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Lecture

Buddhists’ Contribution to South Asian Lexicography: Sanskrit, Pali, Tibetan

11.04.2019

Event Summary

Lexicography is one of the oldest traditions of language analysis in South Asia, beginning with the compilation of nighaṇṭus or “word-lists” that focused on “rare, unexplained, vague, or otherwise difficult terms” that occurred in the sacred Vedic literature. Buddhists came to play an important role in shaping traditions of lexicography throughout South Asia.

In this talk, Lata Mahesh Deokar will examine the motivation behind lexicography in India, Sri Lanka and Tibet, the relationship between lexicography and literature, and the role of religious affiliation in the lexicographical project. She will discuss a number of lexicons of Sanskrit, whose authors belonged to the three major religious traditions of India — Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism — as well as lexicons of Pali and Tibetan.

This event is sponsored by the Śāstram project at the Neubauer Collegium.