Pali classical and liturgical language of the Theravada Buddhist canon. Pali seems closely related to the Sanskrit dialects but is apparently not directly descended from it.
Pali’s use as a Buddhist canonical language came about because the Buddha opposed the use of Sanskrit, a learned language, for his teachings and encouraged its use to his followers. In time, his orally transmitted sayings spread through India to Sri Lanka where they were written down in Pali. Pali eventually became a revered, standard, and international tongue and was introduced to Myanmar (Burma), Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam.