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Reading the Buddha's Discourses in Pali : A Practical Guide to the Language of the Ancient Buddhist Canon - Bhikkhu Bodhi

Reading the Buddha's Discourses in Pali

A Practical Guide to the Language of the Ancient Buddhist Canon

By: Bhikkhu Bodhi

Hardcover | 8 January 2021

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Renowned scholar-monk and bestselling translator Bhikkhu Bodhi's definitive, practical guide on how to read ancient Buddhist texts in the original language.

Bhikkhu Bodhi's sophisticated and practical instructions on how to read the Pali of the Buddha's discourses will provide students of early Buddhism and the Pali language an intimate acquaintance with the language and idiom of these sacred texts. Here the renowned English translator of the Pali Canon opens a window onto key suttas from the Samyutta Nikaya, as he takes a sutta and gives a literal translation of each sentence followed by a more natural English rendering, after which he explains the meaning of each word and the grammatical forms involved. Doing so helps students determine the meaning of each word and phrase and gain familiarity with the distinctive idioms and style of expression in the Pali suttas--and thus gain an intimacy with the words, and world, of the earliest Buddhist writings.

Ven. Bodhi's meticulously selected anthology of suttas provides a systematic overview of the Buddha's teachings, mirroring the four noble truths, which is generally regarded as the most concise formulation of the Buddha's guide of liberation. Reading the Buddha's Discourses in Pali shares with readers not only exceptional instruction in language acquisition and translation theory and practice but also a systematically nuanced study of the substance, style, and method of the major early Buddhist discourses.

Industry Reviews
"Every student of Pali will welcome Bhikkhu Bodhi's Reading the Buddha's Discourses in Pali. As an aid for learning how to read Buddhist texts in Pali and as a resource for learning from what one reads in Pali, there is nothing else like it."--Charles Hallisey "Therigatha: Poems of the First Buddhist Women"
"This is an excellent introduction to the Buddha's teachings and the linguistic medium that the Buddha used to express the timeless truths of the Buddhadhamma. Pali is the closest witness we have to the language the Buddha spoke--it preserves the oral, vernacular character and the natural idioms and sonic immediacy of the Teacher's dialogues with his contemporaries and teachings to his disciples. Reading the Buddha's Discourses in Pali allows the reader to enter into the "thought world" of the Buddha, the special linguistic realm that, in its conciseness, immediacy, fluidity, and inner harmony, captures and complements the brilliance of his teachings.

After a near lifetime of Pali-English translation work, Ven. Bodhi has perfected the art. His renderings are always reliable and doctrinally accurate, honoring what the Buddha said and the sincerity, directness, and compassion with which he spoke. Bhikkhu Bodhi does an excellent job in bringing the reader back to the Buddha's time (late fifth to early fourth century BCE) and reanimating his words for a modern reader."--Bryan Levman "Pali, the Language: The Medium and Message"


"Written with characteristic warmth by Bhikkhu Bodhi, one of the foremost translators of Pali literature, Reading the Buddha's Discourses in Pali serves as a wonderfully accessible and much-needed resource both for students of Pali and those who want to deepen their understanding of early Buddhist literature. This generous book offers anyone and everyone the opportunity to come and see for themselves the beautiful world of Pali texts."--Alastair Gornall "Rewriting Buddhism: Pali Literature and Monastic Reform in Sri Lanka, 1157-1270"

You Can Find This Book In

Non-FictionReligion & BeliefsBuddhismLanguage & LinguisticsLanguage Learning & Teaching

Pali Canon

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