Sujato/John Kelly Pali Courses: Resources

[Karuna_Hong]

ETA: (January 2024)
Successfully added DPD files to DictTango data folder.
Workaround for Android restriction on folder “Android/data/…”: Downloaded app “FV File Explorer.”
Looks like this in GooglePlay store:

1. Click on icon called “Multi-Window”; this opens up two panes so you can do a file transfer.

2. Use one to open up the target folder for DictTango Dictionary: /Android/data/cn.jimex.dict/files/Dictionaries

3. Use the other to open up the source folder for your three DPD files. (I just used the default DOWNLOADS folder.)

In this screen cap, my target folder is on top, my source folder is bottom.

4. Select the three DPD files, from source folder
5. Drag & drop into the target folder
6. There might be a progress bar while it copies over.

To add these dictionary files to the DicTango app:

1. Open app & click on “MANAGE DICTIONARIES”
   
   
2. Click on Menu Icon, (top right) & select “ADD LOCAL DICTIONARY.”
   
   
3. Navigate to the target folder and select all three DPD files
   (/Android/data/cn.jimex.dict/files/Dictionaries)

After adding, all three should show up like:

Ah, I too got the same message as Ven. Sabbamitta when trying MDict:

> "This app is not available for your device. It has been developed for an earlier version of Android."

In case any Android users are still reading:
Seems like next option is to access the DictTango data folder via USB connection to a computer, & dropping the DPD files it via Android File Transfer. (Downloadable onto computer as an application)

If that doesn't work, I might try a 3rd party app - which hopefully doesn't qualify as rooting! before fully giving up & using another Pāli dictionary altogether. Inline lookup isn't a priority on mobile for me, so maybe it's best to be content with that for now...esp. considering the massive paragraphs we've got due next week :sob: :skull: :dizzy_face:

[BethL]

@Karuna_Hong

In case any Android users are still reading:

Thank you @Karuna_Hong for inspiring me not to give up with my samsung tablet. To distill the long, convoluted story (I’ve been working on this on/off for two months)…

I found out how to give myself developer privileges on the tablet, which was key. Then I downloaded an app on the mac to allow me to work with the tablet files on the mac. Somehow, I got this to work and I can use DictTango now on the tablet.

[Karuna_Hong]

Wonderful - I’m so glad it helped! I had the feeling documenting it would have value for someone!!!

I feel like my new word acquisition leveled up massively after the mobile download. I’m using it during my personal pūjā practice, I’m using it during online sutta study, or leaving the monastery after hearing an interesting word or phrase during the dhamma talk. I kinda regret not doing it earlier!

[Karuna_Hong]

I’m finally looking at one of the listing of roots that @christie had generously found & posted awhiles back - this spreadsheet is Ven. Bodhi’s Root Bible.

Can anyone help me understand how this spreadsheet works? After a few months of using DPD & noting the roots every time I looked up a word, and also the ones Warder gave, I was expecting to see at least a handful of familiar ones that seem to appear in many words we’ve been learning, like √saṃ, √vac, √paṭi, √kar, √kam,√pad, upa-, ud-, abhi-, ā-, nī-. This has a tiny smidgen of those, but also lots of other ones unknown to me, and also, not sure if the correlation between all the columns aligns with what is given in other sources, like DPD.

Like rakkha is given in the root column, whereas DPD would give it as √rakkh. The Pāli column has pālane, instead of something straightforward like rakkhati, or even anurakkhā. And actually, DPD gives √pāl as the root for pālane, so is it even associated with √rakkh, aside from a loose similarity in meaning? (Listed as a declension of pālana, a noun meaning “protection, preservation, government.”)

I’m just ISO a straight, basic listing of morphemes, like the prefixes & roots I listed above, with some concise DPDish meanings. Maybe this spreadsheet is not what I’m looking for? But I actually can’t even tell what its intent is.

If anyone has a resource like this, I’d appreciate so much if you could share. Interestingly, typing “prefixes” into DPD returns a nice, solid batch, but I think there’s probably more?

[stephen]

Whitney’s Roots is a great resource.

E.g.

The roots, verb-forms, and primary derivatives of the Sanskrit language. A...

[stephen]

When one looks up a word in PED, the etymology is usually given.
To learn more about the Sanskrit roots, Whitney can help.

[Karuna_Hong]

Fantastic, thank you!

I’ll look to see if anyone has already made searchable spreadsheet from this, and if not - may undertake it myself.

