Who Wants to Learn Pāli? - take 3 (Gair & Karunatillake)

Dear John,

I’d be very interested to join the course if it’s not too late to register.

My name is Rémi, and I’m in Ireland, time zone GMT+8. I don’t have any prior Pāli learning experience except for reading a few chapters of some of the Pāli textbooks over the last few years. I already have a physical copy of Gair and Karunatillake.

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Hello Remi,
No, it’s not to late to join the class and I would be very happy to have you. However, you say you are in Ireland, which is GMT +0 (not GMT+8), and so the class would start for you at 11pm. You would have to be quite the night owl to make that work for you!
Let me know.

I would also like to join. My name is Eric, I’ve been kind of desultorily studying Pali on my own for a few months now, and the timing works (I’m in the -6 zone, so early evening for me).

I did get a copy of G&K already, so it would be silly to let this opportunity pass me by. Thank you for offering this! :pray:t2:

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Dear John,
I would also like to join.
I’m Bhikkhu Animitta, a western monk living in Sri Lanka. I have been exposed to Pāli over the years, but haven’t learned the grammar in a structured way. This looks like a great opportunity. Thank you for making it available.
with Mettā

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Hi John,
My name is Z. I am in Kuala Lumpur’s time zone. I started studying Pāli this week. I have G&K and have been working through Ajahn Brahmali’s recorded lectures, which cover the lessons in De Silva. Thanks for running this course!

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As it’s once every 2 weeks it should be doable for me yes, I’d like to give it a good try at least! if that’s ok with you of course.
Many thanks

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I would love to participate. My name is Randy in Aurora, Colorado, USA. I serendipitously stumbled upon the first class. I have been working through de Silva, have finished the first 11 lessons, and already have a copy of Gair & Karunatillake.

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Dear John Kelly

Q1

Do you know where I can buy the book Pali Primer online?

Q2

What is the best way to study and build vocabulary? I don’t really set out to memorise the Pali words Lesson by Lesson. I just hop right in to do the exercises flipping back and forth searching for the words. I omitted the little dash above the letters and little dot under the letters just so I could keep going.

I have completed exercises from Lessons 1 to 4. At the moment, I am still doing exercises in Lesson 5 and I feel stuck. :frowning:

I managed to obtain the answer sheet. Lessons 1 and 2 are straight forward but I made careless mistakes. Oh well. There were more mistakes at Lesson 3, so I stopped marking. I feel discouraged. :frowning:

Your class is every other Monday at 7 am AWST. AWST and MYT are same zone.

AWST

  1. 10.2.2025 Monday 7-8 am✔️

  2. 24.2.2025 Monday 7-8 am✔️

  3. 10.3.2025 Monday 7-8 am✔️

  4. 24.3.2025 Monday 7-8 am :x: (I cannot join this lesson as I will be volunteering at the retreat centre. Will there be a recording?)

MYT

  1. 7.4.2025 Monday 7-8 am

  2. 21.4.2025 Monday 7-8 am

  3. 5.5.2025 Monday 7-8 am

  4. 19.5.2025 Monday 7-8 am

  5. 2.6.2025 Monday 7-8 am

  6. 16.6.2025 Monday 7-8 am

  7. 30.6.2025 Monday 7-8 am

  8. 14.7.2025 Monday 7-8 am

  9. 28.7.2025 Monday 7-8 am

  10. 11.8.2025 Monday 7-8 am

  11. 25.8.2025 Monday 7-8 am

Q3

Is the class running from February to August only?

Q4

Are the above dates correct?

Q5

Is it only for 1 hour?

The lessons are free of charge. I can donate to Sutta Central but first, I must be tech savvy!

If this email is sent to a group, please forgive. I don’t really know how Gmail works. I hope I can get online next Monday at 7 am! Pray pray pray.

Thank you.

Kind regards,

Hui Ling

Dear John, thank you so much for offering this. I am Prerana, from India, and the lecture slot would be 4-4.30 am, which suits me. I have an elementary idea of Sanskrit and Pāli, and have received my doctoral degree from the Centre for Historical Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.

Terribly sorry for reaching out so late. I came across this link recently so couldn’t send a reply earlier.

Warmest regards,
Prerana

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When and where will the recorded lessons be posted?

I posted this information in the thread related to this week’s class. Here it is again … the recording of the class today is available in a folder on my google drive. The link to access that folder is here https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ohEx8IViGa8g1Kp31s5MBwj4IIQPEy6s?usp=drive_link

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Hello Hui Ling,

You may be confusing the two courses I am offering. The first one, a beginners’ class, which had it’s initial class yesterday is for people like yourself who are new to Pāli or have minimal learning experience. This runs every two weeks Feb 3, Feb 17, Mar 3 … etc.

The second is a reading group only suitable for experienced Pāli students who have completed a full beginners class, or studied on their own Gair and Karunatillake or Warder or similar. This runs on the alternate weeks with the other group, so Feb 10, Feb 24, Mar 10 … etc.

Since you missed the first beginners class yesterday please access the recording available on this thread and I hope to see you at the next class on Feb 17.

Hey John, am Padmini from India. I am interested to join the course. Can I start now.

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Absolutely, Padmini. Please review the recording from the first lesson, and I look forward to seeing you online with us at our next session.

I look forward to having you join us, Prerana. Your knowledge of Sanskrit will be an advantage in learning Pāli.

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Hello,
I would like to join to the class if is available. My name is Fulya and i’m from Turkey. I have no Pāli learning experience.

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Hello Fulya,
Yes, you are very welcome to join the class. I recommend you review the recording and the powerpoint slides from our first class which you missed. These have been posted in this thread here John Kelly’s Pāli 2025 (G&K) Class 1 - #4 by johnk

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Of course, Fulya, I hope you realise that the class start time of 9am (Brisbane) is 2am in Turkey. Are you able to cope with that?

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Thank you for the information. Usually 2am is a late hour for me. Would it be appropriate if I inform you about this/homework and also take the course by following the recording?

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@johnk Hello John! May I join starting today? My friend Sam attended last week and told me about it. I’m also in EST time and I have no real Pali learning experience. I know some vocabulary from learning some chanting and reading suttas with the Pali side by side. I have experience learning other languages but none are linked to the Pali family.

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