Learn Pali Language

This the final section of the Satipatthāna sutta deals with dhamma which literally translates as: 'to hold , bear (also bring forth)'.  As to what this term represents, whole books have been written! Here, in common with I think most translators, I take it in it's technical sense as the object to 'manas'; the constituents of mind, or knowable things; what is available to inner observation; in a word: phenomena. Note: Bhikkhu Ānandajoti points out: in other versions of this teaching it appears that the original structure of this section only included the hindrances (nīvaraṇa) and the factors of awakening (bojjhaṅga), which are both lists of ethical qualities of mind. I believe dhamma in this original context probably meant ethical states, a well-attested meaning for dhamma, but one no longer useable once the additions of the constituents (khandha), sense-spheres (āyatana) and truths (sacca) have been included. I'm switching to MN10 for this final sec...

I have received a couple of request now for information about accent or stress in Pali pronunciation. This is a poorly covered area - and I have to add I'm not an expert. But from reading mainly Sanskrit guides and guides to Pali Prosody (poetry & metre) I think there are a few things to be aware of. First, Pali tends towards time duration rather than accent or stress. So in pronunciation, a short vowel is half the length of a long vowel. Vedic Sanskrit has a musical 'pitch accent' that I believe did not transfer to Pali.