Course Outline: PL202 Pāli Grammar III, 2009/2010, Semester 2

Basic Data
Program: 
Bachelor of Arts (Buddhist Studies)
Semester: 
Second Semester (November 30, 2009 – March 27, 2010) Academic year 2009/2010
Subject: 
PL202 - Pāli Grammar III
Credit / status: 
3 credits / Major Subject
Instructor: 
Ven. Dr. Dhammanandhi
Recommended Texts: 

The Main text:

  • Buddhadatta MahNayaka Thera. The New Pāli Course part 1(Some selected chapters from 9 to chapters 28). The Buddhist Cultural Centre, 1937

Reference books:

  • B. Amanda Maitreya Mahanayaka Thera. Pāli Made Easy. Sri Lanka: Udumulla.
  • Charles Duroiselle. A Practical Grammar of the Pāli Language. 3rd edition. Rangoon: 1997.
  • V. Perniola. Pāli Grammar. The Pāli Text Society, 1997.
  • J.Minayeff. Pāli Grammar ( A phonetic and Morphological Sketch). India: Bahri Publications, 1990.
  • Charles Duroisell. A practical Grammar of the Pāli Language. 3rd edition, 1997.
  • J.R.Joshi and D.G.Koparkar. Introduction to Pāli. India: Published by University Of Poona, 1985.
Course Organization: 
  • Further practice of Tvanta, Tumanta, Past Passive Participles, Present Participle etc.
  • Further practice of seven class of verbs
  • Further practice of tenses and Moods
  • Passive and Causal Structures
  • Declension of Mano group
  • Usage of Numerical form
  • Samāsa: Kammadharaya, Digu, Tappurisa, Dvanda, Avyayābhava and Bhahubbihi
  • Sandhi: Vowel-sandhi, Consonant-sandhi, Mixed- sandhi.
  • Kita and Taddhita
Course Requirements: 

The course will be organized on lectures given on scheduled classes, assignments, presentation, oral test and examinations. Students will be required to submit two assignments. Each missed assignment will result in an appropriate percentage reduction. All students will be required to clear two examinations, the mid-term and the final written examinations. Students should be present in a minimum of 80% of the scheduled classes to be eligible to sit for the final written examination.

Allocation of Marks: 
  • The mid-term Examination: 50 %
  • Final written examination: 50 %
Course Objectives: 

Students should try to grasp further advanced Pāli grammar, Sandhi, Samāsa, Passive and Causal forms, usage of numeral, Kita and Taddhita etc., and continue their attention on learning by heart the basic structure of Pāli grammar i.e. vocabulary, declension, conjugation and sandhi etc, in order to understand what the Buddha taught through Pāli Piṭaka.

Grading: 

All tests, assignments and examinations are graded as follows with grade point and numerical marks:

Grade Performance Grade value Percentage Equivalence
A+ Excellent 4.0 90-100
A Almost Excellent 3.75 85-89
A- Fairly Excellent 3.5 80-84
B+ Very Good 3.25 75-79
B Good 3.0 70-74
B- Fairly Good 2.75 65-69
C+ Fair 2.5 60-64
C Satisfactory 2.25 55-59
C- Minimum Satisfactory 2.0 50-54
D+ Fairly Poor 1.5 40-49
D Poor 1.0 30-39
F Fail 0.0 29 or less
I Incomplete
W Withdrawn
WF Withdrawn because of failure
AU Audit