Courses | Bachelor of Arts in Pali

Bachelor of Arts in Pali

Pāli is the original language of the most authentic Buddhist Canonical scriptures which was also the vernacular of northeastern part of India where the Buddha spent most of his lifetime in the 6th century BC. The Buddha’s teachings that were introduced to Sri Lanka in the 3rd century BC was recorded in Pāli in the 1st century AD. Since then, Pāli has been vastly used in the Theravada Buddhist countries to compose Commentaries, sub commentaries and many other compendiums on Buddhism and Buddhism related subjects. Today, though there are three main Buddhist traditions in the world as Theravada, Mahayana and Vajrayāna, the canonical texts of the Theravada tradition written in Pāli have been unanimously accepted as the most reliable and authentic records of the Buddha’s teachings. Therefore, after these texts were translated into English by western scholars in the nineteenth century, the interest in Buddhism written in Pāli started to increase overwhelmingly. Since a few decades, the interest in Buddhism has been significantly rising particularly in Europe and America. In addition to the philosophy of Buddhism, the Buddhist teachings on meditation, mindfulness and psychology have gained greater popularity and attraction even among many nonBuddhist communities. As a result, we witness a growing interest in learning Pāli to understand the original words of the Buddha. Some decades before, Pāli was considered a dying language. However, during the last few years alone, not only Buddhist institutions but also world-recognized non-Buddhist universities have introduced Pāli academic programmes leading to Diplomas, graduate as well as postgraduate Degrees. From the Anuradhapura period, Sri Lanka has been identified and honoured by the world as the best seat of Pāli and Theravada Buddhist studies. Therefore, this Degree programme in Pāli is designed to fulfil not only the requirement of local students but also the foreign students who wish to master in Pāli and Buddhist studies.

Language

Sinhala / English

Studies and Length

90 Credits

Level

SLQF 5

Programme Period

3 Years

Overall Aims of the Programme

The overall aim of the Degree programme in Pāli is to produce emerging scholars of Pāli studies well conversant with the knowledge of tradition and its primary and secondary sources, to provide promising young learners the opportunity to enrich their reading and research skills with modern and updated knowledge and experience of the academic studies of Buddhology and Indology. It is also aimed to enrich the student with necessary traditional and modern linguistic skills to engage in research to widen the horizons of Pāli and Buddhist studies, to empower the student with knowledge, skills and experience of the use of modern scientific and technical knowhow to be beneficial in providing the society with constructive knowledge communicating the true philosophy of the Buddha and to enlighten the student to disseminate the knowledge embedded in Buddhist sources in Pāli for national development and at a wider cross cultural context for the betterment of humanity.

Course Structure

1^st Semester

PALI 11312 - Reading of Pali Canonical Texts
PALI 11322 - Introduction to Pali Grammar

2^nd Semester

PALI 12332 - English for Pali Studies
PALI 12342 - Development of Pali Literature
PALI 12352 - Pali Translation

1^st Semester

PALI 21312 - Study of Pali Nikayas
PALI 21322 - Composition and Translation

2^nd Semester

PALI 22332 - Applied Pali Studies
PALI 22342 - Advanced Pali Grammar
PALI 22353 - Pali Teaching Skills (Optional)
PALI 22362 - Inter-disciplinary access to Pali Studies I (Optional)

1^st Semester

PALI 31312 - Study of Theravada Abhidhamma Literature
PALI 31322 - Pali Commentaries and Prakaraṇa Studies

2^nd Semester

PALI 32332 - Study of Theravada Vinaya
PALI 32342 - Pali Literary Criticism
PALI 32352 - Inter-disciplinary access to Pali Studies II (Optional)

course guidelines & syllabus

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