Knowledge of cosmic cycles remained unknown to Western science until Edwin Hubble’s groundbreaking discoveries in 1929 demonstrated an expanding universe—a finding that even surprised Albert Einstein, who had initially assumed a static cosmos. The Buddha’s direct realisation and description of universal expansion and contraction (vivaṭṭati/saṃvaṭṭati) in the Aggaññasutta came through meditation 2,500 years ago. These sophisticated cosmological concepts, discovered by the Buddha millennia before modern telescopes, underscore the vital importance of making the Pali Canon accessible to everyone so that this ancient wisdom can benefit all of humanity.

What Else Is There to Know?

If such profound cosmic insights were directly realised and recorded millennia ago, what other transformative knowledge awaits within these ancient texts? What wisdom lies waiting?

• The root of the inherent existential suffering of all sentient beings and the path to cease it – the fundamental truth of why we experience constant dissatisfaction throughout our lives and how to end it permanently
• The fundamental nature of consciousness and how our experience of reality emerges – questions that even modern neuroscience and philosophy still grapple with
• The practical paths to genuine happiness and inner peace, tested through direct experience rather than theory
• Universal solutions to human suffering that remain relevant across cultures and time
• The intricate relationship between mind and matter, explored through direct observation rather than instruments
• Time-tested principles for living an ethical life that brings both personal and social harmony

These ancient teachings don’t just offer historical perspectives—they contain practical answers to questions humanity still struggles with today. Yet most of the world has never had the opportunity to access and benefit from this wisdom.

The Challenge of Accessing the Knowledge

The complete Pali literature spans approximately 10 million words, with the root texts (Tipiṭaka) containing roughly 2.8 million words, commentaries (Aṭṭhakathā) and subcommentaries (Ṭīkā) adding another 5.6 million words, and additional important texts (Añña) comprising over 1.3 million more.

Even for English, where translation work has been most extensive, the landscape remains fragmented. Different translators render the same technical terms in conflicting ways. Formulaic expressions that recur throughout the texts appear in varying translations, obscuring the intentional patterns woven through the Canon. While portions of the root texts have been translated, vast stretches of the commentaries and subcommentaries – essential for understanding the suttas’ full meaning – remain in Pali alone.

For other languages, the situation is far more severe. Most have only scattered fragments available, if anything at all.

Beyond the translation gap lies an equally critical shortage: qualified teachers who can authentically explain these teachings are exceedingly rare. The most profound understanding has been preserved within forest monasteries, where monastics maintain the realisation-based transmission passed through generations. Yet geographic, linguistic, and circumstantial barriers make this direct guidance beyond the reach of the vast majority of sincere seekers.

The result: humanity’s access to one of the world’s most profound wisdom traditions depends on a combination of circumstances – language ability, scholarly resources, and proximity to authentic teachers – that few possess.

Our Vision: Illuminating Ancient Wisdom for Every Seeker

PaliVerse will be a transformative gateway to wisdom that has remained largely unexplored by humanity. Through cutting-edge AI technology and human-centred design, this platform will:

• Transform the entire Pali Canon into multiple languages while preserving its authenticity, making these profound teachings understandable to people from all cultural backgrounds
• Offer intuitive, personalised learning tools that adapt to each person’s level of understanding – from beginners seeking basic insights to those diving deep into advanced concepts
• Connect timeless wisdom with contemporary life, showing how these ancient teachings speak directly to modern challenges and questions
• Create clear pathways for personal discovery, allowing natural progression from curiosity to deeper understanding
• Empower everyone to explore and engage with these teachings in ways that resonate with their own lives and questions

The PaliVerse Initiative

Inspired by Bhante Nyanadassana, the Centre’s Teacher, Michael Xynos initiated the PaliVerse, a non-profit project at the Centre for Study and Practice of Theravada Buddhism in Athens, Greece. As the Centre’s director and founder of Intertranslations S.A., he brings over 30 years of experience in the language industry to the project, combining industry-standard translation and localisation processes and methodologies with the latest advances in AI technologies.