About Us

Theravāda, the school of the Elders, began to take shape around 250 BC. It is considered the most orthodox form of Buddhism and has followers mainly in Southeast Asia, especially in Thailand, Myanmar and Sri Lanka. Mahāyāna, the Great Vehicle, slowly came into being around the 1st century B.C., with contemporary followers mainly in Tibet, China, Japan and Korea. Theravada canon is written in Pāli while the Mahayana literature is in Sanskrit. Therefore, it is evident that the Buddha’s teachings have been translated from two major languages, Sanskrit and ‘Pāli’. Orally transmitted Theravada Buddhism spread through India to Sri Lanka was recorded in ‘Tripitaka’ in Pāli language. The Sarvāstivādin Piṭakas were mostly transmitted in Sanskrit and many Mahāyāna sūtras such as the ‘Prajñāpāramitā sūtra’ were composed in different registers of Sanskrit. The Buddhist use of classical Sanskrit for literary purposes possibly began with Asvaghoṣa [100 CE], author of the ‘Buddhacarita’ and one of the earliest Sanskrit dramatists. Buddhist thinkers like Nāgārjuna, Āryadeva, Asaṅga, Vasubandhu, Dignāga, Sthiramati, Dharmakīrti, Bhāviveka, Candrakīrti, etc., also wrote in Sanskrit.

Recording the Buddha’s teachings in different languages doesn’t matter but the division. The division has been created slight differences in theoretical facts and ‘vinaya’ creating certain contradictory arguments. On account of the gap which has been created, a responsibility lies with the Buddhists to go out of the way to minimize it.

Considering the Sri Lankan context, even though Sri Lanka apprehends the orthodox tradition ‘Staviravāda’ or later on known as ‘Theravāda’, introduced by Great Mahinda Thero during the period of king Devanampiyatissa in the 3rd Century BCE, the history reveals, Sri Lankan Buddhism, too, had welcomed certain transformations, while still considering the central doctrine as the nucleus. From 8th century CE to 12th century CE Sri Lankan Buddhism was open to Mahayana. Abhayagiri Theravādins maintained close relations with Indian Buddhists over the centuries, adopting many of the latter’s teachings including many Mahāyāna elements, whereas Jetavana Theravādins adopted Mahāyāna to a lesser extent. It is known that in the 8th century, both Mahāyāna and the esoteric Vajrayāna form of Buddhism were being practiced in Sri Lanka. Abhayagiri remained an influential center for the study of Theravāda Mahāyāna and Vajrayāna thought from the reign of Gajabahu I until the 12th century. At the same time, various important Buddhist scholars were working in both Sanskrit and Pāli. These include ‘Upatissa’, who wrote the ‘Vimuttimagga’, Kavicakravarti Ananda, authored the ‘Saddhammopåyana’, Aryadeva, Aryasura, and the tantric masters Jayabhadra, and Candramåli.

Based on the above historical facts one can conclude that Theravada Buddhism prevailing in Sri Lanka had been influenced by the Sanskrit tradition to a considerable extent. But it’s not the fact that this project is focusing on but to provide avenues for everyone to reach the Buddhist literature written in both the languages to find the parallels more than the differences eliminating misunderstandings and misinterpretations between these two traditions. Specifically, a country like Sri Lanka wherein the majority is not much exposed to Sanskrit tradition, in spite of the handful of people who have been engaged in studying the particular sacred texts should be provided the opportunity refer both ‘Pāli’ and ‘Sanskrit’ literature.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama too does not agree the division of Pali and Sanskrit. He has requested the Buddhists not to emphasize on Theravāda, Mahāyāna or Vajrayāna separately but Buddhism under one umbrella. Of all the traditional Buddhist schools, the best known is the emphasis on the ‘Middle Way’. It is the fundamental basis of living a life in line with every Buddhist school. Therefore, Pali and Sanskrit Cultural Exchange Centre expects to be operated with the following objectives: