#pali language

[helenstudies]

If you study ANY foreign languages and post about your study logs/journey frequently, please interact with this post because I'd love to follow more langblrs!

[lauradipjama]

ℱℴ𝓇 ℳℴ𝓇ℯ 𝒞𝓁𝒾𝒸𝓀

𑁍 𝓐𝓶𝓻𝓪𝓹𝓪𝓵𝓲 𑁍

𝒞𝓁𝒾𝒸𝓀 ℋℯ𝓇ℯ 𝒪𝓇 ⥉⥉

Vyjayanthimala in Amrapali (1966)

[kaddyssammlung]

still half asleep....opened twitter and "naked Vessel" everywhere well....have Vessel sing Sugar from 2019 but because of the great vocals and not the missing paint

[rrcraft-and-lore]

The Monkey King - Sun Wukong who first appears in Chinese stories (Journey to the West) during the Ming Dynasty period 1368 to 1644 CE, well after the introduction of Buddhism to China in about 206-220 CE.

But, was he inspired by another Monkey hero/character of myth?

The prevailing and dominant theory among Asian scholars is ...yeah, likely.

That character, Hanuman, king of the monkeys (the monkey people -Vanaras- of Vedic myth!).

The story follows a Buddhist monk who is accompanied by Sun Wukong and others to travel west to India to obtain sacred Buddhist sutras. Many of their powers and personality traits are similar as well.

We know that Vedic god such as Indra have made their way as far as Japan to take root and be worshipped because of the spread of Buddhism.

As I've talked about before and is shown in texts such as the journey's of Ibn Battuta / Ibn Fadlan, storytelling was a weapon and powerful tool for idea transfer--propagation. Philosophy was huge in the old world - and places such as Nalanda - the first residential university in the world - invited scholars from all over such as Greeks from the west, and the Japanese. Buddhism became a vehicle for trading things such as: martial arts information, medicine, sciences, and of course, myths and stories.

However, as with stories, people usually altered/coopted elements and molded them to better suit their cultures and fancy. That's a thing as old as time. I've shared how the panchatantra stories and jatka tales are thought to be the inspiration for nearly 30-50 percent of all nursery rhymes, ballads, "fairy tales".

Anyways back to this theory - Chinese Indologist Professor Liu Anwu of Peking University has dedicated chapters to the comparisons (in one of his works) to further break down this theory focusing on consistent and or similar depictions of beats in Journey to the West that of Rama's story in Ramayama and the Buddhist sutras.

Even though today the story of Sun Wukong is a wholly Chinese story - it's important to note the power of oral storytelling and how it travelled evolved over thousands of years, and, just as important, the vehicles it used to do so. Not just storytellers and philosophers and travelers but religion! Philosophy!

This is a theme heavily commented on and shown in Tales of Tremaine, which is my love letter and sort of self PhD. in comparative storytelling, mythology, and story foundry through an Asiatic lens (hence a silk road analog) stretching along a similar route the silk road did from damn near as far as you can east (complete with the oceanic routes) to as west as old venezia, portugal, and spain.

Also note: this is the most popular theory atm, but the operative word is theory. Experts likely far better than you, Internet, so chill before you comment, are still debating this. I know last week some of you were doctors in sociopolitical relations, the music industry before that, and then you were leading virologists before that. Spare us simpler folks from your mighty genius just now and sit down.

The point here is the beauty of stories and their ability to travel and morph and comment on themes/points ideologies important to cultures while being entertaining and showing that humans like certain universal moments, beats, archetypes, tropes, and progressions in tales.

Now, is that because we've naturally been predisposed liking them, or the opposite in that everyone went, yo, i dig this, took it home and someone else went, this is cool but needs to be more US (insert culture) and retold it. And thus...timemachine noises speed up. Here we are today?

You might not know that about 35,000 Chinese words ( I said this instead of Mandarin because they don't just show up in one language) are derived from Sanskrit as well as Pali (a Middle Indo-Aryan Liturgical Language -- meaning language of sacredness/religious use, in this case connected to sacred Buddhist texts). It is important to make the distinction, because, Internet!

Sanskrit did not SHAPE the Chinese languages. They evolved on their own. This is just a commentary on how words/stories shaped over travel in this case strongly through the spread of Buddhism.

Religion was the mover.

Back from quick bathroom break. Going to add again - INSPIRED is the keyword here.

INSPIRED.

Sun Wukong is his own mythos/character. Influence doesn't nor can claim dominion over everything in a later tale. Sun Wukong has gone on himself to inspire legends and characters Outside of China - re: most famously and legendary?

Son Goku - who is openly a Sun Wukong inspired character.

