NAMO TASSA BHAGAVATO ARAHATO

SAMM SAMBUDDHASSA
DID EUROPEANS FIRST USE THE
TERM PALI IN THE SENSE OF
LANGUAGE ?
Ven. Mahawela Rathanapala

RESEARCH AREA
Pli :- The language that the Buddha used to
deliver his doctrine???

Controversies among modern and traditional
scholars :-
What does the word Pli really mean?,
How the word originated ?
How it has come to be used as a name of
language ?.

ANCIENT FORMATION WHICH USED TO ACQUAINT
THE LANGUAGE OF THE BUDDHIST DOCTRINE .
The term Pli has been used in the canon and
commentaries in various meanings except in the sense of
language. However fallowing terms were used to represent
this particular language in commentaries and chronicles.

MGADHI BHS

Mgadi or Magadha bhas means the
language of the Magdha country, which represent
the geographical name of the language. We can see
the most ancient formation of this in the Dpavasa,

Niruttiy mgadhiy mamaha ( Dpavasa)
Sabhva niruttiy sabba sattna mgadya mla
bsya ( Visuddhimagga)
MGADHANIRUTTI


The term Magadha Nirutti also has used to
brand this language. According to the B.C law
Magadhanirutti is a pure invention of Sinhalese
monks.
Ta tattha gantv sutv tuva mgadhna
niruttiy (Mahvasa)


Niruttiy mgadhikya vuddiy karomi
dipantaravsina api (Dahvasa)

TANTI OR TANTI BHS

Tanti is an other name that has used to indicate
Pli language. In the commentaries of the Buddhagosa the
term Tanti naya has used in the sense of language. In
Sanskrit termTantra of Tantri has to indicate Vedic texts.
Pli meaning of this term is a String, line, cord, a scared
text
Tattha dhammoti Tanti (Dghanikyahakath)
Tattha dhamma desanti Tanti thapan (Majjhimanikyahakath)
Pahropaitvna Tantibhsa manorama (Dhammapayahakath)
HISTORY OF THE TERM PLI
Application in the canon
Application in the commentaries and the sub
commentaries

Usage in the sense of language
USAGE OF THE TERM PLI IN CANON
According to the PTS Pli English dictionary the particular term cant
find out in Pli canon. The word is only found in commentaries, not in
the Piaka. But it is true only regarding the specific application of the
term Pli in the sense of language.

According to the B.C. law the earliest issue of the term Pli can be
traced In the commentaries of the Buddhagosa but not in any early
Buddhist writings

Ven. Velivitiye Soratha thero affirms the term is used in canon in various
meanings.


In the sense of dam

Addas kho bhagav magadhakhetta acchibaddha Pli
baddha
(Mahvagga of Vianaya pitaka)
In the sense of line

Ambapli, Dantapli, Pullapli







USAGE OF THE TERM PLI IN CANON
USAGE OF THE TERM PLI IN THE
COMMENTARIES

In commentaries term Pli has been used as
synonyms to
Buddhavacana or Tripitaka
Canonical Texts or extractions (Patha)

IN THE SENSE BUDDHAVACANA OR TIPITAKA

Koci animmpetabbti pada vadanti ta neva pliya na
atthakathayam dissati (Sumangalavilsini)
Ettakameva pliya vutta (Sumangalavilsini)
Tsa vibhgato uparipasake pliya gatoyeva
(Papacasdani)
Pliya pana bhagavato purato pturahesu (Sratthadpani)


IN THE SENSE OF CANONICAL TEXTS OR EXTRACTIONS
(PHA)

The great commentator ven. Buddhagosa has often
used word Pli and Pha in one and the same sense

Mahat rjnu bhvena macc itipi pli
(Sumangalavilasini)

Tatrya pli atha kho mahkassapo sanga pesi
(Sumangalavilsini)

Appahnadhammotipi pli so yeva attho
(Paramatthadipani)

Yathpana avaca ta dassetu ppakammanti di vutta .
ppakammnitipi pli
(Paramatthadipani)

PALI AS THE NAME OF LANGUAGE.
There is no conformity regarding with when,
by whom the term Pli used for the language
of the Buddhist scriptures. It has not concluded
yet that by whom this term has used for the
language.

Traditional Analysis
Modern Analysis
Approaches into the Analyses into
the Meaning of Pali
TRADITIONAL INTERPRETATION ON THE DERIVATION OF THE
TERM PLI

In accordance with the traditional interpretation the term
has derived from the causative base of P = to protect.

Attha Pti rakkhatiti Pli
Sabbadatta Pletii Pli

In the Sub commentary of the Samantapsdik term Pli has
defined as

Pakahna upakahna sldi atthna bodhanato Pli (
This can make realize noble and exoteric words.

Pakahna vacanappabandna alti Pli (Pli means
collection of noble words. )

As described in the Moggallna Grammar P is the root of this term
and li is the suffix.

P+li = Pli ( Pto li) Protect the meaning.

In terms of the Saddannt grammar text Pla = to protect is the root of term
Pli
Ettha Pti attha Pletti Pli

In the Abhidhnappdhpik three shades of meanings have been given for
the term Pli
1. Plidhamma Discourses of the Buddha.
2. Talkapli - Dam
3. Panti class, line, raw

Grammatical Derivations
MODERN ANALYSIS ON THE DERIVATION OF THE TERM
PLI.
There are various notions regarding the derivation of
term Pli among the modern scholars. In Main those can
be categorized under five heads.


