Pali is a Middle Indo-Aryan language that is primarily known as the language of the Buddhist scriptures, particularly the Theravada Buddhist canon, known as the Pali Canon. The term “Pali” is used to refer to both the language itself and the body of literature written in that language.

Historically, Pali emerged as a literary language in ancient India, likely around the 4th century BCE. It is closely related to the Ardhamagadhi language and is considered a Prakrit, a category of Middle Indo-Aryan languages. Pali became a significant language in the early Buddhist tradition, chosen for its suitability for preserving the teachings of the Buddha.

The Pali Canon, containing the Tripitaka (three baskets) of Buddhist scriptures—Vinaya Pitaka (rules for monastic discipline), Sutta Pitaka (discourses of the Buddha), and Abhidhamma Pitaka (philosophical and psychological analysis)—is written in Pali. Pali has also been used for various commentaries and later Buddhist literature.

While Pali is a classical language with historical and religious significance, it is not a spoken language in the contemporary sense. It has served as a means of preserving and transmitting the early Buddhist teachings and has been studied and revered by scholars and practitioners within the Theravada Buddhist tradition.