...hell, tbh, he might be the most famous monkey inspired super powered character now. Dude makes soccer stadiums air his fights. @_@.

[transgenderer]

Writing my treatise on the fusion of traditional Buddhist ethics and modern liberal sexual mores (in sanskrit, of course): the Poly Canon

[stuffedeggplants]

hey, what’s the sanskrit poetry book title?

It's How to Love in Sanskrit: Poems by Anusha Rao and Suhas Mahesh. It's a collection of about 210 short verses (and some prose pieces) organized by general theme.

The book doesn't have extensive sections to contextualize and explain things to the reader like you would find in A. K. Ramanujan's Hymns for the Drowning, but because of what Rao and Mahesh have done with their translations, I don't believe any are really necessary.

[hkunlimited]

Buddhism and Mindfulness, Language and Life…

‘Mindfulness’ is a tricky term, full of modern marketing. I prefer ‘consciousness,’ the original meaning to the same word in Pali, sati. Now that may seem like a minor quibble, but I prefer to keep superstitions and general ‘woowoo’ and ‘joojoo’ to a minimum for easier acceptance. Because I don’t want Buddhism to be something magical and mystical, even if that brings in some fervent fanatics full…

[somaiya-vidyavihar-university]

Discover the depth of Sanskrit and Pali through diploma and master’s programs at Somaiya University. Unlock ancient wisdom and modern opportunities in linguistics, culture, and education.

[connormoving]

i do feel bad for this girl tho . like this is a nightmare to me

[livingtheparadoxlife]

Why is the Brahmi script so wild?

[languagexs]

Exploring the Richness of Sinhala: Sinhalese Language of Sri Lanka

Unveiling the Captivating World of the Sinhala Language The Sinhalese language is a linguistic gem with deep roots in Sri Lanka’s vibrant culture and history. With its melodious tones and ancient origins, this Indo-Aryan language has fascinated linguists and culture enthusiasts alike. This article explores the fascinating intricacies of the Sinhala language, exploring its development, its…

[helenstudies]

new timeline for the next three months!

finish my pali assignment (oct 6th)

take my final pali exam (oct 13th)

sign up for hsk (???)

take coursera courses before the subscription runs out (oct 18th)

hsk exam (dec 8th)

tocfl registration and exam (undecided)

25th birthday (woo!)

also other stuff I might do in 2025

j.test exam (jan)

topik exam (may)

pali studies undergrad (?!)

yeah, it's gonna be busy ahead! I'm excited to just learn more deeply and enjoy the process but also prepare for exams because that's how I learn languages best and I also feel like every birthday is a huge milestone but especially because this year is going to be IU's palette year (if you know you know.)

[cosmonauter]

best friend james without boundaries again!!

mdni, this has smut in it, i hope you guys enjoy it :))

sleepovers with james are the best thing on this planet, especially if you haven't seen eachother the whole day. meeting up with him after a stressful day, filled with studying and reading about different potion ingredients, is always such a relaxing feeling.

the way he whines about missing you, and thinking of hugging and touching you the whole day.

the way he cradles you to his broad and strong chest, thick arms wrapping around you, pressing a kiss to the top of your head.

the way he begs you to sleep in his bed tonight, because he had "such a bad day without you, i need you tonight, love, i can't sleep without you!".

so of course, as his best friend, it is your duty to make him feel better, and try your best at making him forget about the bad day he was having.

-

you're lying in his bed, wearing only his shirt and boxers, humming a tune that got stuck in your head, while sirius and peter are palying chess on the opposite side of the room.

"don't you think it's a little weird, sleeping in prongs' clothes and letting him kiss and touch you like he's your boyfriend? not that i'm judging, but i've just been wondering", sirius interrupts your little tune.

you sigh, tired of answering this question every day, "no sirius, why would it be weird? jamie and i just understand eachother and we don't get weird about cuddling and hugging eachother. that's just our love language!"

"alright, if you say so..", sirius shakes his head, as if he's disappointed. maybe he made a wrong move against peter?

suddenly the door to the restroom opens, and out steps james in his low-hanging pants, that make his v-line visible. he's still wet from his shower, his abs and chest glittering from the light reflecting of the little water drops.

he swiftly moves towards his bed, tugging the blanket up and getting under it, immediately pulling you to himself.

"jamie, you're still drenched!", you squeek out.

he smiles at you and apologises, "sorry love, didn't mean to get you wet."

sirius coughs and remus' eyes widen behind his book. " oh my god, you guys are such perverts!", you exclaim, "jamie, close the curtains, i don't want to see them anymore!"

james chuckles as he's closing the bed, laughing at the gobsmacked looks on his mates faces, "good night, boys."

