by Aryadasa Ratnasinghe

######

"Sammasambuddhamatulam - sasaddhammaganuttamam,

Abhivadiya bhasissam - abhidhammattha sangaham."

- Manuel of Abhidhamma.

(The fully Enlightened Peerless One, with the sublime Doctrine and the Noble Order, I do respectfully salute, and shall speak concisely of things contained in the Abhidhamma.)

######

Matara Meddawatta  Siri Vajiragnana Dharmayathanaya

Abhidhamma, as the term implies, is the Higher Teaching of the Buddha. It expounds the quintessence of his profound doctrine. In the Abhidhamma, both mind and matter, which constitute the complex machinery of man, are minutely analysed. The chief events connected with the process of birth and death are explained in detail. Intricate teachings of the Dhamma are clarified. The Path of Emancipation is set forth in clear terms.

Modern psychology

Modern psychology (the science of the mind), limited as it is, comes within the scope of Abhidhamma, in as much as it deals with the mind, with thoughts, thought-processes and mental states, but it does not admit the presence of a psyche or a soul inhabiting the body.

All religions believe in the existence of a soul (ego),. which is an indwelling or animating principle, which disintegrates with death. The chief difference between the Buddhist conception of Nibbana, and the Hindu conception of Vimukti, lies in the fact that Buddhist view their goal, without an eternal soul and creator, while Hindus do believe in an eternal soul and a creator.

From an ethical standpoint

In the Abhidhamma, consciousness is well defined. Thoughts are analysed and classified chiefly from an ethical standpoint.

All mental states are enumerated. The composition of each type of consciousness is set forth in detail. The description of thought processes, that arise through the five senses, are well defined.

The Bhavanga and Javana (thought movements) are only to be found in the Abhidhamma. It must be made clear that Abhidhamma does not attempt to give a systematised knowledge of mind and matter.

It investigates these two composite factors to help mankind to understand things as they are, on an ethical system for the realisation of Nibbana, the summum bonum of Buddhism.

The Abhidhamma Sangaha, a treatise on Abhidhamma, was the work of Ven. Anuruddha Thera, an Indian bhikku of Kanjeevaran (Kanchipura), and it gives an epitome of the whole Abhidhamma Pitaka.

It is still the most valuable book on the subject to gain a general knowledge of Abhidhamma.

It is not a subject of fleeting interest designed for the common reader. To the wise seeker of truth, Abhidhamma is an indispensable guide and an intellectual treat. Here, there is food for thought to the earnest student to enhance his wisdom to lead an ideal Buddhist life.

Commentators state that the Buddha, as a mark of gratitude to his deceased mother, queen Maha Maya, who was born as a deva (god) in the Thusita celestial abode, decided to preach the Abhidhamma to her.

In his seventh year after Enlightenment, and while observing 'vas'(rainy retreat) and the Thavatimsa celestial abode He preached the doctrine to the 'devas', where the mother 'deva' was also present to hear him.

The principal topics (matika) of the advanced teaching, such as moral states (kusala dhamma), immoral states (akusla dhamma) and intermediate states (abyakata dhamma), were explained by the Buddha to those present at the occasion.

The Buddhist canon it divided into three parts or 'Pitakas', (the nearest English equivalent of the term being 'Baskets'). They are (i) the Vinaya Pitaka (code of discipline for the Buddhist clergy,) dealing mainly with rules and regulations laid down by the Buddha; (ii) the Sutta Pitaka (books containing instructive discourses and exhortation) delivered by the Buddha, both to the clergy and the laity, at different occasions and at different places, during his 45 years of ardent ministration, and (iii) the Abhidhamma Pitaka or the highest doctrine, expounding the quintessence of the Buddha's philosophy so deep and recondite.

The divisions of the Abhidhamma Pitaka are (i) Dhammasangani (Classification of the Dhamma), (ii) Vibhanga (the Book of Divisions), (iii) Dhatukatha (discourses on Elements), (iv) Puggala Pannatti (Book of Individuals), (v) Kathavattu (Points of Controversy), (vi) Yamaka (Book of Pairs) and (vii) Pattana (Book of Casual Relations).

The doctrine enshrined in the Abhidhamma Pitaka deals with absolute truths and facts, and can be tested and verified by personal experience, and not through theories and speculations, which may be accepted and rejected later. In Buddhism, there are no revelations or divine or supernatural communications with God, as are found in other religions. The Christian Bible says: "...I shall speak to you either by revelation or by knowledge or by prophesying or by doctrine". (1 Corinthians 14:6).

According to some scholars, Abhidhamma is not a teaching of the Buddha, but a later elaboration attempted by scholastic monks. Tradition, however, attributes the nucleus of the Abhidhamma to Buddha alone. Whoever the great and erudite author or authors may have been, it has to be admitted that he or they had intellectual genius comparable only to that of the Buddha. Learned opinion is that it is evident from the intricate and subtle Patthana Pakarana, which minutely describes the various casual relations, having originated from the Buddha.

Four chapters of Dhammasangani

The book Dhammasangani is divided into four chapters, viz: Consciousness (citta), Matter (rupa), Summery (nikkhepa) and Elucidation (Atthuddhara). The 'Tika Matikas' (Triplets) and the 'Duka Matikas' (Couplets), indicate the wisdom of the Buddha, as explained by analysis in the Abhidhamma.

The book 'Vibhanga' has eighteen divisions. The first three divisions, dealing with the Khandhas (Aggregates), Ayatanas (Sense-spheres) and Dhatu (Elements), are the most important among others.

The other divisions deal with Truths (sacca), Controlling Faculties (Indriyas), Casual Genesis (Paccayakara), Foundations of Mindfulness (Satipatthana), Supreme Efforts (Sammappadhana), Means of Accomplishments (Indhipada), Factors of Wisdom (Bojjhanga), Ecstasies of Absorptions (Jhana) Illimitables (Appamanna), Paths (Magga) Precepts (Sikkhapada) Analytical Knowledge (Patisambhida), Wisdom (Nana), Minor Subjects (Khuddhakavattu) and Essence of Truth (Dhammahadaya).

Most of these divisions contain Suttanta explanations, Abhidhamma explanations and Catechism (Panhapuccahaka).

The Book on Dhatukatha

The Book on Dhatukatha Discusses weather Dhammas are included, or not included in, associated with, or dissociated from the Aggregates (Khandhas), Bases (Ayatanas) and Elements (Dhatu). These constitute the foundations of the process of perfection, as taught in the Abhidhamma. The method of exposition of the book Puggala Pannatti, resembles the Anguttara Nikaya of the Sutta Pitaka. Instead of dealing with various Dhammas, it deals with various types of individuals.

The first chapter deals with single persons, the second with pairs and the third with groups and so forth.

The author of Kathavattu is said to be the Ven. Moggaliputta Tissa, who lived at the time of emperor Asoka of India (264-238 BC), the last ruler of the Mauryan dynasty. This thera was in favour of giving a touch of modernity to the Buddhist canon by incorporating important sermons.

He came to Pataliputra (modern Patna), at the behest of emperor Asoka, and finally headed the Third Buddhist Council. His work was included in the Abhidhamma Pitaka at the Council.

Yamaka is known as the Book of Pairs, with questions and answers grouped together. It deals with ten chapters pertaining to Mula (roots), Khandha (Aggregates), Ayatana (bases), Dhatu (elements), Succa (truths), Sankhara (conditioned things), Anusaya (Latent dispositions), Citta (consciousness), Dhamma and Indriya (controlling faculties).

Patthana is the most important and the most voluminous treaties of the Abhidhamma Pitaka. It is said that one who patiently reads this book, cannot but admire the profound wisdom and the penetrative insight of the Buddha.

It is, certainly, an intellectual composition because it contains the essence of Abhidhamma, and there is no doubt of the fact that to produce such an elaborate and learned treatise, one must certainly be an intellectual genius. In an ultimate sense, the categories of Abhidhamma are consciousness, Mental States, Matter and Nibbana. There are two realities classified as apparent and ultimate. The first is ordinary conventional truth (sammuti sacca) and the other is abstract truth (paramatta sacca).

Paramatta is of great significance in Ahbidhamma. It is a compound word, formed of'parama' and 'attha'. Parama is immutable (aviparita) and abstract (nibbattita). Attha means things. It is generally admitted by most exponents of the Dhamma, that a knowledge of Abhidhamma is essential to comprehend fully the teachings of the Buddha, and it presents the key opens the door to reality.

A clear exposition of the thought processes in Abhidhamma cannot be found in any philosophical treatises, either in the West or in the East.

According to Abhidhamma, consciousness is defined while thoughts are analysed and classified, chiefly from an ethical point of view.

The composition of each type of consciousness is set forth in detail. Abhidhamma explains the process of rebirth in various planes, without anything to pass from one of life to another. This explanation provides support to the doctrine of rebirth and 'kamma' (actions volitional).

The analysis of the nature of the mind, mentioned in the Abhidhamma Pitaka is not available through any other source. Mind base (manayatana) is a collective term for all consciousness, and, therefore, should not be confounded with the mind element (mano dhatu).

According to Buddhism, mind is the forerunner of all actions either good or bad. In the Yamaka Vagga, Buddha says: "Manopubbangama dhamma, manosettha manomaya" (Mind is the forerunner of all states. Mind is chief.

The Abhidhamma Pitaka

Mind made are they. The Abhidhamma Pitaka contains the profound moral psychology and philosophy of the Buddha's teachings, in contrast to the simpler discourses in the Sutta Pitaka, sub-divided into five 'Nikayas' (collections), viz: Digha Nikaya (collection of long discourses), Majjhima Nikaya (collection of middle-length discourses), Samyutta Nikaya (collection of kindered sayings), Anguttara Nikaya (collection of discourses arranged in accordance with numbers) and Khuddhaka Nikaya (smaller collections).

Abhidhamma teaches that the egoistic beliefs and other concepts, such as 'I', 'you', 'man' and the 'world', which we use in daily conversation, do not adequately describe the real nature of existence.

The conventional concepts do not reflect the fleeting nature of pleasures, uncertainties, impermanence of every component thing, and the conflict among the elements and energies intrinsic in all animate or inanimate things.

The Abhidhamma doctrine gives a clear exposition of the ultimate nature of man and brings the analysis of the human condition further than other studies know to man.

According to Theravada (orthodox Buddhism), the essence, fundamentals and framework of the Abhidhamma are ascribed to the Buddha.

It is most useful to those who want to understand the Dhamma in greater depth and in detail. It is useful not only for the periods devoted to meditation, but also during other times, despite mundane chores.

The terms Dhamma, Kamma, Samsara, Sankhara, Paticca Samupada and Nibbana cannot be better understood without a knowledge of Abhidhamma.

Buddhism contains an excellent moral code, including one for the monks and another for the laity, but is much more than an ordinary moral teaching. A knowledge of Abhidhamma is essential to know the actual truth of Buddhism.

Back