How is the Pali Canon a Sacred Text? Exploring Answers from 12th Century Sri Lanka and 18th Century Burma

February 29, 2012

The recording of my recent talk given at the Oxford Centre of Buddhist Studies is now online here.

8 Responses to “How is the Pali Canon a Sacred Text? Exploring Answers from 12th Century Sri Lanka and 18th Century Burma”


  1. intriguing topic. I hope to be able to listen to it soon. In short: do Pāli refer to the āptavacana paradigm? Or to a different paradigm altogether?


    • They do not refer to it by that name but they do have discussions related to that topic. I would be very interested to see how far the Theravaada treatment of text is related to a miimaMsA position in particular. The Theravaada is quite unique in this regard since they still posit zabdapramaaNa as the ultimate means of knowledge, unlike all other Buddhist schools that still exist. Perhaps there is scope for a collaboration?


      • Do not mention it! Of course I would be glad to collaborate on this topic. I once wrote something with a colleague on Theravāda vs. Mīmāṃsā arguments on the buddhavacana and it was quite intriguing to see how later Theravādins had adopted several hermeneutical nyāyas which seemed to be influenced by the Mīmāṃsā (but maybe I am biased and it was the other way round:-)). Furthermore, one of my long-term projects is to edit a Sanskrit reader on śabdapramāṇa. Until now, I did not think of Theravāda, many thanks! (But first I have to end the quotations-volume…a pity you cannot be there, too).

  2. aleix Says:

    excellent! you have to show me these texts by sariputta. did I hear correctly that sautrantikas defended “sadda”, and not its meaning, as the canonical? it would be great if you wrote more on this topic in this blog, especially giving references for the sautrantika/vaibhasika controversy.
    the speech is really good. congratulations!


  3. Would you mind posting a copy of the hand-out you mention in the presentation?


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