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Sanskrit

VilhjalmrVilhjalmr
edited July 2010 in Buddhism Basics
I'm not sure what forum this might fit in, so I figured this would be a good one.

Anyway, I have always wanted to learn this language; however, I've been told it is even more difficult than, say, Hungarian or Arabic. Does anyone here have experience with learning Sanskrit? How difficult was it? Any tips?

I will probably try anyway, but I'm curious to know if it really is as impossible as it is made out to be.

Edit: I would also like to know what language most monks in India speak, if this question is even answerable. There are countless dialects in India, so I'm guessing it probably depends on region. Still, I want to learn a language that will enable me to communicate in India, and Sanskrit is mostly dead, I believe.

Comments

  • GlowGlow Veteran
    edited July 2010
    To answer your first question: From what I gather, Sanskrit is about as difficult as any other language with which your native tongue has few cognates. The language itself is quite telegraphic. Although, if you're interested in Buddhism, learning Pali is probably a better idea, although the two are closely related.

    As per your second question: The Indian Buddhist monastic community is a largely diasporic one. In Bodh Gaya you will find quite a few Tibetan monastic communities, as well as Burmese, Sri Lankan, and Bhutanese. Actually, there are monks from pretty much every Buddhist country there. All speak their respective languages amongst one another. Quite a few actually speak English.
  • shenpennangwashenpennangwa
    edited July 2010
    Vilhjalmr wrote: »
    I'm not sure what forum this might fit in, so I figured this would be a good one.

    Anyway, I have always wanted to learn this language; however, I've been told it is even more difficult than, say, Hungarian or Arabic. Does anyone here have experience with learning Sanskrit? How difficult was it? Any tips?

    I will probably try anyway, but I'm curious to know if it really is as impossible as it is made out to be.

    Edit: I would also like to know what language most monks in India speak, if this question is even answerable. There are countless dialects in India, so I'm guessing it probably depends on region. Still, I want to learn a language that will enable me to communicate in India, and Sanskrit is mostly dead, I believe.
    It depends on the region and the the Buddhist tradition that is studied at the monastery.
  • jinzangjinzang Veteran
    edited July 2010
    Sanskrit is about as difficult to learn as Classical Greek. That is, pretty difficult, more difficult than German or even Russian. But not (I'm told) as difficult as Chinese. Hindi is derived from Sanskrit, much as Italian and Spanish are derived from Latin. You will have to learn a new alphabet, the words run together and coalesce, changing word endings (sandhi). Contrary to what's said above, many Buddhist texts, especially the Mahayana Sutras, are quite wordy. It's the shastras, meant to be memorized, that are brief. There's more available for self-study on Sanskrit than on Pali. Which you pick is probably dependent on your doctrinal leanings.
  • VilhjalmrVilhjalmr
    edited July 2010
    Thanks all. Excellent replies. :-)
    Glow wrote: »
    To answer your first question: From what I gather, Sanskrit is about as difficult as any other language with which your native tongue has few cognates. The language itself is quite telegraphic. Although, if you're interested in Buddhism, learning Pali is probably a better idea, although the two are closely related.
    Yes; I was aiming for Pali when I first became interested in Buddhism, but I always sort of intuitively preferred Sanskrit. They're also pretty closely related, I think.
    jinzang wrote: »
    Sanskrit is about as difficult to learn as Classical Greek. That is, pretty difficult, more difficult than German or even Russian. But not (I'm told) as difficult as Chinese. Hindi is derived from Sanskrit, much as Italian and Spanish are derived from Latin. You will have to learn a new alphabet, the words run together and coalesce, changing word endings (sandhi). Contrary to what's said above, many Buddhist texts, especially the Mahayana Sutras, are quite wordy. It's the shastras, meant to be memorized, that are brief. There's more available for self-study on Sanskrit than on Pali. Which you pick is probably dependent on your doctrinal leanings.
    This is very encouraging. I didn't have very much trouble with (Koine) Greek, although I dropped it before coming fluent. The new alphabet is possibly what I'm most excited about. The word endings... not so much!

    I also chose Sanskrit because of the shortage of Pali learning material. Still, I want to eventually learn them both. Is there any particular text or course that you recommend for Sanskrit?

    I'm also curious about what you're referring to by "doctrinal leanings". Are Mahayana Buddhist texts usually in Sanskrit, and Theravada texts Pali? Just a guess.
  • shenpennangwashenpennangwa
    edited July 2010
    Vilhjalmr wrote: »

    I'm also curious about what you're referring to by "doctrinal leanings". Are Mahayana Buddhist texts usually in Sanskrit, and Theravada texts Pali? Just a guess.

    Yes, Theravada scriptures are in Pali, and Mahayana are in Sanskrit or any of the other languages that they have been translated into.
    Pali is a prakrit of Sankrit.
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