge early in this very life; at the time of death; realization of nibbāna after death in the intermediate state; at the moment of reappearance; one becomes anāgāmi by destroying the five lower fetters without exertion; one becomes anāgāmi by destroying the five lower fetters with exertion or one reaches nibbāna after having passed into the sphere of the akaniṭṭha field.
A big 'thank you' to Klaus Nothnagel for producing this wonderful learning tool!
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Residential Pāli Workshops
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Introduction to Pāli Workshop in Mexico
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Taller introductorio de pali en Mexixo
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We are excited to announce the newly scheduled introductory Pāli workshop that will be taught in Oaxaca, Mexico, in Spanish, by Adriana Patiño from June 3 to 9, 2019.
Like Vipassana courses in our tradition, Pariyatti Pāli workshops are offered on a donation (dāna) basis; the teacher receives no remuneration for teaching, and all course expenses are covered by donations from previous students. Meals are prepared by volunteering Dhamma servers.
Serving a Pāli workshop is a wonderful and rare opportunity to develop one's pāramīs, strengthen one's practice, and meet many Dhamma friends. During breaks servers can join classes and receive the benefit of learning the direct words of the Buddha.
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Nos sentimos entusiasmados por anunciar el taller introductorio de pali que será impartido en Oaxaca, Mexico por Adriana Patiño del 3 al 9 de junio, 2019
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El curso se llevará a cabo en el recinto de las Hermanas del Divino Pastor.
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Tenemos la necesidad de atraer suficientes servidores a nuestros talleres de pali, favor de considerar en apoyar nuestros talleres del 2019 a través del servicio. Los servidores serán bienvenidos a atender las lecciones una vez que terminen con sus tareas del día.
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All Upcoming Workshop Dates
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Introductorio (Oaxaca, Mexico): 3 - 9 de junio (Adriana Patiño - ES)
Introductory (Calif., USA): September 21 - October 1 (Sean Salkin)
Intermediate (Calif., USA): October 1 - 5 (Sean Salkin)
Introductory (Poland): November 19 - December 1 (Klaus Nothnagel)
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Donations: Either one-time or monthly pledge
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Pariyatti is a charitable, non-profit, educational support system for the Dhamma community. Pariyatti exists because of funds donated by supporters.
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FACT: Did you know Pariyatti publishes contemporary and classic titles related to the teachings of the Buddha preserved in the Theravāda tradition under the imprint Pariyatti Press (PP)? There are currently 48 PP titles available.
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Pāli Word
upasama — still, calm, quiet
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