nee 7" my ARE : K Intemational Conference on ‘Tipitaka itional and Cont: nporary Conference Proceeding (Organized by Shan State Bugle aR Generosly Supported by Apfel Rouaton 25-26 Nowdinber 2017 (2561 BE) ‘Hotel Max, Nay Pyi TawPROCEEDING OF International Conference on Tipitaka Studies: Traditional and Contemporary Organized by Shan State Buddhist University Generously Supported by Ayeyarwady Foundation Hotel Max, Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar 25-26 November 2017 (2561 BE)Proceeding of the International Conference on Tipitaka Studies: Traditional and Contemporary To mark the 53" Birthday Anniversary of Ven, Prof. Dr. K. Dhammasami, DPhil (Oxford) (Founder of Shan State Buddhist University, SSBU), Taunggyi, Shan State, Myanmar 25-26 November 2017 (2561 BE), Hotel Max, Nay Pyi Taw Disc The responsibility for the information and views expressed in articles lies solely with the authors, This publication does not constitute any abridgement, alteration and edition made by the organizing committee of the International conference on Tipitaka Studies or Shan State Buddhist University. Generously sponsored by: This Publication is generosity sponsored by Daw Shwe Ou, Shwe ‘Ou Yar Su Thit Gold Smith, and Yangon, Myanmar Published by: The Organizing Committee of the Intemational Conference on Tipita Studies, Shan State Buddhist University, Taungeyi Printed by: By Aunag Pen Phyu Offset, Teunggyi, Shan State, Myanmar ‘Cover Design by: Jao Janinda Kun Hein Layout by: Nanasamilankara & Ven Kumara, Shan State Buddhist UniversityCONTENTS 1 Ven. Prof. M. Wyithadhamma: Tipitaka Studies in Oriental (Pracina) Examinations of the Oriental Studies Society of Sri Lanka 1 2. Prof. Ratna Wijetunge: How Tipitaka is Studied Academically In Universities in Sri LankalO 3. Prof. Mattia Salvini: Chanting the Abhidharma’ a didactic tool for modem universities 16 4. Dr. Aleix Ruit- Falqués: Pali Grammer from a Historical Perspective 5. Dr. Pyi Phyo Kyaw: A Forgotten Culture of Research in the 19-20" century Myanmar: Burmese Sayadaws and their works 30 6. Prof Ravindra Panth: Relevance of Pali Tipitaka Today and its Studies in India 31 7, Ashin Sarapa: Tipit aka Studies Outside Myanmar 38 8. Ven. Prof. Dr. Park Cheonghwan (Chongdok): Monastic Training System of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism 47 9. Ven. Beopjin: Tree and Leafthe forms of canon and their cultural evolutions In Buddhist worlds ST 10. Ven. Prof. Bhiksuni Dr. Shi Zhiru: Master Yinshun (1906-2005) and His Method of Studying the Dharma with the Dharma 6 41. Ven, Bhiksuni Dr. Shi Zhituti: Master Yinshun (1906-2005) and Reading the Chinese Tripit aka in the Changing Times of Modem China nD 12. Ven, Bhikshu Nigrodha: Traditional and Contemporary Studies of Tipitaka in Nepal 87 13. Ven.Yonten Gyeltshen: Buddhist Cannon Preserved in the Vajrayana Buddhism 101 14, Ven. Hor Hong: Tipit aka Studies in Cambodia A Historical Perspective 111 15. Ven. Sem Chhunly (Sobhito): Tipitaka Studies in Cambodia from the Past To French Colonization 120 16. Prof. Dr. Banjob Bannanyji: The Structure of Tipitaka: Grouping and Relation 14018. Ven. Sayadaw U Nyeyyabhivamsa: Monastic Education and Examination In Myanmar* 19. Ven. Tipitaka Sayadaw U Gandhamalantankara: Tipitakadhara Examination in Myanmar* 20. Ven Sayadaw Dr Kumara: Pakhokku Method of Studying Tipitaka* 21. Ven Sirtkancana: Teaching and Learning Five Nikayas or Tipitaka * Paper in Burmese, otherwise all are in English 149) 168 202 208Chanting the Abhidharma: a didactic tool for modern universities Mattia Salvini, PhD (SOAS), Director, PhD Program in Buddhist Studies, Faculty of Social Science & Humanities Department of Humanities, Mahidol University mahabalo jffanasamadhidanto yeh paijaram janmamayah vidarya | vvivesa nirvy tyatavith pragantann tam sty nagam dirasa namami || ‘Yasomitra Over the years, I have consistently adopted features of traditional instruction during classes on Buddhist Studies. I shall here focus on a very specific method, ie. group chanting, discussing its benefits for the academic study of Buddhism. Introduction The academic setting of Buddhist Studies suffers from two undesirable constraints. a European intellectual pedigree and the general lack of independence (and relevance) of the humanities. These two features are undesirable because they are constraints, they are adopted without much critical reflection, and often without any other choice being considered. They result from the history of modem universities, and from a type of institutional thinking that thet may not be prioritizing knowledge There is no reason to prefer knowledge and methods that have a European lineage to those that do not, noris any reason usually offered for doing so. The situation, hhas improved, over the years, in terms of the content of what is studied: for example, philosophy departments around the world are increasingly aware of the existence of non-European philosophical traditions. The imbalance, however, has not improved in terms of didactic methods, not much from non-European traditions is integrated in the didactics of moder universities. This is true, sadly, even when the subject taught does not come from Europe, and it includes the way Buddhism is taught in modem universities. Most regrettably, this is also true, to the best of my knowledge, for most, universities in Asia, whose didactic framework: is recognizably European (and/or North American) in origin and nature Altemative approaches do exist. It is possible to integrate within a university setting didactic methods that could be broadly speaking called “traditional”, I am 16Tipitaka Studies: Traditional and Contemporary increasingly appreciating the benefits of doing so. I will focus on one such method, ie group chanting of Buddhist philosophical texts, to explain how it brings perceptible benefits to the students, and how it creates a better leaming environment. Chanting aroot text in its original language gives amuch better feel foritsidiom and content. More specifically: i t helps students to focus, it helps understanding the text, its nature, and intended context , it helps retaining key points of the text, it fosters the ability to perform effective revision, it greatly improves linguistic skills. All of this can be achieved with a very small effort: in a class of about four hours, I would usually include no more than 10 -30 minutes of chanting For example, while teaching the Abhidharmakosabhasya, I start the class by chanting the root verses, Focus Lack of focus, exacerbated by the constant use of the intemet, is a growing concern for most educators, It affects the ability to absorb complex thought, and should most definitely worry us if we decide to teach Buddhist philosophy, which requires sustained reflection even when absorbing its most basic features ‘The 10-15 minutes of Abhidharmakosakérik chanting help the students’ focus in several ways. First, by starting the class in this manner, students become more attentive even during the time that follows the chanting Secondly, whatever they may bbe able to remember of the root text will function as a readily available mental template for reflection on the text, either during the class, or at other times during the day: it will help them to follow the explanation. Thus, chanting helps students focus during the shorter period of the actual class, and encourages them to focus on a specific philosophical text over a relatively long period of time, i.e. at least the few months of duration of a course Understanding the text: content, nature, and context Not all texts are texts in the same sense, or for the same purpose. Buddhist philosophical root texts, such as the Abhidharmekosakavika, are texts primarily in the sense of sounds, and for the purpose of being memorized as abbreviated outlines of longer expositions (such as what we find in the auto-commentary, the Bhasya). While one may or may not agree with the philosophical content of the texts one studies, itis obvious to me that leaming a text through a didactic method that is in harmony with the structure of the text will facilitate comprehension. Long term memory Lowe abetter understanding of the didactics of memory to my exposure to what ‘we could call the “Chanting the Classics” movement, by which I am referring to a wide group of (very successful) related educational associations devoted to the revival of 7Tipitaka Studies: Traditional and Contemporary classical Chinese leaming. In particular, I must thank Wenli Academy, starting from Prof Wang and Dr Mei Isaacson, for providing a very effective didactic example One of the points I was convinced of is that it is best not to ask students to memorize, but rather ask them to chant a text for a significant amount of repetitions. For the process to favour long-term memory, this should be a sufficiently long section Ge not just one or two verses) Students may eventually forget the text if not revising, yet some of the main points will remain more easily accessible, In case of the Abhidharmekosakarikea remembering the first chapter means having a dictionary of fundamental definitions, applicable to most of Buddhist philosophy expressed in Sanskrit, It means having the tools to understand