-

you wake up to james moving against your back, " jamie?"

he mumbles your name, while rubbing up against you. suddenly you notice, that a very particular part of him was indeed in dire need of attention. you call out his name again, and start turning around to shake him awake.

as you finally manage to wake him up, his eyes widen and you can immediately see the shame and apologies swimming in his eyes, "jamie, don't even worry about it! we're best friends, if you need something, i'm happy to help you!"

"are you sure? i don't want you to feel uncomfortable or anything", he frowns at you.

"i've never been surer, really, don't worry about it!"

-

james never really expected to be in this situation. of course he thought about it and hoped sometimes, but he never dreamed that one day, he would get to do this.

you're lying on you back, his shirt and boxers nowhere in sight, letting him rub your chest and nipples with one hand, while holding himself up slightly with the other.

"oh my god, this feels so good", he moans out, rutting his swollen cock against your bare body.

goosebumps cover your whole body, and james wants to kiss every inch of you, mark you as his, and make you forget about any other male in your life besides him.

"you make me crazy. i'm going crazy because of you, fuck", he mutters into your neck, continuing to play with your nipples, squeezing and pulling them.

you moan out his name, and james thinks that nothing on this world will ever sound that good again. "you're so good, love. you're the best friend anyone could ever ask for, oh love, i- fuuck, i am so fucking lucky."

one of your hands runs down your body, nearing his dick. you wrap it around him, and james almost loses his control. the way your hand looks so small around his tip makes him nearly cum.

"come on, jamie.. you're doing so good, you're such a good boy, thank you so much."

james blushes and hides his face in your neck. whining, he pulls some of your skin in his mouth and starts sucking.

"jamie, stop! everyone will see, they're going to know what you did to me!"

"oh fuck, i want them to know. i want everyone to know you're mine. shit, tell me you're mine", james whimpers and starts rutting against you even faster.

you moan out and he thinks, that after this night he will not be able to live his life normally anymore. "i'm yours jamie, of course i am."

james can't hold back anymore, he really tries, but he just can't. " i'm cumming, oh fuck, i'm cumming." rope after rope of his cum cover your lower body, some of it landing on your pussy.

he looks at you with wide eyes and and apologises, promising you that he's "going to eat you out so good, just wait a moment. thank you, love, thank you so much", kissing your face and lips like he can't get enough of it. and he really can't, he's obsessed with you beneath him.

his lips start wandering from your collarbone downwards, and he feels you bucking up into him.

smirking against your skin, he starts leaving little bites here and licking over your body there.

finally arriving at your cunt, he places a little kiss right at the center of it and inhales. it smells so incredibly addicting, and james is sure, that nothing could pull him away from you at this moment.

he feels blessed, he feels so good in a way he has never felt like before. he thinks this is what going mad feels like.

"sweetheart, why have you been hiding this from me? i could have had this so long ago", he moans against your pussy starting to lick into you.

this is definitely what going crazy feels like. james feels crazy, he's going crazy.

he can't describe how he's feeling right now, every little emotion inside of him mixing together, making him incapable of forming together a sentence.

"oh my god, you, you taste so good, oh fuck", james is eating you out, like it's his last meal, moaning against you and grinding into the bed.

slowly, he drags a hand up and starts teasing your little hole with one of his fingers. "baby, i'm gonna stick my finger inside, okay? i really wanna stick it inside, please baby? let me put my finger inside you?"

he's whining, he knows that he sounds really pathetic right now, but it's you, and you are his exception for everything. you are the only one allowed to see him in this postion. no one else, ever.

your legs start shaking and you clench your pussy, as he finally puts his fingers to good use. james keeps kissing and sucking on your clit, enjoying the taste of you a to concerning amount.

he knows you're about to cum, he doesn't know how, but he feels it inside of him, like a ticking time bomb.

"come on, my love. grind it out on me, yes, just like that. feels so good, fuck, i could do this all night."

as you moan and cum on his mouth, james realizes that he will never get enough of you, now that he was finally allowed to taste you.

as you finally catch your breath again, james looks up at you with a face of worship.

"you taste so good, i'm genuinely addicted to you now." he huffs against your pussy, starting to give it little kisses here and there.

he licks your oversensitive flesh, as you whine about it being "too soon, jamie, my pussy feels so sensitive, please be careful."

"just one more time, darling, i just need one more taste", as he starts up again, your poor little pussy twitching against his lips.

i hope you liked it!! if you have any tips, please don't hesitate to help me out!!

also this is my first time writing smut, so please tell me how you liked it :))

[helenstudies]

I can confirm that it just means diligent training. But, that's not really an archaic word. It's just a technical term that means something else in a different context or background. In this case that is "practice buddhism or taoism" in buddhism. The same word is used in Chinese as well.

