Slide 1

Usage of term Pali in the sense of language is a historical error done by an European. Richard Gombrich :-The word has used in the sense of language after the 18th centaury. ( Theravada Buddhism A Social History from Ancient Benarase to modern Colombo, 1988, p.3)

Oscar von Hinuber :-This term brought to Europe by Simon the la Loubere. In his book of Du Royaume de Siam he is the first scholar who applied the term Pli in the sense of language. Hinuber has added that in Thailand the term Pli has used in the sense of text but Lubere has got that misunderstand in the sense of language(Selected papers of Pali studies , 1994, p.180)

Modern Analyses 28Did Europeans first use the term pali in the sense of language ?Ven. Mahawela Rathanapala

2Research AreaPli :- The language that the Buddha used to deliver his doctrine???

Controversies among modern and traditional scholars :-What does the word Pli really mean?,How the word originated ? How it has come to be used as a name of language ?.

Ancient formation which used to acquaint the language of the Buddhist doctrine .The term Pli has been used in the canon and commentaries in various meanings except in the sense of language. However fallowing terms were used to represent this particular language in commentaries and chronicles.

MgadhiMagadha BhsTanti BhsMgdi nirutti

Mgadhi Bhs

Mgadi or Magadha bhas means the language of the Magdha country, which represent the geographical name of the language. We can see the most ancient formation of this in the Dpavasa, Niruttiy mgadhiy mamaha ( Dpavasa) Sabhva niruttiy sabba sattna mgadya mla bsya ( Visuddhimagga)Mgadhanirutti

The term Magadha Nirutti also has used to brand this language. According to the B.C law Magadhanirutti is a pure invention of Sinhalese monks. Ta tattha gantv sutv tuva mgadhna niruttiy (Mahvasa)

Niruttiy mgadhikya vuddiy karomi dipantaravsina api (Dahvasa)

Tanti or Tanti bhs

Tanti is an other name that has used to indicate Pli language. In the commentaries of the Buddhagosa the term Tanti naya has used in the sense of language. In Sanskrit termTantra of Tantri has to indicate Vedic texts. Pli meaning of this term is a String, line, cord, a scared textTattha dhammoti Tanti (Dghanikyahakath) Tattha dhamma desanti Tanti thapan (Majjhimanikyahakath)Pahropaitvna Tantibhsa manorama (Dhammapayahakath)history of the term pli Application in the canon Application in the commentaries and the sub commentaries

Usage in the sense of languageIn the sense of dam

Addas kho bhagav magadhakhetta acchibaddha Pli baddha(Mahvagga of Vianaya pitaka)In the sense of line

Ambapli, Dantapli, Pullapli

Usage of the term Pli in canon Traditional Analysis Modern Analysis Approaches into the Analyses into the Meaning of PaliTraditional interpretation on the derivation of the term Pli

In accordance with the traditional interpretation the term has derived from the causative base of P = to protect.

Attha Pti rakkhatiti Pli Sabbadatta Pletii Pli

In the Sub commentary of the Samantapsdik term Pli has defined as

Pakahna upakahna sldi atthna bodhanato Pli ( This can make realize noble and exoteric words.

Pakahna vacanappabandna alti Pli (Pli means collection of noble words. )

As described in the Moggallna Grammar P is the root of this term and li is the suffix.

P+li = Pli ( Pto li) Protect the meaning.In terms of the Saddannt grammar text Pla = to protect is the root of term Pli Ettha Pti attha Pletti Pli

In the Abhidhnappdhpik three shades of meanings have been given for the term PliPlidhamma Discourses of the Buddha. Talkapli - DamPanti class, line, raw

Grammatical Derivations Modern analysis on the Derivation of the Term Pli.There are various notions regarding the derivation of term Pli among the modern scholars. In Main those can be categorized under five heads. Priyya is the most ancient formation of Pli

Term Pli has derived from Sanskrit PhaThe term Pli has derived from PaktiPali is the primeval form of term PliTerm Pli has derived from term Prakrit

Term Pli has derived from term Prakrit

According to E.J Thomas term, Pli has been derived from the term Prkta.Prkruta >Pkaa > Pkada > Pada >Pala > Pla > Pli

Usage of the term Pli in the sense of langauge.The term Pli has used in canon and commentaries in various senses except for language. Before the application of the term Pli to acquaint the language of Buddhist literature fallowing terms have used to represent this particular language.

MgadiMagadha BhsTanti BhsMgdi nirutti

Tanti or Tanti bhs

Tanti is an other name that has used to indicate Pli language. In the commentaries of the Buddhagosa the term Tanti naya has used in the sense of language. In Sanskrit termTantra of Tantri has to indicate Vedic texts. Pli meaning of this term is a String, line, cord, a scared text Tanitinayanuviccakam Tattha dhammoto Tanti Tattha dhamma desanti Tanti thapan Tantibhsa ativitthra gata ca vacanakkama Pahropaitvna Tantibhsa manorama B.C. Law The term Plibhs or Pli language is a comparatively modern coinage. Whether the credit of this misleading coinage is due to the European orientalits or to the latter day Buddhist theras of Ceylon, Burma and Siam, is still matter of dispute. It is certain, however, that even up to the sixth or seventh century A.D, the term Pli does not appear to have gained the currency as a nomenclature for any kind of language. ( History of Pali literature Vol I, 2000, p. 11)

K.R. Norman It would seem that the name "Pli" is based upon a misunderstanding of the compound Pli bhs "language of the canon". Where the word Pli was taken to stand for the name of a particular bhs, as a result of which the word was applied to the language of both canon and commentaries. There is evidence that this misunderstanding is occurred several centuries ago. ( Pali literature, 1983, p. 1)

As mentioned in the Abhidhanappadipik sci the term Pli has come to be used in the sense of language in Sinhala Ganhipada at first.Bhagavat vuccamanssa atthassaca vohrassaca dpanato saddo yeva pli nmti ganipadesu vutta iti abhidhammaakathya likhita

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