Courses | Bachelor of Arts Honours in Pali

Bachelor of Arts Honours 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 Honours 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

120 Credits

Level

SLQF 6

Programme Period

4 Years

Overall Aims of the Programme

The overall aim of the Honours 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.

Programme Learning Outcomes

i. Outline the entire scope of the Pāli studies including its origin, evolution, content, and various trends as depicted in the available Pāli sources.

ii. Define basics of Pāli grammar, philology, literature, aesthetic components, logical and philosophical terms, and phrases.

iii. Describe the linguistic, religious, philosophical, spiritual and, socio-political background of Pāli and Buddhist studies that was conducive to form the existing literature of Pāli.

vi. Translate the literature of Pāli into the medium of study, compose prose and verse compositions in Pāli, express philosophical ideas in Pāli and communicate in Pāli.

v. Evaluate and appreciate the philosophical, spiritual, aesthetic, logical, linguistic, and historical value of Pāli literature for the advancement of human values.

vi. Employ the ethics found in the Pāli literature as sīla and vinaya for the organization and promotion of individual and social conducts to achieve success here and hereafter.

vii. Apply Buddhist psychological methods like meditation and mindfulness to enhance critical thinking, human thoughts, efficiency, and psychophysical wellbeing of humanity.

viii. Promote the culture of inter-disciplinary studies in social sciences such as history, economics, politics, archaeology, Sanskrit, linguistics, sociology, and management using Pāli and Buddhist studies.

ix. Demonstrate advanced teaching, preaching, counselling, chanting, communication, and presentation skills to enhance the quality of individual and social life of the humanity.

x. Establish social harmony based on Buddha’s teachings to encourage co-practitioners and ethnic communities to live peacefully in a multicultural society respecting to each other’s beliefs, practices, and rights.

xi. Generate leadership skills of young monks and lay students enhancing their personality, behaviour, skill of organization, prudence, tolerance and working amidst of social unrest as prescribed in the Pāli Canon.

xii. Develop environment friendly attitude of people highlighting Canonical teachings and traditional practices such as Bodhi-pūjā, Paritta-chanting.

xiii. Improve research interest of students in line with Buddhist teachings found in Canonical and commentarial literature which itself is an outcome of a great spiritual research.

xvi. Analyze academic and social problems in accordance with Buddhist teachings, to find best possible solutions and minimize the disadvantages.

xv. Design and use modern technological tools and mechanisms to propagate Buddhist teachings and traditional knowledge to local and foreign communities as well as different age groups.

Course Structure

1^st Semester

PALI 21715 - Pāli Tipiṭaka Studies
PALI 21724 - Pāli Aṭṭhakathā Studies
PALI 21734 - English for Advanced Pāli Studies
PALI 21744 - Prose Composition and Translation methods

2^nd Semester

PALI 22754 - Post Commentarial Pāli Texts
PALI 22764 - Pāli Grammar and Verse Composition
PALI 22774 - Dhamma Communication Skills
PALI 22784 - History of Pāli Literature
PALI 22794 - Pāli for Inter-disciplinary Studies I
PALI 22801 - Community Service Engagement

1^st Semester

PALI 31714 - Text-Critical Methods
PALI 31724 - English for Advance Pāli Studies II
PALI 31734 - Theories of Pāli Literary Criticism
PALI 31744 - Pāli Historical Linguistics
PALI 31754 - Pāli for Inter-disciplinary Studies II
PSNH 31512 - National Heritages and Civic Responsibility

2^nd Semester

PALI 32764 - Ethics in the Vinayapiṭaka
PALI 32774 - Mindfulness and Mental Culture in the Pāli Canon
PALI 32784 - Buddhist Thought in Pāli Nikāyas
PALI 32793 - Research Methodology
PSIT 32512 - ICT Skills for Education and Professional- Part I

1^st Semester

PALI 41714 - Teaching Skills
PALI 41725 - Abhidhamma Studies
PALI 41735 - Prescribed Sanskrit and Prākrit Texts
PSIT 41532 - ICT Skills for Education and Professional- Part II
PALI 43744 - Internship

2^nd Semester

PALI 42755 - Buddhism in Schools of Thought
PALI 42765 - Buddhist Method of Logic
PALI 43776 - Dissertation
PALI 42784 - Pāli Canon - Problems of Interpretation