MA 2007-08 Theravada Buddhism Class Notes

CLASS 3:
The language used by the Buddha is a controversial fact. The canon Pli said that the
tongue used by the Buddha was Mgadhako vohvo. So certainly he used the language of
the Mgadha area.
The original language existed before the dialects. According to linguistics or the
philologists, the original language is indo-aryan language. They classified it into different
stages, namely:
1Early indo-aryan languages
2Middle indo-aryan languages
3Modern indo-aryan languages.
The earliest state is represented by the Vedas, especially the Rigveda, in which the
religious ideas of indo-aryan people are contained. There are 4 Vedas, where you can find
the religious ideas of Brahmana movements, which is the best of the Hindu religions.
1Rig Veda
2Yagur Veda
3Sma Veda
4Attharvan Veda
Veda means law, they are known as sr ti = what is heard. There is revelation of their God.
There were not authors. Just like the Bible or Coram.
The language uses in these books is indo-aryan language called Vedic language at that
time. This is the earliest indo-aryan language in India.
Its certain that this language was the language by the people during that time= indo-aryan
people.
According to modern philologist there was a language called indo-european language
talked for the people who lived in Minor Asia.

MINOR
ASIA

EUROPE

PERSIA
or
MIDDLE EAST
AREAS

INDIA

In a certain time all these 3 groups uses the same language. The ancestors of the 3 groups
use the proto-indo-european languages. From Asia Minor the people began to migrate and
the original language changed:
1Indo-iranian in the Middle East
2Indo-aryan in India
3Indo European in Europe.

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Theses migration occurred in different times.

Indo-aryan language was reported in the 1st time for the 4 Vedas. They were compiled 3 to
5 thousand years B.C.
Vedas were compiled in 3000 B.C., in a language called Vedic language, which means
language in the Vedas, not a definitive name.
Advent of Buddha was in 500 B.C. During His time all the people used different
languages which all of them were derived from Vedic language.
Local people (indigenous) interact with the Aryans and the language changed.
1- Geographical Reason (different pronunciation)
When Asoka rules India there were different languages in there. Among them there was
not found any language equal to Pli language or quite similar.
We can think that the Buddha used the language of Mgadha area which is derived from
Vedic language. It is certainly a dialect of the early language. As all the dialects, were
derived from Vedic language. Any way the Pli canon is writing in Pli language or more
specifically in Mgadha language. But the problem is that Asoka inscriptions which were
found in Mgadha area do not represent the Pli language. The inscriptions found there
was writing in Mgadhi and Ardha Mgadhi dialects. None of them is equal to the
language of the canon. Geiger and Westgard believe that the Pli canon was brought to Sri
Lanka by Ven. Mahinda and before of that he lived in Avanti area. And Ven. Kaccayana
also was born there and did missionary work in Avanti area. Thus those both scholars
believe that Pli canon was writing in the language of Avanti, from where the canon was
brought to Sri Lanka. Other reason from this view is that Asokas inscriptions found in
Avanti area which is named as Girnars inscription is more similar to Pli language that
the other dialects. All dialects were similar.
Pli Buddhism is the doctrine represented in the Pli canon.
There is no difference between Early and Pli Buddhism. All names given by European
scholars. No represent different doctrines.
When we say Early Buddhism there is some difference from Pli Buddhism.
Early Buddhism: mainly refers to the teachings of the Buddha, but when we say Pli
Buddhism, it includes even the later development of the Early Buddhists teachings,
because Pli canon had a gradual development.
Early Buddhism= the original teachings of the Buddha.
Until they were writing in the 1st century A.C. (500 years after parinirvana) it was
transmitted by oral transmition .
The Pli canon started from the 1st Buddhist Council, conducted after 3 months of
Buddhas parinirvana. 500 arahants recited all the teachings and appointed some groups of
theras to remember the different groups of teachings and to protect them.
The canon passing through this way (oral tradition) from first council approximately 500
years and then was writing.
During those 500 years many others suttas were included in the Pli canon, which were
not taught by the Buddha. Ex. The Mahaniddesa, one of the books in Kuddaka Nikaya is a
commentary to Pryanavagga of Sutta Nipta, other book of the Kuddaka Nikaya.
Another book , Cariy Pitaka, there are suttas later adiccioned.
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Theravda Buddhism:
The Buddhism which is prevailed in Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand and Cambodia is known
as Theravda. Its a popular term in the modern times. But it was not a term used in the
canon to represent any Buddhist school. According to the present canotation the term
Theravda represent one of the Buddhist school even in the Pli commentaries, which
were writing in the 5th century. We cannot find the term Theravda as a work which
represents a Buddhist school.
For the first time Theravda term is occurred in one of the Sri Lankans chronicles which
is known as Dpavamsa, to denote a Buddhist school and to distinguish it from
Mahsanghika school. Theravda literally means the teachings of the Elders. This term
(thera) came into existence at the recite of 1st Buddhist Council. It is reported that the 1st
Buddhist Council was conducted by the Mahtheras. But the Cullavagga of the Pli canon
Which included the records of the 1st time 2nd Buddhist Council does not mention the term
theravda.
According to Buddhist history the original Mahsangha was split into two sections as the
result ofm2nd Buddhist Council. The reason for this council was the acceptance of ten
factors of monk discipline by a group of monks named as vajj puttaka. The theras who
highly respected the Vinaya tradition opposite to these ones. Therefore that they decided to
have a Buddhist council to pass the judgment of that ten factors. The vajj monks who
were opposed to the theras conducted another council for there own, as the result of it
there arose a division between the theras, for the first time. The section which included
vajj puttaka monks named as Mahsanghikas.
In the commentaries the term theravda appears to have another meaning, that is the
commentaries, commentarial description given by the theras or olders. Ven. Buddhaghosa
used the term theravda to denote commentarial tradition. We have the commentaries to
each canonical text. So according to Theravda tradition, texts include the Buddhas
teachings, while the commentaries include the interpretation or the explanations given to
the teachings of the texts, made by the theras. So in the earlier sense, Theravda means the
description given by the theras to the canonical texts. Those descriptions are known as
commentaries. Its believed that the commentaries were given by the theras in the 1st
council.
For each book there is a commentary. At t hakath= commentary. Vada= saying.
Sumangala Vilsini is the name for Digha Nikaya At t hakath
Papanca Sudani Majjhima Nikaya At t hakath
Manoratha Prani Angutara Nikaya At t hakath.
Those commentaries were compossed by the Mahtheras, according with Theravda
tradition. The theras who participated in the different councils.
The saying of the Buddha is contained in the canon, the saying of the theras are contained
in the commentaries.
The theras gave the meaning for every word of the suttas in the commentaries. The ideas
of the commentaries belong to the theras.
So in these sense is used the term Theravda (commentaries given by the theras).
We has first text= Tripitaka
Commentaries= At t hakath
Sub-commentaries= Tikas
Sub-sub-commentaries= Anutika (supplementary to the sub-commentary).

