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    A History of Pali Literature

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    History of Pali Literature

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    A History of Pali Literature

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    (သစၥာအလင္း)
    2K views349 pages
    History of Pali Literature

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    History of Pali Literature

    Copyright:

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    Download as PDF or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf
    2K views349 pages

    A History of Pali Literature

    Uploaded by

    (သစၥာအလင္း)
    History of Pali Literature

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
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    of 349
    for the first time in 2 volumes in 1933, n Pali studies. It presents an exhaustive iterature, both canonical and post- mmaries of all the Pali books, from the pecifies the rules of conduct for bikkhus ataka Tales containing popular stories. first Buddhist books in history, which that form the base for the Theravada mount of information about early about ancient Indian history, this is an book for the scholar as well as for the ted in Buddhism. Bimala Churn Law Cee SG) S[auEry TANLVUYILIT ITVd JO AMOLSIH V- | @ A HISTORY. OF PALI LITERATURE Toren This book, published for the first time in 2 volumes in 1933, has become a classic in Pali studies. Itpresents an exhaustive picture of the Pali literature, both canonical and post- canonical, giving summaries of all the Pali books, from the Vinaya Pitaka which specifies the rules of conduct for bikkhus and bikkhunts to the Jataka Tales containing popular stories. Here are presented the first Buddhist books in history, which became the scriptures that form the base for the Theravada Buddhism. Providing a huge amount of information about early Buddiiflm as well as about ancient Indian history, this is an invaluable reference book for the scholar as well as for the general reader interested in Buddhism. Rs, 695 Bimala Churn Law A HISTORY OF PALI LITERATURE | | | ‘oreword by WILHELM GEIGER Cover illustration: King Vidudabha visiting the Buddha (Bharhut stupa) Published for the first time in 1933 © This edition 2000 Indica Books D40/18 Godowlia ‘Varanasi - 221 001 (UP.) India ISBN: 81-86569-18-9 Printed in India by Rekha Printers Pvt. Ltd. New Delhi 110.020 Foreword, Preface PARTI Introduction. : CHAPTER 1:Chronology ofthe PaliCanon CHAPTER 2: Canonical Pali Literature Section I-Vinaya Pitaka Section II-Sutta Pitaka A.Digha Nikaya B. Majjhima Nikaya G.Sarinyutta Nikaya D. Afiguttara Nikiya E. Khuddaka Nikaya Section III-Abhidhamma Pitaka CHAPTER 8: Pali Counterparts of the Seven Abhidhamma ‘Treatises of the Sarvastivada School : PARTIE Introduction CHAPTER 4: Extra Canonical Works Presupposed by Pali Commentaries CHAPTER 5: Pali Commentaries CHAPTER 6 : Pali Chronicles CHAPTER 7: Pali Manuals CHAPTER 8 : Pali Literary Pieces : CHAPTER 9: Pli Grammars, Lexicographies, and Works of Prosody, ete Conclusion Appendix A Appendix B Index u 29 67 67 101 101 133 17 192 204 309 339 351 387 509 585 617 629 635 67 673 FOREWORD There can be no doubt that a new and ample treatment of the Pali literature isa great scientific want felt by all the scholars, who are working in that field. Many problems connected with the subject are still unsolved. Not even the question of the ori- gin and home of what we call Pali language and of its linguistic character is definitively settled, and the chronological order of a single book is very often uncertain. Professor Winternitz in his great work on Indian literature has described also the Pali lit erature in an admirable manner. But the scope of his work did not allow him, of course, to enter into all the details and to discuss the many divergences of opinion, Malalasekera in his, recent publication has confined himself to the Pali books com- posed in Ceylon, Hence the whole canonical literature was to be left aside. I was very much pleased, therefore, when I heard that Dr. Bimala Churn Law had intended to publish a comprehen- sive work on Pali literature. We all know his former publica- tions on Buddhist topics and their intrinsic value, and I repeat- edly congratulated him on the happy choice of his themes and on the clever manner in which he had accomplished his task. I was even more pleased when I had the opportunity to peruse a 00d deal of the manuscript of