[stephen]

The book is in Sanskrit/ Pali alphabetical order, very easy to use.

I have a paper copy from 1945- no need for a spreadsheet !

(Or even electricity)

[Karuna_Hong]

Same with DPD - I’m just prowling for a resource that lists a bunch of them together

[christie]

Are you looking for roots, or upasagga (prefixes)?

My Pali textbook has an appendix on the upasagga:

F: `upasagga ` meanings

This is taken from Thitzana, and in my opinion is overly complicated, listing a lot of rare usages. I’ll probably simplify it eventually, but I am currently working on another project (which will remain secret until I am ready to share - hopefully in a few weeks time).

[Karuna_Hong]

Christie, I am screaming with excitement! This is actually the third step I would have gone to, after finding the unicorn spreadsheet. Thank you, thank you, thank you! I wish there were more heart emojis for me to express my gratitude for this work you’ve started. Can’t wait to see your secret project.

I still might make a list of the Whitney roots anyway, since I’d like to knock out memorizing frequently recurring (or canonically important) pretty soon, (ie. between this class ending & John’s Gare/Karunatillike starting-which I’m still considering.) As for distinguishing roots or prefixes - I’m prolly just gonna stick it on a flashcard if it pops up in Pāli common enough, so even though I’m sure the difference matters to someone much more erudite, for my own slapdash learning methods, upa, saṃ, & √kam are all gonna get the same color flashcards

[christie]

Hi Karuna,

You will find the word derivations in DPD a lot easier to understand if you understand how words are constructed, which is basically prefixes + root + infixes + affixes (primary or secondary) + word ending (gender, multiplicity, case)

For reference, I have created a reference for Pāli grammar in my textbook using EBNF (Extended Backus Naur Form) notation.

EBNF is pretty easy to understand, it’s also known as a “railroad” diagram.

C: Pali Grammar Specification

Here is a cheatsheet to understand EBNF (written, predictably, in EBNF!):

Extended Backus-Naur-Form

[BethL]

@stephen

The book is in Sanskrit/ Pali alphabetical order, very easy to use.

This resource is great! Thank you

[johnk]

Just rediscovered an old resource on compounds in my Pāli files that might be useful to you all.
Pali Compound Reference Sheet.pdf (111.2 KB)

[Gillian]

Lovely! I’ve added it to the list in the OP at the top of this thread.

[BethL]

As a follow-on, there is a Bhikkhu Jiv. who did pāli recordings of about 30 MN suttas and SN 47.1-10 (Ambapālisutta), all of which are buried in this site. I reviewed the rest of the site (dormant for 10+ years now?) and there’s not much else re: pāli recordings.

Bhikkhu Jiv.'s identify remains elusive; however, I saw some feedback in various places on the Internet that his readings/chantings are excellent in pronunciation, cadence, etc. They are obviously meant for beginners (like me) who are getting used to chanting pāli suttas out-loud and memorizing them. I can’t say definitively whether it is the Sri Lankan tradition style of chanting but I believe so. I am in the process of downloading all of Bhikkhu Jiv.'s recordings.

[Karuna_Hong]

Hey Beth, Is there a link to Bhikkhu Jiv’s site that I’m overlooking? Sorry - I also checked your upthread post & googled for Bhikkhu Jiv, and couldn’t find the site with the Pāli recordings…

[BethL]

Karunā here you go:

https://lucid24.org/mn/audtip/mn-pli.html

The following are quite buried and I’d rather provide a link to a shared google drive – I’ll PM you once I’ve done that. The MN suttas with the above link, plus the ones below, are the only ones I’ve found on this site. It’s a mystery who this monastic is.

In Ambapālī’s Mango Grove (SN 47.1-10)
Going for Refuge (KN Kp 1) Saraṇattaya
Without the Walls (KN Kp 7) Tirokuṭṭasutta

[Karuna_Hong]

Fantastic - thank you!!! These are incredible for clearly hearing the pronunciation - esp. the aspirated consonants, when you’ve got headphones on.

And thanks also for LMK when you’ve put onto your drive - appreciate it!

[Snowbird]

@BethL

Karunā here you go:

I believe many of these can also be found on PaliAudio.com, eg MN3 They are all available on Archive.org if you can find them.

I can confirm that they are done in a Sri Lankan style by a Sri Lankan monk. These recordings were originally made not for beginners but for his fellow monks who might become blind in the future and would need to listen to the suttas instead of reading them.