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Now we are using Theravda to denote a School or tradition A particular type of Buddhist
school which divided by Mahsanghika school. The Theravda represents earliest tradition
of immediate disciples of the Buddha. It has an unbroken history from the first Buddhist
council up today.
The text of the Theravda is Pli canon, which is considered as more authentic than others
canons of others Buddhist schools or traditions. It is reported during the time of Asoka
there were 18 schools. Theravda accepted the Pli canon as their canon. All the Buddhist
schools have their own canons, in different dialects. Sarvastivadins, had their canon in mix
Sanskrit, which is known as hybrid Sanskrit. In the same way other sects have their canons
in languages like: Apabransa and so on. Therefore the Theravda tradition has known as
protecting the Pli canon.
Theravda tradition do not represent any theory over the teachings of the Buddha. They do
not have their own interpretations presented to the teachings of the Buddha, apart from the
commentaries, which contain the meaning and the explanations of the words of the
Buddha appeared in the Pli canon. In comparison to the other Buddhists schools and
traditions, Theravda secured a unique position for not representing any theory or any
interpretation of the teaching of the Buddha.
Others traditions have their own interpretation and the theories of the Buddhas teachings.
For example Mahyana tradition has two Buddhist schools namely Madhyamaka and
Yogacra. Madhyamakas theory of interpretation is known as Sunyavda. The Yogacra
theory is known as Vijanavda.
Sarvastivda is known as Bhgartha Pratyakshavda, which means external objects can
be known by direct knowledge.
Sautrantika theory is known as Bhgartha Anumnavda= external objects can be known
through indirect knowledge.
There is another Buddhist school called Pudgalavda. All the schools have their own
views. Theravda only has the teaching of the Buddha as presented in Pli canon.
The master of theravadins is the Buddha. All the Buddhist schools accept the Buddha as
their master, but the difference is for theravadins the Buddha is a saint not a savior.
Theravda gave more attention to the human characteristics of the Buddha. They do not
have much regard to transcendental character of the Buddha. But for Mahyana, Buddha is
more transcendental than historic.