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by Nemsiri Mutukumara

Is there a standard in writing Sinhala and Pali words and Buddhist terms in the English language using the Roman script? The conspicuous absence of this most important ingredient has resulted in a chaotic situation in presenting Sinhala, Pali and Buddhist terms in English.

Unashamedly, people of Sri Lanka, particularly the Sinhala people, the preponderant majority of them being the Sinhala Buddhists have totally and callously neglected the Sinhala language which has a history of over three-thousand (3000) years.

Sadly, this apathy is taking place when Sri Lanka has several authorities - Educational, Higher Educational, Cultural and Religious - institutions deeply committed to safeguard, protect, promote and develop the Buddha Sasana with all its associated aspects.

Neither the Universities, Pirivenas, the Bhikkhu Sangha, and the Buddhist leadership have taken any step to stern this disastrous tide of deterioration taking place within and outside.

Since the damage is taking place when Sinhala, Pali and Buddhist terms are presented in English, the Sinhala population, particularly the Sinhala Buddhists and the Bhikkhu Sangha face a technical problem. Today, less than even two per cent (2%) of the total population is proficient in the English language.

When the teaching of Sinhala, Tamil and English from all government schools was discontinued and abandoned, the Sinhala student became the biggest sufferer. The Sinhala Buddhist student was left in the lurch. They had no one to support. Nobody was there to give them a helping hand. Those who were willing and committed to look after the students were not proficient in English-which became a key factor for the malady to continue.

A redeeming situation was however launched by the "Daily News" and also the "Evening Observer" to provide at least a basic knowledge of English. Due to English not being spoken at home, the Sinhala student could not reap the benefits.

With the domestic situation in this regard is in a perilous position. Still the world at large look up to Sri Lanka for the authentic and authoritative manner of writing Sinhala, Pali and Buddhist terms in English in Roman character.

The answer to this problem lies in the Alphabet prepared and formulated by team of eminent scholars led by the Most Venerable Hikkaduwe Sri Sumangala Mahanayaka Thera for the use of the London Pali Text Society established by Professor T. W. Rhys Davids and Mrs. Caroline Davids to publish Pali Texts in Roman Character.

All the authorities previously mentioned should team up together and propagate the Alphabet. A Hand Book should be prepared for all the media institutions emphasising the basic characteristics such as

"Alparana" and "Mahaprana" which are features of oriental languages - Sanskrit, Pali, Sinhala and almost all Buddhist terms.

Take for instance the word "Viharadhipati". This is the correct way. But most people, and the English print medium too write this word using the Alpaprana and Mahaprana in wrong places - even on front pages of the paper. Haven't you seen this word written in this wrong manner.

"Viharadipathi"

A major Buddhist Association in Borella has a classic way to write "Majjhima Nikaya" (This is the correct word) as "Majjima Nikaya". Despite the string of Secretaries to organise religious work, social work, library activities and literary activities, it is unable to find one capable of writing "Majjima" correctly.

The failure of the authorities to take precautionary measures in time in setting standards has made Sri Lanka the laughing stock of the world with the "latest inventions" to the Sasana as given below: The "Buddhist Bhikkhu" instead of the Bhikkhu. Let it be known for once and for all times that Bhikkhus are the disciples of the Buddha. There are absolutely no Hindu Bhikkhus or Christian or Roman Catholic bhikkhus or Muslim bhikkhus.

The Buddhist Priest: there is no priestcraft in Buddha Sasana:

The Chief Incumbent, the Bhikkhu Sangha has no incumbency on Sasana property or Sanghika property. The Bhikkhu or the Bhukkuni is a resident disciple sharing the Sasana or Sanghika property friendly and amicably.

On top of these insults comes the writing of the names of the Maha Sangha both high ranking and the ordinary.

Without an exception, not a single name is written correctly. Names are found with spellings never known or seen before - giving thought to the reader to think whether the Venerable Thera is living in Sri Lanka or in any other part of the world. The name is so unpronounceable. Into this list of "inventions" the name of the Most Venerable Pannila Ananda Nayaka Thera, the Viharadhipati of the Attanagalla Raja Maha Viharaya comes on the "Abbot" of Attanagalla.

Quite strangely a government department has used the letter "W" in writing the word Vesak for an inexplicable reason. When I called in one day to buy stamps, I detected the error and the officer promptly erased the word Wesak quite apologetically. The document with the correct word Vesak restored, was sent for printing sans the colonial nomenclature.

Otherwise this office would have continued colonial Wesak quite ignorantly and without realizing the total absence of "W" sound in Sinhala in Sinhala and Pali languages.

In the entire Eighty Four Thousand (84,000) skandhas, not a single word is found written with the letter "W". It is so unacceptable.

The Sinhala, Pali and Buddhist terms are always written with "V" which runs as golden thread in the entire lofty fabric of the Buddha Sasana.

In this respect, the Archaeological Survey or the department, the Central Cultural Fund's Cultural Triangle publications, the Encyclopedia of Buddhism, the Department of Achieves have made a fabulous contribution to maintain this subject.

Now, the Buddha Sasana authorities have to step in and lay down the Standards firmly and positively to prevent introduction or re-inroduction of material repugnant to this worthy cause but for the manipulations of unscrupulous atipanditayas.

When will the Standards be set up? sooner the better.

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