The Buddha and Language
By Franklin Edgerton
Summary
In this essay the eminent linguist Franklin Edgerton explores the relationship between Buddhism and language. He begins by noting that language is a defining feature of human culture yet also a source of division, since different groups speak mutually unintelligible tongues. Edgerton discusses the prestige of Sanskrit in ancient India and shows how it functioned as a literary and religious language among the elite. He then recounts a passage from the Pali Vinaya in which two monks ask the Buddha to set his teachings in Vedic (Sanskrit) verse; the Buddha rebukes them and instructs his followers to learn his words in their own dialects so that they will be understood by all. This episode demonstrates the Buddha’s pragmatic attitude toward language and his refusal to privilege an elite tongue. The article examines why Pali, a Middle Indo‑Aryan vernacular, became the canonical language of Theravada Buddhism, and it surveys the development of Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit in northern texts. Edgerton argues that Buddhist linguistic policy fostered inclusivity and aided the spread of the faith across linguistic boundaries. He also analyses the role of translation in transmitting texts to Central Asia, China and Tibet, and he underscores how the interplay of local dialects and prestige languages shaped the development of Buddhist literature.
Conclusion
Edgerton’s study highlights the Buddha’s insistence that his teachings be communicated in the language of the people. By rejecting the suggestion to render the Dharma into an elite Vedic idiom, the Buddha ensured that his message was accessible to diverse audiences. The essay shows that this linguistic openness contributed to Buddhism’s successful transmission throughout Asia and underscores the importance of translators in preserving and disseminating Buddhist thought.