Course Outline: ME6204 Pāli Literature, 2011/2012, Semester 1

Basic Data
Program: 
Master of Arts (Buddhist Studies)
Semester: 
First Semester (July 11 – November 12, 2011) Academic year 2011/2012
Subject: 
BL6204/ME6204 - Pāli Literature
Credit / status: 
3 credits / Elective subject
Recommended Texts: 
  • Ba, Kyaw. Elucidation of the Intrinsic Meaning (Petavatthu-atthakatha). Oxford: PTS, 1980. Print.
  • Adikaram, E.W. Early History of Buddhism in Ceylon. Second Impression, Sri Lanka, Dehiwala: Buddhist Cultural Centre, 1994. Print.
  • Government of Sri Lanka. Encyclopedia of Buddhism. Vols. I-VI. Colombo: Government of Sri Lanka, n. d. Print.
  • Jayawickrama, N.A. The Inception of Discipline and the Vinaya Nidana. Oxford: Luzac, 1962. Print.
  • Horner, I.B. The Clarifier of the Sweet Meanings (Madhuratthavilasini). Oxford: PTS, 1978. Print.
  • Law, B.C. The Debates Commentary (Kathavatthuppakarana-Atthakatha). Oxford: PTS, 1969. Print.
  • Masefield, Peter. The Udana Commentary (Udanatthakatha). Vol. 1. Oxford: PTS, 1994; Vol. 2 PTS, 1955. Print.
  • _____. Vimana stories (Vimanavatthu-Atthakatha). Oxford: PTS, 1989. Print.
  • Maung, Tin Pe. The Expositor (Atthasalini). Oxford: PTS, 1976. Print.
  • Ñāṇamoli Bhikkhu. The Life of the Buddha. Kandy: Buddhist Publication Society, 1992. Print.
  • _____. The Path of Purification (Visuddhimagga). Kandy: Buddhist Publication Society, 1991. Print.
  • _____. The Dispeller of Delusion (Sammohavinodani). Oxford: PTS, 1989 (Part I); PTS, 1991 (Part 2). Print.
  • _____. The Illustrator of Ultimate Meaning (Paramatthajotika). Oxford: PTS, 1978 (Part I). Print.
  • Sodo, Mori. Studies of the Pali Commentaries: A Provisional Collection of Articles. Japan: the author, 1999. Print.
  • Toshiichi, Endo. “Selective Tendency in the Buddhist Textual Tradition (?).” Journal of the Postgraduate Institute of Pali and Buddhist Studies n. vol. (1999): n.pag. Print.
  • _____. “Views Attributed to Different bhānakā (Reciters) in the Pāli Commentaries.” Buddhist Studies, Japan 34 (2004): n.pag. Print.
  • _____. “The 'Aṭṭhakathā' as Source-material of the Pāli Commentaries: An Inquiry into the Date of their Compilation, Dhamma and Vinaya.” Essays in Honour of Venerable Dhammavihari. Ed. Asanga Tilakaratne, Toshiichi Endo, G. Somaratne, and Sanath Nanayakkara. Colombo: Sri Lanka Association of Buddhist Studies (SLABS), 2006. 661-72. Print.
  • _____. “Buddhaghosa's Method of Work: Faithful Translation or Critical Edition?,” (revised and enlarged). Journal of Buddhist Studies Sri Lanka VI (2008): 143-174. Print.
  • _____. “Mahā-Aṭṭhakathā-s: Some Observations on the Date of Their Compilation.” Buddhist and Pāli Studies in Honour of the Venerable Professor Kakkapalliye Anuruddha. Hong Kong: The University of Hong Kong, 2010. 169-182. Print.
Course Organization: 

The course is lecture-based with active participation expected from the students. Students are required to attend a minimum of 80% of scheduled classes to be eligible to sit for the final written examination. In addition to active class participation, students are required to write and submit one essay, and a final written examination. Course plan for 13 lectures of three hours each including a free discussion on the topic for half an hour each day:

  • Lecture 1: Introduction to Pāli literature; Language used by the Buddha.
  • Lecture 2: The early formation of the Buddhist texts especially in relation to the outcome of the First Buddhist Council.
  • Lecture 3: Navaṅga (Nine constituents) and their importance in the formation of Pāli Buddhist texts.
  • Lecture 4: The transmission of Buddhist texts from India to Sri Lanka: The origin of the Pāli language.
  • Lecture 5: The value of the Pali commentaries as source-material for the study of Buddhism.
  • Lecture 6: The sources of the Pali commentaries (Sīhaḷa-Aṭṭhakathā, ācariyā-s, bhāṇakā-s, porāṇā-s, keci, apare, etc.)
  • Lecture 7: An examination of the dates of composition of the two major Sinhalese commentaries: Aṭṭhakathā and Mahā-Aṭṭhakathā.
  • Lecture 8: Bhāṇakā-s and Sinhalese commentaries, and their selective tendency of affiliation.
  • Lecture 9: The life and works of Buddhaghosa.
  • Lecture 10: The lives and works of the other commentators (Dhammapala, Buddhadatta, etc.)
  • Lecture 11: The establishment of the Abhayagiri-vihara and its impact on Sri Lanka Buddhism.
  • Lecture 12: Ṭikā (sub-commentaries); Mahāyāna elements in the Pāli commentaries, and summary.
  • Lecture 13: Review for the final examination.
Course Requirements: 

NULL

Allocation of Marks: 
  • Class participation 5%
  • Essay assignment 35%
  • Final examination 60%
Course Objectives: 

By the end of the course, students would acquire a thorough understanding of the nature and value of the Pāli commentaries for the study of Buddhism in general and of Theravāda Buddhism in particular.

Grading: 

All tests, assignments and examinations are graded as follows with grade point and numerical marks:

Grade Performance Grade value Percentage Equivalence
A Excellent 4.0 90-100
B+ Very Good 3.5 80-89
B Good 3.0 70-79
C+ Fairly Good 2.5 60-69
C Fair 2.0 50-59
D+ Poor 1.5 40-49
D Very Poor 1.0 30-39
F Fail 0.0 29 or less
I Incomplete
W Withdrawn
WF Withdrawn because of failure
AU Audit