The Pali Text Society's Pali-English Dictionary

which it is interesting to note are in Sn 1022 attributed to Bavari (i. e. the "Babylonian"), and clearly point
to the late origin of the Vatthugathas as well as to Babylonian influence.
(h) We cannot always equate Pali: Classical Sanskrit. It is a wrong method to give the Sanskrit form of a
Pali word as its ultimate reduction and explanation. Sometimes Pali formation and meaning are different
from the Sanskrit. Popular language and "Volksetymologie" are concerned here.Pali alla means "clean" as
well as "wet" (in spite of J.R.A.S. 1924, 186), whereas Sanskrit ardra means "wet"; Pali salura means
"dog," but Sanskrit salura "frog"; the root SVID has the specific Pali meaning "boil" or "cook.' Many others
in the Pali Dictionary; cp. Childers, p. xv.
i) The Pali Dictionary affords an interesting comparison of our own interpretation of terms with the fanciful
etymological play of words given by the Commentators, which throws a light both on their dogmatic bias
and their limited linguistic knowledge. It is quite evident that Bdhgh did not know Sanskrit. -- In matters of
grammar I place Dhammapala higher than Buddhaghosa.There are more than a score of instances which
prove this point, but the following is especially interesting. The word for "whole, entire" vissa is extremely
frequent in Vedic and Sanskrit (=visva), but unknown in Pali (where sabba takes its place), except for one
passage in the Dh. (266). Had Bdhgh known Sanskrit, he would have explained it as "sabba," but instead of
that he takes it as *visra (musty), which (as a lexic. word) was current in late Pali, but does not fit the
passage mentioned. -- Among other errors B explains "stiffness" (swoon) by "calati" (see under chambhita
and mucchancikata); in parajita he takes para as instr. of para (=parena DhA III.259); he connects Pali
pineti with pinvati (DA I.157, cp. Vism 32 pinana), and he explains attamana as "saka--mana" (DA I.255),
thus equalling atta=atman.
(k) In short, the Pali Dictionary gives clues to a variety of problems, which it was hitherto almost
impossible to approach; the proper study of Pali Buddhism is aided greatly by it, and an endless field of
work lies open to future scholars. On the other hand, nobody realizes more than I do, after ten years of
intimate study, how far behind the "Classics" we are, both in analysis and synthesis, in explanation,
interpretation, and application. And also: that it will be worth the trouble to explore more thoroughly that
range of civilization which lies enshrined in the Pali Canon.In connection with this I may point out that one
of the greatest needs of Pali scholarship is a Dictionary of Names. To insert names into this dictionary was
not our intention, although more than once I was tempted, and doubtful as to the category of "names," e. g.
whether to regard names of trees and months, or titles of books as "names" or "words." Thus the Name
Dictionary will be an indispensable supplement to the Word Dictionary. I hope that I shall be placed in a
position which will make it possible to edit this supplement, for which Rhys Davids and myself have
already collected a large amount of material.
6. CONCLUSION.
That my share in the actual working out of the Dictionary preponderates over his own, I am sure Rhys
Davids would not mind: on the contrary, it was his wish from the beginning that it should be so, and he
would repudiate any attempt which would put the faults to my blame and the merits to his credit. His mind
was more bent on other aims than dictionary work, which was not his strongest point. But without him
there would not have been this Pali Dictionary. I cannot conclude without extending my sincere thanks to
all those who have made it possible for me to complete the work, and have helped me directly or indirectly
with encouragements of various kinds. Among the former are the subscribers to the Dictionary Fund
(especially generous Japanese donors); those who have unselfishly handed over to me material collected by
themselves, or have assisted me with the copying of indexes, or suggested corrections and given valuable
reviews. Above all the Founder of the Pali Text Society and Mrs. Rhys Davids, who helped me with many
suggestions re details and with reading the proofs; and last not least my wife, who has been untiring in
copying the whole MS. for the printer. For all deficiencies I sincerely apologize. Had I had another twenty
years'experience of Pali, I would have made a better job of it; but our motto was "Better now and imperfect
than perfect and perhaps never!" By no means do I leave the work with a feeling of self--satisfaction. I
realize now that I am only at the beginning of the "Perfect" Dictionary. May I, within the next twenty years,
see a second edition of the Pali Dictionary which will come nearer to the ideal. But then the ideal will have