The
The seven books of the
The Abhidhamma Pitaka has a
well-deserved reputation for being dense and difficult reading, yet some find
its descriptions of the inner workings of the mind to be useful as an aid to
meditation practice. The modern Burmese approach to the teaching and practice
of Satipatthana meditation, in particular, draws
heavily on an Abhidhammic interpretation of
meditative experience.
According to one
tradition, the essence of Abhidhamma philosophy was
formulated by the Buddha during the fourth week after his Enlightenment,
although scholars debate its authenticity as a work by the Buddha himself.
Regardless of its authorship, however, the Abhidhamma
stands as a monumental feat of intellectual genius.
The Abhidhamma Pitaka is divided into
seven books, although it is the first (Dhammasangani)
and last (Patthana) that together form the essence of
the Abhidhamma teachings. The seven books of the Abhidhamma are:
·
Dhammasangani
("Enumeration of Phenomena"). This book enumerates all the paramattha dhamma
(ultimate realities) to be found in the world. According to one such
enumeration these amount to:
o 52
cetasikas (mental factors), which, arising
together in various combination, give rise to any one of...
o ...89
different possible cittas (states of
consciousness)
o 4
primary physical elements, and 23 physical phenomena derived from them
o Nibbana
·
Vibhanga
("The Book of Treatises"). This book continues the analysis of the Dhammasangani, here in the form of a catechism.
·
Dhatukatha
("Discussion with Reference to the Elements"). A reiteration of the
foregoing, in the form of questions and answers.
·
Puggalapaññatti
("Description of Individuals"). Somewhat out of place in the Abhidhamma Pitaka, this book
contains descriptions of a number of personality-types.
·
Kathavatthu
("Points of Controversy"). Another odd inclusion in the Abhidhamma, this book contains questions and answers that
were compiled by Moggaliputta Tissa
in the 3rd century BC, in order to help clarify points of controversy that
existed between the various "Hinayana"
schools of Buddhism at the time.
·
Yamaka
("The Book of Pairs"). This book is a logical analysis of many
concepts presented in the earlier books. In the words of Mrs. Rhys Davids, an eminent 20th century Pali
scholar, the ten chapters of the Yamaka amount to
little more than "ten valleys of dry bones."
·
Patthana
("The Book of Relations"). This book, by far the longest single
volume in the Tipitaka (over 6,000 pages long in the
Siamese edition), describes the 24 paccayas,
or laws of conditionality, through which the dhammas
interact. These laws, when applied in every possible permutation with the dhammas described in the Dhammasangani,
give rise to all knowable experience. Phew!
Note:
There are no texts from the Abhidhamma Pitaka available here at Access to Insight, nor are there
presently any plans to include them in the future.
For
further reading:
·
Guide Through
the
·
A Comprehensive Manual of Abhidhamma: The Abhidhamma Sangaha of Acariya Anuruddha, Bhikkhu
Bodhi, ed. (Kandy: Buddhist Publication Society,
1993). This book should be required reading for every Abhidhamma
student, as it gives a remarkably lucid and insightful overview of Abhidhamma philosophy. Even if you read no further than the
Introduction, your efforts will be well rewarded.
·
The Psychology and Philosophy of
Buddhism: An Introduction to the Abhidhamma,
by Dr. W.F. Jayasuriya (Kuala Lumpur: Buddhist
Missionary Society, 1988).
·
Translations from the Pali Text Society:
o Buddhist
Psychological Ethics (Dhammasangani, tr. 1900 by C.A.F. Rhys
Davids)
o The
Book Of Analysis (Vibhanga, tr. 1969 by Ven. U Thittila)
o Discourse
on Elements (Dhatukatha, tr. 1962 Ven. U Narada)
o A
Designation of Human Types (Puggalapaññati,
tr. 1922 by B.C. Law)
o Points
of Controversy (Kathavatthu, tr. 1915 by S.Z. Aung and C.A.F. Rhys Davids)
o Conditional
Relations (Tika-patthana, tr. 1960? Ven. U Narada)