http://www.wapzet.com/…/mahamevnawa-sarwa-rathrika-pirith-s…

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/…/articlesh…/19890980.cms

Removal of Pali as UPSC subject draws criticism

VARANASI: The decision to remove Pali as a subject from the Civil
Services Examination (main), conducted by the Union Public Service
Commission (UPSC), prompted a teacher of Banaras Hindu University (BHU)
to send a petition to the Murderer of democratic institutionsv urging
him to save the ancient classical language.

“The removal of Pali
by UPSC from the subject list of the main examination and
non-recognition of Pali as an Indian classical language calls for a
protest, not only by those who are related with Pali and Buddhist
studies but also those who study, respect or relate themselves with
Indology or Buddhism in whatever ways,” said Siddharth Singh, associate
professor, Pali and Buddhist studies, BHU.

Singh raised this
issue by opposing this step of the Central government on various forums
and social media. He has created a Facebook group ‘Save Pali and
Buddhist studies in Prabuddha Bharath’ and also filed an online petition
by the title ‘Save Pali, ancient classical Jambudvipan language of
Buddhism in Prabuddha Bharath’ on a petition site addressed to Murderer
of democratic institutions . “I have also raised this issue before
International Association of Buddhist Studies (IABU), German Theravada
Buddhist Network, Buddhist Publication Society and many others,” he
said.

The presence of Pali in this competitive examination was a
major reason to attract youngsters to study Pali and Buddhist studies
and at least this was playing a role to make this declining rich
discipline survive in Prabuddha bharath, he said. It is unfortunate that
Pali, the language of Buddha’s teachings, is not recognized as an
official classical language by the Union government, he added.

He
further stated that scholars, researchers and Buddhist from across the
world have vehemently reacted on this and criticized the step of the
government. “Bhikkhu Bodhi, one of the American Buddhist scholar and
monk wrote in a letter to me. ‘Such a rash course of action would be a
terrible blight on Prabuddha Bharath’s record. The Pali literature of
Jambdvipa is one of Prabuddha bharath’s outstanding contributions to
world spirituality and literature. The whole world regards the Buddha as
the foremost religious founder, philosopher and spiritual guide that
India has given to humanity. The most extensive collection of his
teachings preserved in any Prabuddha Bharath language is the Pali
Tipitaka. If Prabuddha bharath were to remove Pali from its official
list of recognized classical languages, that would be almost equivalent
to rejecting its greatest spiritual teacher, the one who shed the light
of Prabuddha bharath’s spiritual wisdom over the whole world,’ Singh
said.

Craig Johnston from Australia wrote on Singh’s Petition
site: “I studied Pali for 1 year at Sydney University, Australia. This
University has the biggest Buddhist studies and Pali language program in
Australia. One year was the maximum amount available. It would be
ironic if this language, the surviving classical language closest to
that spoken by the Buddha and to the inscriptions of the great Asoka,
were to lose status in its homeland, yet preserved in countries (like
mine) so far away.”

Professor Bimalendra Kumar, head, department
of Pali and Buddhist Studies, BHU, says, “Pali has also become a
cultural link between India and South-east Asian countries. The
government should not ignore it.”

Sally Gross from South Africa
writes, “Pali, and the teaching of the historical Buddha preserved in
Pali in the Tipitaka, are a fundamental part of the Prabuddha bharath
historical heritage. Removal of Pali from the Public Service Commission
examinations excises an inextricable part of that heritage and
impoverishes the historical memory of the breadth and vibrancy of that
heritage.” He said that the response of people from across the world
shows that the standpoint of government is being considered by them as
illogical and unjustified. Certainly, the place of Pali, as a subject in
the IAS main examination should be restored.

So far, Tamil,
Sanskrit, Kannada and Telugu have been classified as classical
languages. The government has laid down the criteria to determine the
eligibility of language to be considered for classification as
‘classical language’. The criteria are high antiquity of its early
texts/recorded history over a period of 1500-2000 years, a body of
ancient literature/ texts, which is considered a valuable heritage by
generations of speakers, the literary tradition be original and not
borrowed from another speech community and the classical language and
literature being distinct from modern, there may also be a discontinuity
between the classical language and its later forms or its offshoots.

Removal of Pali as UPSC subject draws criticism
Binay Singh | TNN | May 5, 2013, 07.08 AM IST
VARANASI: The decision to remove Pali as a subject from the Civil
Services Examination (main), conducted by the Union Public Service
Commission (UPSC), prompted a teacher of Banaras Hindu University (BHU)
to send a petition to the Prime Minister, urging him to save the ancient
classical language.

