When I first began my journey, I was studying the Majjhima Nikaya, the Middle Length Discourse. I read it first, then listened to Venerable Bhikkhu Bodhi on YouTube.
Start with Sutta number 2 first. Donāt start with sutta number 1. Save it until after you finish reading and studying all other suttas in the Majjhima Nikaya. It was the advice I got from Bhante Bodhi.
When youāre listening to Bhante Bodhiās lectures, you will see that he explains all the important Pali vocabulary and you will slowly be able to pick up on Pali.
If you want to read the sutta in English and Pali, then click on the parallels in the top right corner of the sutta page and choose Bhante Sujatoās translation. In the top menu, you can select Pali side by side. Like this.
And if you want to learn Pali, there are many good recordings on YouTube, or John Kelly will also have a new course open in a few months.
Or you could contact @stephen He is teaching Pali Primer right now.
I have signed up for a Pali course. Iām excited to learn a bit more about the language and how to read it. Thank you for posting. Happy World Peace Day!
Hi, Iāve recently started a new elementary Pali class, weāre in the first few lessons of Pali Primer now, and will be moving to Gair and Karunatillake soon. New York timezone.
Hello - Yes I just joined today after seeing the second interview with Bhante Sujato by Clear Mountain Monks. Iāve been using Sutta central for years but had no idea there is a forum!
Do you read a lot and post seldom?
I read a lot in the fall and winter (from October to March) when I have more time. Currently reading The Samyutta Nikkaya, as well as a few other reading projects by Bikkhu Nanananda and especially the associated suttas.
Do you post a lot but hide in the shadows?
Not yet:) Weāll see.
Please tell us a bit about yourself.
Things like whether you are Buddhist by birth or by conviction, whether you live in a Buddhist majority or minority society. ā¦ Some of us feel drawn to teach the Dhamma and others of us donāt. Some know or are learning Pali. We all have different ways of giving service and bringing the Dhamma into our lives.
I live in the US so I am a minority as a Buddhist. I love the Dhamma and love sharing the Dhamma but donāt consider myself a teacher. I facilitate a reading group. I am only dabbling in Pali - I barely understand how to look up words and how to use the various Pali dictionaries. With that novice admission about pali words, I also add that I love learning the pali words, hearing and seeing them defined and the way that this can open up the mind to deeper insights about the teachings. I do study and read the suttas and I meditate daily.
I have taken 2 short temporary ordinations as a nun - once for 14 days and once for 3 months. I think about being a nun at some time in the future, but for now when I get that desire in me I simply tell myself to ābe a nun now.ā
I am thrilled to find a good forum with likeminded people where we can discuss the deeper ideas from the suttas.
I live in a small town in the Australian outback. Although there are a few people here who identify as Buddhists, theyāre mostly focused on rites and rituals. So Iām pretty much on my own in this little town. But thanks to this forum and Bhante Sujatoās online Friday night talksāwhere you can actually ask him dhamma questions you haveāit doesnāt feel lonely at all.
I did not know about Sujatosā Friday night talks - I just looked it up - looks like that would be 3 am in my time zone so unless i am waking up at 3 - which I actually do sometimes I may not be able to join. But great to know he is actively engaged and you can ask questions from someone so knowledgeable!
Happy to hear this has given you a Dhamma Community!
Hello Bhante Sujato, Vandami!, Sutta Central has been my go to website, THANKS A TON for coming up with this platform. I am Buddhist text enthusiast, n Gold Medalist in MA Pali, socially engaged Buddhism and studied Buddhist Sanskrit. I know Pali, Sanskrit, English, Hindi n Marathi. Please let me know how can I be useful in any way for Sutta Central.