Brother in Buddha I didn't even know what this meant in English. Basically practices that relinquishes worldly desires.

[sooniebby]

hi! first time anon, but long time reader of your work (been here since the midoriya x bakugo's big bro fic). i wish you good luck in your finals and i hope you have a good break !

i read your motorbike prompt fanfic, i think the plot is really nice and tbh i think transmasc reader is really good for that story !! speaking as a thai person myself, i think transmasc rep is scarce here but that might just be me ??? 😭

tho speaking of which, there was smth that bugged me about the story, which is the part where the mysterious biker called the reader "nangfa (นางฟ้า)" not sure if you used google translate or smth else but by most interpretations, nangfa is fairy/pixie/goddess. i mean, it's applicable to angel, too, but it's not like... the most "right" ig????? if that even makes sense 😭💀 cuz i feel that thai language doesnt really have a direct translation for "angel" bc our language is derived/mixed from/with sanskrit, old khmer, pali, etc., which are languages heavily associated with buddhist scriptures. this is relevant bc in buddhism theres not really any "angels" rather than gods and goddesses (note that some sects do interpret them as angels but in mainstream/legitimized thai buddhism (Theravada) in thai language, they are called gods and goddesses), which means that the concept of angels doesnt really exist, but the closest to abrahamic angels we have are gods and goddesses. another thing is that nangfa has a feminine connotation, bc "nang" means mrs, so nangfa is literally sky woman. it might be a bit dysphoric since the reader is transmasc. tho i dont know the male equivalent of nangfa, never heard of one either personally even tho i lived in thailand for all of my life. mostly theyre just straight up called เทพบุตร (male gods) or เทวดา. also pretty sure mostly facebook incels flirt with girls using nangfa so that was mostly what threw me off 😭 if theyre not facebook incels, theyre just overdramatic, desperate, or old as hell (like 50+ 💀)

if u wanna change it after reading this (which u dont have to), there are some good choices such as "whanjai (sweetheart)," "baby (preferred by most younger thai couples)," "ที่รัก (thi rak -> my love)" ofc phi/p and nong are also good choices. if you want the reader/krist/mystery biker guy to have chinese ancestry (most common ethnic group in thailand), you can also use เฮีย "hiea" (older male) tho if youre interested in the usage of this word i can expand on that in another ask

ALSO I JUST REALLY WANNA KNOW, AT THE PART WHERE IT SAYS

“(Name) Opas Phanuwat, what do you think ‘stay where I can see you’ means?”

IF "OPAS PHANUWAT" IS THE READER'S WHOLE LAST NAME OR IF IT'S LIKE OPAS = FIRST NAME, PHANUWAT = LAST NAME 😭 flash banged, if i am reading this right as โอภาส = opas... cuz my dad's friend's name is that 😭 it's a really old name but it has a good meaning. also, again if this came from google translate, imo it should be fixed as "opad" bc opas is not the correct phonetic sound, tho it's up to you if you wanna change it or not cuz by "romanization" (not sure abt the proper term for this but i think this word gets the point across?) it is right, it's just not read as "opas"... this part, again, is js my personal preference because my name is constantly butchered bc the way it is written vs how it's pronounced is very different in both thai and english 😭 really dont wanna suffer again w this shi

tldr, nangfa as a choice bugs me and really curious abt the reader's name choice

i really like this concept overall and i think it's really interesting !! very happy that this place i call home is the setting of this one !! (tho i think they really didnt need to shut the highway in BANGKOK down 😭 (cries in ungodly traffic jam) cuz illegal races happen regardless but it's wtv) i cant wait to see how this story plays out and who that mystery bike guy is and learn more abt krist !! looking forward to reading your next work !! until then good luck with your stuff and supporting you from the shadows !!

just in case i do send smth again i'll leave off as mcyap anon 😭 sorry that this is like super long

!!!!!! YAY!!!! Thank goodness, I’m so glad you corrected me, please do it again if needed!!!!!! Anyway I’ll explain some of the choices cuz I did only use google translate for angel cuz I couldn’t find what type of pet names do Thai people use!

Thx for the list of choices, I’ll think a bit more on which one suits the biker. But could you explain heia?

For the last name bit, I got the last name from a real Thai actor lmfaooo, Opas Phanuwat was his full last name! But the romanization of it could’ve been wrong lol. I was actually wondering if I should do it how it works in Thai

The nickname first name last name, but I don’t know how many none thai people know that 😩 so I just left it at that, but I can see how it would end up confusing a Thai person fml.