THE TERM PLI HAS DERIVED FROM SANSKRIT
PHA

As has been described by ven. Rabukkvelle
Siddhartha thero term Pli has derived form Sanskrit term
Pha which has used in the sense of line, raw or boundary. In
sanskrit the term has used in the sense of sacred text.

Pha >Pla > Pli

Latter transformation has occurred in accordance with the
phonetic laws.
>


PARIYAYA AS THE ROOT OF PALI

According to some scholars Pariyya is the most
ancient formation of term Pli. This term has used in many
place of canon with the term Dhamma.

Ex. Ko nmoya dhamma pariyyo.
Here the term has used in the sense of teaching of the
Buddha.

As well as in the Hibru inscription of King Asoka term
Paliyya has mentioned as a expansion of term Pariyya.

Etni hante dhamma paliyyni icchmi ki ti bahuke

Pariyya > paliyya > Pliyya> Pli

PAKTI IS THE ROOT OF THE TERM PLI

According to Vidusekara Bahcrya the
term Pli has derived from term Pakti. Here Pakti
means class, raw, line. He has Pointed out some
extractions from Pali canon to prove his idea.

Pakti >Panti>Pai>Palli>Pli


Ex. Dantapli, Ambapli, Phullapli,

PALI IS THE PRIMEVAL FORM OF TERM PLI

Max Wellesser, a scholar form Germany
says that the term has derived from name of the
city of Paliputra, which is known in Greek
translation as Plibothra. Paliputra was the
capital of Magadha at the region of King Asoka.
So he assumes that the term derived as

Pal > Pali > Pali >Pli

TERM PLI HAS DERIVED FROM TERM PRAKRIT

According to E.J Thomas term, Pli has been
derived from the term Prkta.

Prkruta >Pkaa > Pkada > Pada >Pala > Pla
> Pli


USAGE OF THE TERM PLI IN THE SENSE OF
LANGAUGE.
The term Pli has used in canon and commentaries in
various senses except for language. Before the application of
the term Pli to acquaint the language of Buddhist literature
fallowing terms have used to represent this particular
language.

MGADHI BHS

Mgadi or Magadha bhas means the
language of the Magdha country, which represent
the geographical name of the language. We can see
the most ancient formation of this in the Dpavasa,

Sabhva niruttiy sabba sattna
mgadya mla bsya
Saddhammasagaha bhsisa
mgadha saddalakkhana
S mgadhi mla bhs
MGADHANIRUTTI


The term Magadha Nirutti also has used to
brand this language. According to the B.C law
Magadhanirutti is a pure invention of Sinhalese
monks.
Ta tattha gantv sutv tuva mgadhna
niruttiy

Niruttiy mgadhikya vuddiy karomi
dipantaravsina api

TANTI OR TANTI BHS

Tanti is an other name that has used to indicate
Pli language. In the commentaries of the Buddhagosa the
term Tanti naya has used in the sense of language. In
Sanskrit termTantra of Tantri has to indicate Vedic texts.
Pli meaning of this term is a String, line, cord, a scared
text
Tanitinayanuviccakam
Tattha dhammoto Tanti
Tattha dhamma desanti Tanti thapan
Tantibhsa ativitthra gata ca vacanakkama
Pahropaitvna Tantibhsa manorama
Usage of term Pali in the sense of language is a
historical error done by an European.
Richard Gombrich :-
The word has used in the sense of language after the 18th
centaury. ( Theravada Buddhism A Social History from Ancient
Benarase to modern Colombo, 1988, p.3)

Oscar von Hinuber :-
This term brought to Europe by Simon the la Loubere. In
his book of Du Royaume de Siam he is the first scholar who
applied the term Pli in the sense of language. Hinuber has added
that in Thailand the term Pli has used in the sense of text but
Lubere has got that misunderstand in the sense of language
(Selected papers of Pali studies , 1994, p.180)

Modern Analyses
B.C. Law

The term Plibhs or Pli language is a comparatively
modern coinage. Whether the credit of this misleading coinage is
due to the European orientalits or to the latter day Buddhist theras
of Ceylon, Burma and Siam, is still matter of dispute. It is certain,
however, that even up to the sixth or seventh century A.D, the term
Pli does not appear to have gained the currency as a
nomenclature for any kind of language.
( History of Pali literature Vol I, 2000, p. 11)

K.R. Norman
It would seem that the name "Pli" is based upon a
misunderstanding of the compound Pli bhs "language of the
canon". Where the word Pli was taken to stand for the name of a
particular bhs, as a result of which the word was applied to the
language of both canon and commentaries. There is evidence that
this misunderstanding is occurred several centuries ago. ( Pali
literature, 1983, p. 1)

Ven. Baddegama Wimalavamsa thero :-
The term Pli has used in the sense of language firstly
at 14 th centuary in Rasavahini By ven. Vedeha.

Hitaya paravattesi pajnam pali bhasato
Traditional Analyses
Glossary of Jtaka commentary :-

Term Vcan magga nissitam has translated into
Sinhala as Pelamaga asuru kal vu Pli basin


As mentioned in the Abhidhanappadipik sci the
term Pli has come to be used in the sense of
language in Sinhala Ganhipada at first.

Bhagavat vuccamanssa atthassaca
vohrassaca dpanato saddo yeva pli nmti
ganipadesu vutta iti abhidhammaakathya likhita



The utmost conclusion can be made
here is that the Sinhalese scholars had
used the term Pi in the sense of the
language to acquaint the language of
the Buddha before the Europeans.