𑀩𑀼𑀤𑁆𑀥𑀯𑀘𑀦: The Word of the Buddha

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𑀏𑀯𑀫𑁆 𑀫𑁂 𑀲𑀼𑀢𑀫𑁆 (thus heard by me) ...

This website documents my journey reading and studying Buddhist texts, primarily from the Pāli Canon (Tipiṭaka). It also contains a textbook and other references for learning Pāli, the language that the Tipiṭaka is written in.

We do not know what the Buddha’s native language was. Some scholars have speculated that it was either Magadhi or Magadhi-Prakrit considering his family background and where he was born. The Buddha probably preached the Dhamma in a mixture of Sanskrit and Prakrit languages. Buddhist teachings were preserved and transmitted orally, and modern scholars believe over time Pāli evolved as a mix of the above languages, with the meanings of some words adapted to have specific Buddhist significance. As such, Pāli is a partially invented language used for the transmission and preservation of Buddhist theology, and is the canonical language of Buddhism.

I have always wanted to study Buddhism, and in particular the Pāli Canon or Tipiṭaka, in Pāli rather than translated into English. This website summarises what I have learnt. I have tried to use diagrams such as mind maps whenever possible, and link to the actual discourses are available on SuttaCentral.

𑀇𑀤𑀫𑀯𑁄𑀘 𑀪𑀕𑀯𑀸𑁇 𑀅𑀢𑁆𑀢𑀫𑀦𑀸 𑀢𑁂 𑀪𑀺𑀓𑁆𑀔𑀽 𑀪𑀕𑀯𑀢𑁄 𑀪𑀸𑀲𑀺𑀢ṁ 𑀅𑀪𑀺𑀦𑀦𑁆𑀤𑀼𑀦𑁆𑀢𑀺𑁇
Idamavoca bhagavā. Attamanā te bhikkhū bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinandunti.

Pāli Canon (Tipiṭaka)

The Pāli Canon is the standard collection of scriptures in the Theravada Buddhist tradition, as preserved in the Pāli language. It is generally accepted in Theravāda school of Buddhism as buddhavacana (The Word of the Buddha)