Thx again, really, sure I’m learning more about Thai culture through dramas and readings—it’s nice to have someone actually check me!!

Oh and I’m curious, does this name I have for the biker make sense?

“เสือ” ธาวิน ชัยอริยะกุล — learning how last names work in Thai was a struggle, but the way yall names work is so cool 🙂‍↕️

[desikanya]

Nalanda: knowledge and history that was burnt to ashes

Origins of Nalanda University:

Nalanda University was founded in the 5th century CE, during the reign of the Gupta Empire, which is often referred to as a golden age of Indian culture and learning. The university was established by Kumaragupta I, a Gupta emperor, and it quickly became a prominent center for Buddhist studies. The name "Nalanda" is derived from the Sanskrit words "Nala" (lotus) and "da" (giver), symbolizing the university as a giver of knowledge.

Glory During the Gupta Empire:

Under the Gupta Empire, Nalanda flourished as a major center of learning and attracted students and scholars from various regions, including China, Korea, Japan, Tibet, Mongolia, and Southeast Asia. The university was renowned for its comprehensive curriculum, which included subjects such as philosophy, logic, grammar, medicine, mathematics, astronomy, and the arts. The institution was characterized by its impressive architecture, with numerous monasteries, temples, and libraries, and it is estimated to have housed around 10,000 students and 2,000 teachers at its peak.

Great Indian Scholars:

Nalanda was home to many great Indian scholars, including:

Nagarjuna (c. 150–250 CE): A pivotal philosopher in Mahayana Buddhism, Nagarjuna is best known for developing the concept of "emptiness" (śūnyatā) and founding the Madhyamaka school of thought, which emphasized the middle path between existence and non-existence.

Vasubandhu (c. 4th–5th century CE): A prominent philosopher and one of the founders of the Yogacara school of Buddhism, Vasubandhu made significant contributions to Buddhist philosophy and psychology. His works, including the "Abhidharmakosa," are foundational texts in Buddhist studies.

Dharmakirti (c. 7th century CE): An influential logician and epistemologist, Dharmakirti's writings on logic and perception shaped Buddhist philosophy and had a lasting impact on Indian and Tibetan thought.

Shantarakshita (c. 8th century CE): A philosopher and abbot of Nalanda, Shantarakshita played a crucial role in the spread of Buddhism in Tibet and is known for his works on logic and philosophy.

Visits from Monks and Scholars:

Nalanda became a melting pot of cultures and ideas, drawing many eminent scholars and monks. Notable figures include:

Xuanzang (Hsuan-tsang): A Chinese Buddhist monk who traveled to India in the 7th century to study at Nalanda. His detailed accounts of his journey and the teachings he encountered are invaluable historical documents that provide insight into the university's operations and the broader cultural context of the time.

Yijing (I-tsing): Another Chinese monk who visited Nalanda in the late 7th century, Yijing studied Sanskrit and Buddhist texts and later wrote about his experiences, contributing to the understanding of Buddhist practices and education in India.

Atisha: A Tibetan scholar who studied at Nalanda in the 11th century, Atisha played a crucial role in the transmission of Buddhism to Tibet.

Books and Manuscripts:

Nalanda was renowned for its vast library, known as Dharmaganja, which housed thousands of manuscripts and texts on various subjects. Scholars at Nalanda produced and preserved a wealth of knowledge, including commentaries on Buddhist scriptures, philosophical treatises, and scientific works. The library was said to contain texts in multiple languages, including Sanskrit, Pali, and Tibetan, making it a crucial repository of knowledge in ancient India.

Destruction of Nalanda:

The destruction of Nalanda University in the late 12th century was a catastrophic event that not only marked the end of one of the world's oldest centers of learning but also resulted in the irrevocable loss of a vast repository of knowledge. The university, which had flourished for several centuries, was renowned for its extensive library, Dharmaganja, which housed thousands of manuscripts covering a wide range of subjects, including philosophy, medicine, mathematics, astronomy, and Buddhist texts.

The library was said to have been so vast that it took months to burn all the manuscripts after the invasion, symbolizing the immense loss of intellectual heritageThe invasion by Bakhtiyar Khilji in 1193 was a turning point for Nalanda. Khilji's forces not only destroyed the physical structures of the university but also targeted the scholars and monks who had dedicated their lives to the pursuit of knowledge.

Many were killed, while others fled to different regions,the destruction of Nalanda also meant that many original texts and commentaries were lost forever, resulting in a significant gap in the historical and philosophical understanding. The tragedy of Nalanda serves as a poignant reminder of the fragility of knowledge and the importance of preserving cultural and intellectual heritage.