Conference Presentations by Samantha Rajapaksha
Department of Indian Philosophy and Buddhist Studies of The University of Tokyo, 2020
The compound satisampajañña often used in the Buddhist texts in order to interpret two aspects of... more The compound satisampajañña often used in the Buddhist texts in order to interpret two aspects of the functionality of mind, in which sati is the concentration aspect of the mind and sampajañña is the wisdom aspect of the mind. In other words sati is not necessarily wisdom but it is the representation of samādhi or concentration and sampajañña is the application of wisdom aspect to the sati. At the operation level sati kicks in, which is followed by applying wisdom aspect. Therefore both sati, remembrance and sampajañña, full knowledge operate together. Pali Mūla texts explain how the satisampajañña operates but the concept itself has less explanation however the classical commentaries do explain some aspects of sampajañña including what it means and the opposite concept, asampajañña in relation to sati. This paper attempts to distinguish sati from sampajañña based on the early Buddhist texts and their classical commentaries.
As we could observe, the translation of Pali texts specifically Pali Canonical texts into English... more As we could observe, the translation of Pali texts specifically Pali Canonical texts into English is a painstaking and rigorous process in which Pali terms are dealt with meticulously in choosing English equivalents in order to bring out the authentic meaning of the textual word. In doing so, translators withdraw material from various sources mainly on the commentarial and sub commentarial sources. As bulk of early editions of translations are observed, it is obvious that the words produced for some common Pali terms such as dhamma, nibbāna etc 1 remain controversial among scholastic fraternity whether the full sense of the words are brought out through the translation. Consequently, early editions are reproduced and updated with the addition of new words and in most cases in the new editions of translation, those common words leave untranslated. 2 As far as, translation methodology is concerned, literal translation enables to produce something very resemble to the text though in some cases it sounds ungrammatical. 3 In fact, what Norman suggests is the literal translation in order to understand its authentic content opposing free translation as it would carry interpretation rather than translation. 4 So the primary objective of the translation is to produce a meaning which is as closely as possible for the authentic meaning of the text. In order to achieve this objective, the translator has to be fully at home in both languages and in fact, bilingual 5 in the process of translation. Moreover, knowledge of Sanskrit and other oriental languages including Prākrit would be critical in producing a far better translation.
This paper investigates allocation of global wealth in the contemporary global context with the h... more This paper investigates allocation of global wealth in the contemporary global context with the help of Oxfam Davos report 2016 and proposes some Buddhist theoretical foundations to lessen inequality with regard to wealth distribution in particular promoting generosity to avoid wealth disparity. The widening gap between rich and poor staggeringly alarms over the recent past as world seems to be facing unprecedented challenges over the allocations of global wealth. The figures used in the paper are quoted from the Oxfam report.
Papers by Samantha Rajapaksha
Buddhist thought and application: Essays in Honour of Professor P. D. Premasiri, 2021
The Buddhābhiseka, which is a distinctive Pāli text in Southeast
Asian Theravāda traditions, is p... more The Buddhābhiseka, which is a distinctive Pāli text in Southeast
Asian Theravāda traditions, is primarily used as a chanting text at
the Buddha image consecration ceremony. Even though its ritual
aspect has so often been discussed, its textual features and content
have hardly been discussed. In fact, there is no Romanised script
of the text produced based on the manuscript(s), though a Thai
edition is available. The text has uniformity in its content, but some
recensions often have editorial preferences over the text. Because
the Buddhābhiseka often cites canonical and non-canonical texts,
it earns its reputation not being an autonomous composition in its
entirety. However, the scribe of this Tham Lan Nā (อักษรธรรมลานนา)
recension attempts to make editorial intervention to some degree
such as paraphrasing some original citations. The present edition
is based on a single testimony and all its variants being consigned
to critical apparatus. The text was originally preserved at Wat Lai
Hin Luang (วัดไหล่หินหลวง), and its digitized file was obtained via the
Digital Library of Northern Thai Manuscripts. The edition attempts
to reconstruct a reliable version of the Buddhābhiseka text based on
the editions such as the Atthasālinī, the Jinacarita, and some other
Pāli primary texts.
IBC Journal of Buddhist Studies, 2019
This paper investigates briefly quantitative details of the modern-day slavery with the help of t... more This paper investigates briefly quantitative details of the modern-day slavery with the help of the materials from the United Nations reports on global report on trafficking in persons in 2012 and 2014. The paper then discusses how early Buddhist texts interpret the practice of selling and buying human slavery and how it is related with other forms of wrong livelihood. Some core Buddhist principles which are alluded to trafficking in person are also discussed. The interpretation of slaves in general is also discussed. The area has been less discussed even though it practically happens anywhere in the world at any time even though most sophisticated technology in place. Although Buddhist texts have shed a very little light on the form of coercion but Buddha sanctions trade of human slavery as one of the wrong livelihoods.In the beginning, the paper discusses some aspects of the modern day slavery with the help of UN reports in order to understand the problem and latter section examines how Buddhist texts oppose sale of human slavery and interpretation of slavery including in the later Buddhist texts.
