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| Sunday, 10 April 2005 |
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Study of Pali language and literature Professor M. S. Kitsudo Nagoya This brief article is a sequence of my meeting with Ven. Dhammavihari (Professor Jotiya Dheerasekara before entering priesthood) in connection with one of my researches when I visited Sri Lanka some time ago. At that time he was residing in an 'Arama' at McCarthy Road. I met him to get some information about a book, which could not be found in any library or temple, I visited in Sri Lanka. The librarians and scholars I contacted were unable to provide me with the necessary information. What Ven. Dhammavihari stated after the discussion still reverberates in my mind. "Professor, it is very difficult to find anyone keen on studying such Pali books in Sri Lanka today. Learning and teaching even at the university level is in the wane. Please try to start searching Pali books by yourself to protect the noble language", he said. When I met R. G. D. Jayawardene, Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Pali and Buddhist Studies, University of Peradeniya, he told me that those studying Pali in universities these days prefer to do research on Sociology than on ancient Pali scripts or Pali Grammar. What is the need for paying special attention on the subject of Pali in higher education? Pali is the language in which the Buddha preached his Dhamma to the masses and the nobles. His doctrine in orthodox form was preserved by the enlightened monks after clarification at councils with the utmost care in Pali language. Though Buddhism vanished after a few centuries from its birthplace, India, Sri Lanka preserved it in its pristine form well-known as Theravada. Arhat Mahinda who introduced the pure form of Buddhism to Sri Lanka from India laid the firm foundation for its expansion and endurance with the establishment of Mahavihara at Anuradhapura. Other Theravada Buddhist countries such as Myanmar and Thailand derived inspiration from Sri Lanka through frequent contacts resulting in mutual benefit. What I want to point out here is that it was the Pali language that enabled and facilitated the cultural contacts and activities among Buddhist monks of those countries. The Tripitaka and its commentaries and sub-commentaries led to the emergence of a vast amount of books on literature, grammar, philosophy, poems and many creative work in Pali. If this wealth is not used properly and wisely, the results would be woeful. I am constrained to say that a very large number of valuable Pali books published in Sinhalese characters in the latter part of the 19th century and the early part of the 20th century found in temple and Pirivena libraries are preserved with much difficulty. The British rulers who realised the value of these Pali books never failed to assist the Buddhist monks to edit and publish them and opened the doors of the Government press to facilitate the publication of rare works. Pali Text Society of Great Britain continues to perform a great service in this context without any apparent State support. Ven. Waskaduwe Subhuti, Ven. Baddegama Piyaratana, Ven. Lankagoda Dhirananda, Ven. M. Anomadassi, Ven. Bentara Atthadassi, Ven. Hikkaduwe Sri Sumangala, Ven. Ratmalane Darmarama in the earlier period and Ven. Viduropola Piyatissa, Ven. Yagirala Pannananda, Ven. Polvatte Buddhadatta, Ven. Balangoda Ananda Maitreya and many other Buddhist monks in the latter part, performed a yeoman service to the study of the Pali Language and Literature. Laymen of the calibre of M. Dammaratna, Batuvantudawe and James de Alwis and Professor G. P. Malalasekara and E. W. Adikaram of late cannot be overlooked for their devotion to the protection of Pali traditions. The contribution of early Pirivenas to the propagation of Pali studies was quite distinct and admirable. However, as I have often heard in Sri Lanka, with their conversion to universities or attachment as campuses, no one seems to have made a genuine effort to see whether the objective of the conversion or attachment has been achieved or whether there is any progress in the learning or teaching of the Pali Language and Literature. Ven. Dhammavihari's concern about the future of Pali studies, as I see, is well founded and requires the attention of all those sincerely interested in the development of Pali and Buddhist studies. Everytime I find that many Pali books had been printed in Sri Lanka, I learn that many excellent Buddhist scholars existed in the past. I would like to show the utmost respect to them.
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