abbreviated references and hints, Buddhist authors expect readers to have memorized lists basic definitions, such as the aggregates, bases and entrances, etc Revision The structure of Sanskrit philosophical root-texts is meant to facilitate an effective and quick revision of a broader content, expressed in the commentaries. Thus, if students learn the content of the Abhidharmakosabhasya, Chapter 1, they will be able to revise it effectively by chanting the corresponding karikas and bringing back to mind the content, Whenever they may forget the meaning and broader context of a specific text, they may consult the commentary once again. This process allows students to better understand the structure of the text, and in particular the precise relationship between the various initial mentions (uddesa) and their further explanatory expansions (nirdega), which in tum can be treated as initial mentions for more detailed expansion, and so forth. Revising the text in this manner also helps with the first point, ie. understanding its nature and content, and the rationale behind its structure Linguistic skills I believe that one of the greatest didactic flaws in teaching Sanslait is making students over reliant on dictionaries. Terms are best leamt in context, not in isolation, and itis therefore preferable to have students leam entire sentences or verses rather than single words to be matched with a (dubiously) appropriate English counterpart. The purpose should be to have students read Sanskrit, acquiring a feel for the language comparable to their feel for their native languages. They should not solve Sanskrit sentences as a riddle of sorts, to be then thought through in English. Thus, group chanting is an effective didactic tool to avoid such shortcomings, even in terms of acquiring basic linguistic skills and a sense of familiarity with the language 18Tipitaka Studies: Traditional and Contemporary Conclusions ‘The university system within which we teach Buddhist Studies is clearly of European origin, and didactic ideas from the European/American tradition still hold great influence throughout the world. The way courses are structured, the methods of assess ment, the way rankings are created, all reinforce this irrational dominance of a small part of human culture over the rest. This unfortunate situation need not be perpetuated Asian universities teaching Buddhist Studies may start forming their own altemative networks, offering a more balanced space to reflect on the most effective didactics for the field, and not shying away from employing tools that may come from Buddhaghosa and Vasubandhu rather than from Aristotle and St Thomas. This is not to say thet tools from other traditions should be discarded in principle, but rather that they should not be preferred a priori, Even among those tools, I would think that textual studies should remain the most important, so as to offer a reasonable basis for any other types of research, protecting the field from the constant risk of succumbing to a superficial form. of interdisciplinarity. Buddhist context is often treated as no more than a backdrop for discussing purely non-Buddhist intellectual concerns. It is in textual studies alone that I find an approach compatible with and empathic to the Buddhist tradition, a point that upcoming Buddhist universities should consider and perhaps on occasion discuss together As a practical advice, I venture to recommend lecturers in Buddhist Studies to try the following experiment: when teaching a course, select at least 10 or 20 verses (in a Buddhist language such as Pali, Sanskrit, Tibetan or Chinese) for group chanting. The group chanting will take only about 10 or 15 minutes, offering a precious glimpse into the traditional transmission of Buddhist knowledge Universities should be a space for serene and open-ended discussion and research, If they in principle refuse to employ didactic tools of non-European descent, they adopt a clear-cut stance about the imelevance of non-European culture. This becomes paradoxical in the context of Buddhist Studies, since one would then be studying something already deemed irrelevant or, at best, very marginal. To foster an open-ended and non-prejudiced attitude towards the content of what we study, we should be open to incorporate didactic elementsthat are in harmony with its context. In the case of Buddhist philosophical root texts, chanting is the clearest and easiest way to connect to that context, When studying a page of musical notation, it may be wise to hear its performance, when studying the Abhidharmakosakrika, it may be wise to chant it 19