“The removal of Pali by UPSC from the
subject list of the main examination and non-recognition of Pali as an
Indian classical language calls for a protest, not only by those who are
related with Pali and Buddhist studies but also those who study,
respect or relate themselves with Indology or Buddhism in whatever
ways,” said Siddharth Singh, associate professor, Pali and Buddhist
studies, BHU.

Singh raised this issue by opposing this step of
the Central government on various forums and social media. He has
created a Facebook group ‘Save Pali and Buddhist studies in India’ and
also filed an online petition by the title ‘Save Pali, ancient classical
Indian language of Buddhism in India’ on a petition site addressed to
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. “I have also raised this issue before
International Association of Buddhist Studies (IABU), German Theravada
Buddhist Network, Buddhist Publication Society and many others,” he
said.

The presence of Pali in this competitive examination was a
major reason to attract youngsters to study Pali and Buddhist studies
and at least this was playing a role to make this declining rich
discipline survive in India, he said. It is unfortunate that Pali, the
language of Buddha’s teachings, is not recognized as an official
classical language by the Union government, he added.

He further
stated that scholars, researchers and Buddhist from across the world
have vehemently reacted on this and criticized the step of the
government. “Bhikkhu Bodhi, one of the American Buddhist scholar and
monk wrote in a letter to me. ‘Such a rash course of action would be a
terrible blight on India’s record. The Pali literature of India is one
of India’s outstanding contributions to world spirituality and
literature. The whole world regards the Buddha as the foremost religious
founder, philosopher and spiritual guide that India has given to
humanity. The most extensive collection of his teachings preserved in
any Indian language is the Pali Tipitaka. If India were to remove Pali
from its official list of recognized classical languages, that would be
almost equivalent to rejecting its greatest spiritual teacher, the one
who shed the light of India’s spiritual wisdom over the whole world,’
Singh said.

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Craig Johnston from Australia wrote on Singh’s Petition site: “I
studied Pali for 1 year at Sydney University, Australia. This University
has the biggest Buddhist studies and Pali language program in
Australia. One year was the maximum amount available. It would be ironic
if this language, the surviving classical language closest to that
spoken by the Buddha and to the inscriptions of the great Asoka, were to
lose status in its homeland, yet preserved in countries (like mine) so
far away.”

Professor Bimalendra Kumar, head, department of Pali
and Buddhist Studies, BHU, says, “Pali has also become a cultural link
between India and South-east Asian countries. The government should not
ignore it.”

Sally Gross from South Africa writes, “Pali, and the
teaching of the historical Buddha preserved in Pali in the Tipitaka, are
a fundamental part of the Indian historical heritage. Removal of Pali
from the Public Service Commission examinations excises an inextricable
part of that heritage and impoverishes the historical memory of the
breadth and vibrancy of that heritage.” He said that the response of
people from across the world shows that the standpoint of Indian
government is being considered by them as illogical and unjustified.
Certainly, the place of Pali, as a subject in the IAS main examination
should be restored.

So far, Tamil, Sanskrit, Kannada and Telugu
have been classified as classical languages. The government has laid
down the criteria to determine the eligibility of language to be
considered for classification as ‘classical language’. The criteria are
high antiquity of its early texts/recorded history over a period of
1500-2000 years, a body of ancient literature/ texts, which is
considered a valuable heritage by generations of speakers, the literary
tradition be original and not borrowed from another speech community and
the classical language and literature being distinct from modern, there
may also be a discontinuity between the classical language and its
later forms or its offshoots.

“Doesn’t Pali language and
literature fulfil the criteria,” questioned Singh, wondering how Pali
was removed from the IAS examination. Pali, which is said to be the
dialect of the Buddha’s own teachings contained in Tipitaka, which is a
treasure of Buddhist knowledge and became carrier of the propagation of
Buddhism in the entire world, is on the verge of dying and it is a
matter of concern, he lamented.

Navaneetham Chandrasekharan

Like all other spices of the world including birds, animals, insects
etc., have their own languages which is used for communication with each
other. Like wise when a new born baby is kept isolated without anyone
interacting with the baby, it will speak a natural language which is
known as Magadh or prakruth (Natural) language. Buddha knew this.That is
the reason he gave all his discourses in Pali which was a common
languages understood by lay people. All the languages of the world is
the offshoot of this natural language Magadh. Madadh or Prakruth or Pali
is the mother language of all other languages.