India recognizes Pali as a classical language, emphasizing its cultural and religious importance

- through Henry Oudin

Published

In a historic decision, the Indian government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has officially recognized Pali as the nation’s classical language. The October 3 announcement, which also includes Assamese, Bengali, Marathi and Prakrit, has been hailed by scholars, historians and the Buddhist community for its recognition of Pali’s impact on the cultural and religious heritage of India and beyond.

Pali, often considered the language of the Buddha's teachings (buddhavacana), played a central role in preserving and spreading the ethical, philosophical, and spiritual teachings of the Buddha. Unlike Sanskrit, which was used primarily by Brahmanical scholars, Pali served as a more accessible medium for transmitting the Buddha's teachings to the masses. As a result, it became the language of the earliest Buddhist scriptures, the Tipitakaand is still used today in Theravada Buddhism.

Theravada Buddhism, the oldest and one of the largest schools of Buddhism, continues to use Pali as its liturgical language. Tipitakawhich literally means "three baskets," encompasses the Buddha's teachings on ethics, psychology, and the nature of reality. These texts were passed down orally for centuries before being written down in Pali in Sri Lanka in the first century BCE. Today, Pali remains a sacred language for Buddhist communities in countries such as Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.

India's recognition of Pali as a classical language underscores its historical importance and aligns it with other ancient Indian languages, such as Kannada, Sanskrit and Tamil, which have shaped Indian civilisation. According to the government's criteria, a language is considered "classical" if it has ancient origins, a rich literary tradition and has had a significant impact on culture, religion and social structures over a period of at least 1 years.

Parliamentary and Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju expressed his gratitude for the recognition on social media platform X (formerly Twitter). Rijiju noted that the decision honours the close connection between Pali and Buddhism and encourages the younger generation to explore its teachings.

Members of the Buddhist community in Mumbai met Prime Minister Modi to celebrate the decision and highlighted the importance of Pali in spreading Buddhism across Asia. Modi acknowledged the monks’ appreciation and expressed confidence that the decision would inspire more young people to study and engage with Pali.

Modi also posted on X, sharing the happiness of the Buddhists he met with pictures of himself and the monks. Modi shared that the monks “recalled the close connection between Pali and Buddhism and expressed confidence that more young people will discover Pali in the times to come.” (Mathru Bhumi)

Over the past 2 years, Pali has spread its influence far beyond the borders of India. During the reign of Emperor Ashoka in the third century BCE, Pali was used to promote Buddhism throughout Asia, including Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia. Ashoka's son Mahinda traveled to Sri Lanka to present the Buddha's teachings, and Pali became the primary language of Sri Lankan Buddhism, ensuring its preservation for more than two millennia. In Southeast Asia, Pali shaped religious practices, monastic education, and meditation traditions, and continues to be the language of religious ceremonies and Buddhist scholarship today.

Chandan Kumar, an assistant professor at the University of Delhi, noted that recognizing Pali as a classical language would help preserve and revitalize its study. Government officials and cultural organizations said the designation was expected to generate greater academic interest and funding for research on Pali texts, translations and interpretations. In addition, the move is expected to foster closer cultural ties between India and Buddhist-majority countries such as Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand, where Pali continues to hold religious significance.

Kumar wrote: "By recognising Pali as a classical language, India acknowledges its rich linguistic and cultural history. Pali is an integral part of the development of Buddhism, which is one of India's greatest spiritual contributions to the world. This recognition is a source of pride for Buddhists in India and around the world, reinforcing India's role as the cradle of a major world religion. (IANS Live)

As the language of the Buddha's words, Pali has had a lasting impact on the philosophical, religious, and linguistic development of much of Asia. Advocates have expressed hope that recognition by the Indian government will ensure that Pali's literary and cultural legacy is preserved for generations to come.

See more

Pali declared classical language celebrates Bharat's ancient cultural heritage (IANS Live)
Pali officially recognized as classical language: Rijiju thanks Modi (Mathru Bhumi)

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The article India recognizes Pali as classical language, highlighting its cultural and religious importance appeared first on Buddhadoor Global.

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Henry Oudin

Henry Oudin is a Buddhist scholar, spiritual adventurer and journalist. He is a passionate seeker of the depths of Buddhist wisdom, and travels regularly to learn more about Buddhism and spiritual cultures. By sharing his knowledge and life experiences on Buddhist News, Henry hopes to inspire others to embrace more spiritual and mindful ways of living.

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