“Introduction to Pali Language” Course

Update (30 Mar 2025) for those still keen to join:
Newcomers are still welcome to join from the 2^nd lesson (Wed 2 Apr) or 3^rd lesson (Wed 9 Apr) onwards, but we will stop accepting registrations after that.

Persons joining at these time periods should also do some reading on their own by reading the first 10-15 pages of the e-textbook “The New Pali Course: Part I”, which can be downloaded here.

Date: Wed 26 Mar to 11 Jun 2025 (12 lessons)
Time: 7.30pm to 9.30pm
Venue: Buddhist Library
Fees: $50^
Trainer: Venerable Dr. Wiloye Wimalajothi (“Bhante Jothi”)
Register: Word Reply Slip | PDF Reply Slip

About this Programme

Pali is the language used to preserve the Buddhist canon of the Theravada Buddhist tradition, which is regarded as the oldest complete collection of Buddhist texts surviving in an Indian language. To learn the Pali language, one can do self-study, using online references or books. Many people find that they learn better in a group, either in a classroom setting or in a study group. For many of us, the goal is not to become expert of the language, but simply to learn the basics of the language to help us understand the suttas and the Buddha’s teachings better.

In this course, students will get acquainted with Pali by going through lessons from the esteemed Venerable A.P. Buddhadatta’s The New Pali Course – Part I (viewable here). The trainer Bhante Jothi will use the latter to teach the course.

Hard copy printouts from The New Pali Course will also be made available for students attending the class.

About the Trainer: Bhante Jothi

Venerable Dr. Wiloye Wimalajothi (“Bhante Jothi”) has been Resident Monk at the Buddhist Library Singapore since Dec 2012.

Bhante graduated with a First Class Honours from the University of Peradeniya and taught at the Department of Pali and Buddhist Studies of University of Peradeniya from 1992 to 1996. He subsequently went to United Kingdom where he resided for 14 years.

He has received several academic awards for his competence in Pali. He is also a prolific writer and has written several Dhamma books in Sinhalese.

A note about Course Dates and Course Fees

Due to impending renovation works at the Buddhist Library, there may be postponement of a few sessions and a later end to the classes e.g. we may end on 25 June 2025 instead of 11 June 2025. Participants will be informed of these updates in class and through email.
Fees collected will be used to defray the costs of running the Library.

FAQ

I have already studied Pali but would still like to join the course. This would help me strengthen my grasp of Pali. Can I do so?

You are welcome to. If you are doing so, however, we ask that you be patient with your newcomer classmates who might take a little longer to progress through the lessons!

Donations

While we are implementing a course fee, the actual cost of running the course and operating the Library are quite high. To help further recoup the costs involved in running the Library and its programmes, do consider making a donation.

The most expedient way to make a donation is by PayNow to “Buddhist Research Society” at UEN S81SS0026HBRS or scan below; do include the text “donation” in the Reference field. For other ways to donate, please see here.