Journal of the Ñāṇasaṃvara Center for Buddhist Studies (JNCBS), 2018
In order to reconstruct the archetype of the Rasavāhinī (Ras) from the extant materials, at the o... more In order to reconstruct the archetype of the Rasavāhinī (Ras) from the extant materials, at the outset 14 manuscripts which include 12 Sinhalese and 2 Southeast Asian (SEA) manuscript recensions were utilized along with its related witnesses of which the Saddharmālaṅkāraya (Sdhlk) occupies the most important position. The Sinhalese rendering which serves as the valuable secondary testimony transmitted separately from the Rasavāhinī. The research concluded that Southeast Asian manuscript recensions, especially Laos recension reflects the archetype of the Rasavāhinī despite its orthographical peculiarities than that of all primary witnesses combined. The finding alters the previous assumption that the Southeast Asian traditions as a whole seem to stand for an independent textual transmission. This supposition was mainly drawn from the internal evidences of the Rasavāhinī and then from the fact that those readings can be attested in the Saddharmālaṅkāraya as corresponding word to word matching. With the acquisition of new set of 8 Khmer script manuscripts of the Rasavāhinī quite recently out of 45 at the National Library, Bangkok (NLT) and some more manuscripts from Laos via the Digital Library of Laos Manuscripts (DLLM), we found that this particular Laos recension further certifies its reliability and deviation within the mainland tradition. The Northern Thai recension seems to be unique in offering variant readings consistently against all the other recensions. The first part of this paper deals with a brief overview of the text and some problems of the printed editions while the second part examines the Laos recension and its relationship with the rest of the witnesses.
Ñāṇasaṃvara Centre for Buddhist Studies (NCBS), 2018
Ganthavaṃsa or Gandhavaṃsa?: philology vs phonology, One of my latest articles argues how some as... more Ganthavaṃsa or Gandhavaṃsa?: philology vs phonology, One of my latest articles argues how some aspects of the Burmese recitation incorporate to manuscript writing rather than confusion of the orthography of –tha or –dha. The article written in Sinhalese.
3rd International Pali Conference, 2017
Mūlaganthesu saṃvijjamānā dhammakāraṇā athavā aññatarakāraṇā kho pana tathāgatassa mukhapāṭhānῑ t... more Mūlaganthesu saṃvijjamānā dhammakāraṇā athavā aññatarakāraṇā kho pana tathāgatassa mukhapāṭhānῑ ti ettha adhippetaṃ. Ettha aññatarakāraṇā kho pana opammāni ca rūpakāni ca vitthāraṇaniruttināynivasena daṭṭhabbaṃ. Tathāsu mūlapāṭhāsu vῑmaṃsanesu, nānāpadanayāni ca nānāpaṭipāṭinayāni ca niruttivasena dassitāni. Dhammasannivedanavisaya-anucchavikatāya bhāvitattaṃ tathārūpāni nānāniruttilakkhaṇanāni ativiyavāraṃ mūlaganthesu saṃvijjamānā. Bhagavatā desitaṃ pakāsitaṃ vitthāraṃ paññattaṃ keci keci kāraṇā kho pana niruttivasena sallakkhetvā āgatā ti visesena suttantapiṭake vā vinayapiṭake vā dassitaṃ. Taṃ kāraṇaṃ dippetuṃ tepiṭakapotthakesu pamāṇatarapāṭhāni saṃgahitaṃ. Porāṇabhāṇakācariyā ganthasaṃsodhavisaye keci keci pāṭhāni sākkharappabhedāni vasena saṃsodhitā ca sodhitā ca kariṃsu. Athā pi dhammasannivedane tathāgate dharamānakāle pi tathā pi niruttilakkhaṇāni sannivedana-anucchavikatāya bhāvitanayānῑ ti ettha adhippetaṃ. suttantadharā ti keci bhikkhū bhagavati dharamānakāle pi vasitattaṃ taṃ kāranaṃ pākaṭaṃ.
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Conference Presentations by Samantha Rajapaksha
Papers by Samantha Rajapaksha
Asian Theravāda traditions, is primarily used as a chanting text at
the Buddha image consecration ceremony. Even though its ritual
aspect has so often been discussed, its textual features and content
have hardly been discussed. In fact, there is no Romanised script
of the text produced based on the manuscript(s), though a Thai
edition is available. The text has uniformity in its content, but some
recensions often have editorial preferences over the text. Because
the Buddhābhiseka often cites canonical and non-canonical texts,
it earns its reputation not being an autonomous composition in its
entirety. However, the scribe of this Tham Lan Nā (อักษรธรรมลานนา)
recension attempts to make editorial intervention to some degree
such as paraphrasing some original citations. The present edition
is based on a single testimony and all its variants being consigned
to critical apparatus. The text was originally preserved at Wat Lai
Hin Luang (วัดไหล่หินหลวง), and its digitized file was obtained via the
Digital Library of Northern Thai Manuscripts. The edition attempts
to reconstruct a reliable version of the Buddhābhiseka text based on
the editions such as the Atthasālinī, the Jinacarita, and some other
Pāli primary texts.
Asian Theravāda traditions, is primarily used as a chanting text at
the Buddha image consecration ceremony. Even though its ritual
aspect has so often been discussed, its textual features and content
have hardly been discussed. In fact, there is no Romanised script
of the text produced based on the manuscript(s), though a Thai
edition is available. The text has uniformity in its content, but some
recensions often have editorial preferences over the text. Because
the Buddhābhiseka often cites canonical and non-canonical texts,
it earns its reputation not being an autonomous composition in its
entirety. However, the scribe of this Tham Lan Nā (อักษรธรรมลานนา)
recension attempts to make editorial intervention to some degree
such as paraphrasing some original citations. The present edition
is based on a single testimony and all its variants being consigned
to critical apparatus. The text was originally preserved at Wat Lai
Hin Luang (วัดไหล่หินหลวง), and its digitized file was obtained via the
Digital Library of Northern Thai Manuscripts. The edition attempts
to reconstruct a reliable version of the Buddhābhiseka text based on
the editions such as the Atthasālinī, the Jinacarita, and some other
Pāli primary texts.