Resources For Learning Pali : A Key Language For Early Buddhism And The Theravadin Tradition

I am sometimes asked for resources or tools for studying Pali, the language of the Theravadin canon, encapsulating more or less the very language of the historical Buddha. My own instruction in Pali has been on my own with a good friend using Gair and Karunatillake (see below).

I then went on to study with Prof. Richard Gombrich in Oxford in 2011; which I thought I wrote about at some point, but I see only a couple other posts on the topic, one about the early launch of his online Pali classes, and one on his lecture on Religious Experience in Early Buddhism (both of which I strongly recommend).

In any case, Gombrich and fellow scholar of early Buddhism, Dr Alexander Wynne, have launched a multi-level asynchronous Pali course you can download and follow any time. I haven’t taken that course, but knowing these scholars, it is bound to be excellent (click over here at the Indian Philosophy Blog and you’ll find a link for a discount on the class).

Beyond that, the following have been wonderfully and kindly offered by reddit user xugan97

Ajahn Brahmali’s Introduction to Pali along with Warder’s Introduction to Pali on which it is based
Answer keys to this book – John Kelly (interlinear), Ajahn Brahmali (annotated), and flash cards
Buddhanet and http://pali.pratyeka.org/ – links to Narada Thera, Duroiselle and De Silva’s Pali books
Bhikkhu Bodhi’s lectures on Pali Primer by De Silva
Bhikkhu Bodhi’s lectures on A New Course in Reading Pali by Gair and Karunatillake
A New Course in Reading Pali by Gair and Karunatillake – with translations of all the readings in the book
Pali Buddhist Texts: An Introductory Reader and Grammar by Rune Johansson
https://learning.pariyatti.org/ – a couple of different free courses
Practical Guide to Pāḷi Grammar by Anandajoti Bhikkhu – a 30 page compact reference
An easy introduction to Pali – excellent explanations and layout – anonymous author
An Introductory Grammar of the Pali language by Allan Bomhard
For reading, suttacentral.net has side-by-side translations (with pop-up dictionary) of majority of the suttas

Just a fraction of this could easily get you going on your first couple years of studies. Dive in and enjoy (best if done with a good friend).

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Resources for learning Pali : a key language for early Buddhism and the Theravadin Tradition