This book is intended for modern students, inside or outside the classroom, as a work of reference rather than a ‘teach yourself’ textbook. It presents an introductory sketch of Pali using both European and South Asian grammatical categories. In English language works, Pali is standardly presented in the traditional terms of English grammar, derived from the classical tradition, with which many modern students are unfamiliar. This work discusses and reflects upon those categories, and has an appendix devoted to them. It also introduces the main categories of traditional Sanskrit and Pali grammar, drawing on, in particular, the medieval Pali text Saddaniti, by Aggavamsa. Each grammatical form is illustrated by examples taken from Pali texts, mostly canonical. Although some previous knowledge of Sanskrit would be helpful, the book can also be used by those without previous linguistic training. A bibliographical appendix refers to other, complementary resources.

"Presents an introductory sketch of Pali using both Euroean and South Asian grammatical categories." -- Back cover.

This book is intended and serve as an introduction to the reading of Pali texts. For that purpose, it uses authentic readings especially compiled for the purpose drawn largely from Theravada canonical works, both prose and poetry. The reading are in Roman script, and carefully graded for difficulty, but they have also been selected so that each of them is a meaningful and complete reading in itself, so as to introduce some basic concepts and ways of thought of Theravada Buddhism. This book thus offers and opportunity to become acquainted with the ways in which the teachings of the Buddha are embodied in the language, a sense that it impossible to determine from English translations. The book contains 12 lessons. Each of them has three parts: (1) a set of basic readings and an accompanying glossary, (2) grammatical notes on the forms in the less, and (3) a set of further readings with its own glossary. The further readings introduce no new grammatical points, but reinforce ones already presented and give further practice in them. The work concludes, fittingly, with the Buddhaês first sermon, The Dhammacakkapavattana Sutta. A cumulative glossary and index to the grammar is also provided. The text has been used successfully in its preliminary form at several universities, but it may also be used for self-study. For more information, please log on to www.mlbd.co.in

This complete course for beginners explains the most basic concepts of Pali grammar in 10 comprehensive lessons. Each lesson is based on original passages from the Tipitaka. The student thus dives into reading and understanding the Buddha's word from the very first chapter. Unlike other books on the Pali language, Kurt Schmidt's primer is both short, precise and extremely pragmatic. At the end of this excellent self-guided course the reader will be able to read and understand Pali texts.

The grammar presents a full decription of Pali, the language used in the Theravada Buddhist canon, which is still alive in Ceylon and South-East Asia. The development of its phonological and morphological systems is traced in detail from Old Indic. Comprehensive references to comparable features and phenomena from other Middle Indic languages mean that this grammar can also be used to study the literature of Jainism.