April 6, 2026 to June 29, 2026

Learn to read the words of the Buddha in Pāli in this three-month, text-based course centered on reading the Early Discourses.

This course introduces Pāli through engaging carefully selected passages from the suttas (rather than beginning with a focus on grammar). Key grammatical points are explained as they arise in the texts, allowing you to understand the language in a clear, grounded, and context-sensitive way.

Over the three months, we will explore essential vocabulary, common stock phrases, and recurring linguistic patterns found throughout the Pāli Canon. Attention will be given both to the root meanings of words and to the broader contexts that shape how the Buddha’s teachings are expressed. Participants will also examine different translation choices, helping to illuminate how interpretation develops. 

Course materials will be based on Bhikkhu Bodhi’s Reading the Buddha’s Discourses in Pāli. Handouts will be provided, though participants may wish to obtain the book for themselves. By the end of the program, students will be able to read and make sense of several foundational passages from the Early Discourses.

Program Format: Text-based learning through selected passages from the Pāli suttas. The sessions will be interactive and engaging, with time given for questions and answers and discussions

What We Will Do:

• Study key and frequently occurring Pāli terms

• Examine common stock phrases and foundational passages

• Compare translation choices and interpretive approaches

Materials:

• Based on excerpts from Bhikkhu Bodhi’s Reading the Buddha’s Discourses in Pāli (used with permission).

• Weekly handouts provided; purchasing the book is optional

• Fun weekly quizzes

Between Sessions:

• Assigned readings

• Light translation exercises

Learning Outcome: Ability to read and interpret selected Pāli passages with attention to vocabulary, grammar, and context

Enrollment capacity: 30 participants