the present work. Itwill prove to be extremely useful to all the Pali scholars by the sober and impartial judgment of the author and by the clear and exhaus- tive exposition of the various problems. Above all I wish to point at the important discussion of the relative chronology of the ca- nonical texts, which means considerable progress beyond what Rhys Davids has said on the subject, and at the ample and very ‘lear summaries of the Tipitaka books which will be welcome to those who are unable to read them in the original language but wish to become acquainted with their general plan and contents. frankly say that I found all I could read extremely suggestive and [am convinced that I shall learn much from the book even. where my opinion may perhaps differ from that of the author. 16th February, 1932 WILHELM GEIGER PREFACE Scholars interested in Buddhism have no doubt felt a great want of an exhaustive treatment of Pali literature. Ihave, there- fore, attempted for the first time to supply the need of detailed and systematic history of Pali literature in two volumes. Drs MH. Bode and G.P. Malalasekera have published their respec- tive monographs on the Pal literature of Burma and of Ceylon. Drs. Geiger and Winternitz have also given us a brief survey of li literature in their respective works Pali Literatur und sprache and Geschichte der Indischen Literature die Buddhistische literatur und die Heiligen texte der Jainas (1920). But my treatment of the subject is entirely different from those of my predecessors. The first volume deals with the chronology and general history of the Pali Pitakas. In the Introduction to this volume I have briefly discussed the origin of Pali and the importance of the study of Pali as one of the Indian languages. A systematic and critical treatment of the puzzling problem of the chronology of the Pali canon follows next, throwing a new light on this intricate and difficult subject. I have tried to discuss at some length the date and composition of each and every book included in the Pali canon. This volume contains a critical exposition of the Vinaya Pitaka. An elaborate treatment of the Sutta Pitaka consisting of the five nikayas, the Digha, Majjhima, Sarnyutta, Aniguttara, and Khuddaka has received the attention it deserves. T have als taken care to point out the peculiarities of the style and lan- guage in which each suttanta has been written, Under each suttanta and under each nikiya the ancient and modern litera- ture hitherto published has been noticed. In the section on the Abhidhamma Pitaka, I have noted the significance and impor- tance of the Abhidhamma treatises not without paying attenti to the style and language of the Abhidhamma texts. The Pali counterparts of the Abhidhamma books of the Sarvastivada School have been dealt with in the,last chapter of the first vol- ume. I have everywhere considered it worth while to mention the available printed editions, manuscripts, and different recen- sions of each sutta noting the points of textual variations wher- ever possible, An attempt has been made to collect the parallel passages by way of comparison from other literatures wherever found. ‘The second volume which treats of post-canonical Pali lit- erature is devoted to the study of extra canonical works presup- posed by the Pali commentaries, the Pali chronicles, the Pali manuals, the Pali literary piece the Pali grammars, lexico- graphies, and works on rhetoric. In the concluding chapter, I have tried to give a general survey of the whole book and traced the development of Pali poetry. I have given two appendices dealing with the Historical and Geographical references in the Pali Pitakas and the Pali tracts in the inscriptions, which, I be- lieve, will be found useful. [have appended an index at the end for the convenience of readers. I have not found it necessary to deal with some of the unimportant books about which nothing much can be known, e., the Sarasarhgaha (containing may points concerning Buddhism), the Kamandaki (a book on pol- ity), the Akkharasammohacheda (word book), the Sotabhamilini (containing edifying tales), the Takkabhasa (a book on logic), Amatakaravannana, Sucittalankara, Laikakatha, Muniguna- lankara, Sarasarhgaha, Rajadhirajavilasini, Dhammasatta- pakarana, Dabbaguna (pharmacology), Saratthasargaha, Silacaraka, Sadhucaritodaya, Kosalabimbavannana, Sahassava- chupakarana, Lokappadipakasara, etc. The task which I have performed is, no doubt, beset with

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