Theravada Abhidhamma 2007 UK

An introduction to the sources of Abhidhamma

The Abhidhamma represents the 3rd division of the Tripitaka. Here we can learn the most
important original sources of Abhidhama both in the Pali and Sanskrit traditions in brief. The
Theravada sources of Abhidhamma are compiled in Pali and printed in many characters such as
Sinhalese, Devanagari, Burmese and Siamese which consist of seven texts as follows;
1. Dhammasangani
2. Vibhanga,
3. Dhatukatha
4. Puggalapannatti,
5. Kathavatthu,
6. Yamaka
7. Patthana
The Dhammasangani, Vibhanga, Dhatukatha, Puggalapannatti, and Yamaka generally deal with
the analysis of phenomena and the Patthana with synthesis.
After the introduction of Tipitaka to Sri Lanka in the 3rd century B.C., it was supplemented by a
large number of texts such as commentaries as followings:
1. Commentaries on Abhidhamma Pitaka
2.
Sub-commentaries or Tika
3. Compendiums
4.
Sub-commentaries on compendiums
5. Sub-sub-commentaries (anutika)
6.
Paraphrases- detail translation, etc.
For the Pali cannon of abhidhamma, the most important sources are the Pali commentaries and
sub-commentaries written in Sri Lanka and Burma. Almost all the Pali commentaries explain the early
Buddhist discourses on an abhidhammic basis. There are three commentaries written on the cannon of
abhidhamma viz. the Atthasalini on Dhammasangani, the Sammohavinodani on Vibhanga and the
Pancappakaran atthakatha on the other five texts of the abhidhammapitaka. Among them, the
Atthasalini is more important as it supplies a detailed introduction to the evolution of Abhidhamma.
There are two kinds of Sub-commentaries in Pali literature- one written on the commentaries
and the other on Abhidhammic compendiums. They are more important then other sources in
concerned with the evolution of Theravada abhidhamma.
In the medieval period, the Theravada abhidhamma came to be presented in a series of
compendiums called Sangahaganthas. They differ from the Commentaries and Sub-commentaries.
According Burmese tradition, there are nine such texts known as little finger manuals. They are as
follows;
abhidhammAvatAra,
RUpArUpavibhAga,
nAmarUpasamAsa,
abhidhammatthasaNgaha,
Paramatthavinicchaya,
nAmarUpapariccheda,
SaccasaNkhepa, nAmAcAradIpaka and mohavicchedanI.
Consciousness (citta), mental property (cetasika), matter (rupa) and Nibbana are the main
subjects discussed in the above manuals.
Among the Sub-commentaries on these compendiums, the Vikasinitika- the commentary on the
Abhidhammavatara- is of great importance as it contains detailed explanations on the fundamentals of
Abhidhamma. The Vibhavinitika the commentary on the Abhidhammattha sangaha- though more
concise than the Vikasinitika, is important in many other respects, particularly in the methods of its
exposition. The Sankhepavannana another commentary on the Abhidhmamatthasangaha- although
very concise, is very useful for the studies of the evolution of the conception of Dhamma. The
Paramatthamanjusa, Abhidhmmattha-sangahadipani and the Madhutika are some of the other
important sub-commentaries on abhidhamma.
Of these, the first it important as it contains many allusions to the doctrines of the other schools
of Abhidhamma. The other two were written in Burma and are important in respect to the exposition
of the theory of Dhamma. The Manisaramanjusa, is also a very useful source in the Abhidhdmmttha
sangaha and its commentaries.
Among the Abhidhamma schools of Buddhism the Sarvastivada old course called an important
position, it is also possess 7 texts of Abhidhamma canon and the commentaries and sub-commentaries
on them. The Abhidhammakosha with its Bhasya by Ven. Yawomitra are the authoritative words on
the Sarvastivada Abhidhmma. Further the Abhidhammasamuccaya of Asanga representing the
yogacara school of Buddhism also occupied an important place in the fielded of Abhidhamma.
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