Abhidhamma Pitaka

Concept of Abhidharma
• Abhidhamma Pitaka is the third division of the Pitakas.
• The word Abhi means special. Dhamma means law of
nature so abhidamma indicates the special teaching of
Buddha on law of nature.
• But it is not separate teachings from Sutta and Vinaya.
The word Abhidhamma is also found in Digha Nikaya and
Majjhima Nikaya.
• Generally it refers the analysis of the special terms of
Sutta and Vinaya pitaka.
• Especially the psychological and philosophical aspects of
Buddhism are broadly analyzed in this pitaka.
Authenticity of Abhidhamma
• The authenticity of Abhidhamma pitaka is not
unanimously accepted by all Buddhist sects.
• There are much more disputes in this texts compare
to other texts of Southern Buddhism.
• The Mahasanghika refused to include the
Abhidhamma in the Pitakas at all, as they did not
regard it as the word of the Buddha. It is taken to be
the development of later period.
Origin

• Scholars had speculated that it probably came into

use only toward the end of the period in which the
four great Nikayas (schools) grew up.
• According to the Theravada tradition also it became
one of the three divisions of Tipitaka only after
hundred years of Buddha's Mahaprinirvana at the
time of second council.
• Kathavatthu,one of the texts of Abhidhamma which
was compiled by Moggaliputta tissa was introduced
in Tipitaka only after third council.
Origin of Abhidhamma
• According to Buddha ghosa, the Abhidhamma was first
preached by the Buddha in Tavatimsa realm to his
mother,
• Later it was taught to Sariputta on the banks of the
Anotatta Lake, where sariputta had gone to minister to
the Buddha during the latter's visit to tavatimsa.
• Sariputta taught it to his 500 Pupils and in this way the
Abhidhamma was handed by the teacher tutee tradition
of Sariputta.
• It is also mentioned that after the Enlightenment Buddha
spent the fourth week in the Ratna ghar, revolving in his
mind the intricate doctrines of the Abhidhamma in all
Subject matter of Abhidhamma
• The subject matter of Abhidhamma is psychology
and logic.
• The fundamental doctrine mentioned or discussed
are those already propounded in the suttas.
• While the sutta Pitaka contains the conventional
teachings (vohara desana), the abhidhamma Pitaka
contains the ultimate teaching (paramattha desana).
• Especially the four paramatthas as Citta or Mind
(consciousness), Cetsika (Mental properties), Rupa
(form) and Nibbana (emancipation) has been dealt
in Abhidhamma pitaka.
Mind

• Mind or Citta is a state of consciousness. It is also

called vinnana, mano etc. The first verse of
Dhamma pada text says '' Mano pubbangama
dhamma mano settha manomaya'' that is ''Mind
precedes things; mind dominates them; mind
creates them.'' Of all forces, the force of the mind is
the most potent. It pre-dominates every other
force. It is said that no one has understood the
power of the mind as clearly as the Buddha.
How consciousness arises
• Generally the consciousness arises due to contact of
internal bases (ajjhatika ayatana) and external bases
(bahira ayatana).
• Internal bases are the six fold bases with in the
body which is called physical sense organs or
sadayatana as eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and
mind.
• The external bases are form, sound, smell, taste,
tactile object and object of mind. The contact
between them arise the vijjana or consciousness.
Six consciousness
• Cakkhu Vijjana (Sight consciousness) through eye and
form
• Sota Vijjana (Hearing consciousness) through ear and
sound
• Ghana Vijjana (Scent consciousness) through nose and
smell
• Jivva Vijjana (Taste consciousness) through tongue and
taste
• Kaya Vijjana (Touch consciousness) through body and
tactile object and
• Mano Vijjana (Mind consciousness) through mind and
object of mind
Sixteen types of Mind
• According to satipatthana sutta there are 16types of mind which is
to be observed while meditating.
• Those are :
• Saraga citta, Vitaraga citta,
• Sadosa citta, Vitadosa citta,
• Samoha citta, Vitamoha citta,
• Sankhitta citta, Vikkhitta citta,
• Mahaggata citta, Amahaggata citta,
• Sauttara citta, Anuttara citta,
• Samahita citta, Asamahita citta,
• Vimutta citta, and Avimutta citta.
• Besides Abhidhamma has classified consciousness into 89 types
and 121 types those are grouped into Kamavacara, Rupavacara,
Mental factors (Cetasika)

• Mental factors are those mental concomitants

which are bound up with the simultaneously
arising consciousness and conditioned by its
presence. Mental factors are arises and ceases
simultaneously with mind .Altogether there
are 52 mental factors.
52 Mental factor
• Phassa, Vedana, Sanna, Cetana ,
• Ekaggata, Jivitendiya , Manasikar,Vitakka,
• Vicara, Adhimokkha, Viriya, Piti,
• Chanda,Moha, Ahirika, Anotappa,
• Uddhacca, Lova, Ditthi, Mana,
• Dosa, Issa, Machchariya, Kukucca,
• Thina, Middha, Vichikichha, Saddha,
• Sati, Hiri, Otappa, Alobho,
• Adosho,Tatramajjhata,Kayapassadi,
• Cittapassadi, Kayalahuta,Cittalahuta,
Kayamuduta,Cittamuduta, Kayakammannata,
Cittakammannata, Kayapagunnata,
• Citta pagunnata, Kayajukata, Cittajukata,
• Samma vaca, Samma kamanto, Samma ajivo ,
• Karuna, Mudita, Pannenddiya,
Form (Rupa)

• It is the 4 elements (catumahabhuta) and their nature

which arethe basis for almost all the form. They are
called Atthakalapa or ojatthamaka kalapa
• Pathavi- solid
• Apo- fluid
• Tejo- heat
• Vayo- motion
• Vanna- colour
• Gandha- smell
• Rasa- taste
Nibbana

• Nibbana constitutes the highest and ultimate

goal of all Buddhist aspirations. Nibbana
means freedom from desire. It is extinction of
greed, extinction of hate, extinction of
delusion. There are 2 aspects of Nibbana
which are saupadisesa nibbana and
anupadisesa nibbana.
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Seven text of Abhidhamma Pitaka
• Abhidhamma pitaka consists off seven texts as
follows:
1.Dhamma sangini – Classification of Dhamma
It is the first and most important text of
Abhidhamma pitaka. It consist the collection
of spiritual and materialistic state of the
beings. It is ethical analysis of Buddhist
psychology dividing the phenomenon into
kushal (wholesome), akushal (unwholesome)
and abyakrit (which cannot be analyzed).
Seven text of Abhidhamma Pitaka
2.Vibhanga – Divisions
It is classification of phenomenon into 18
divisions as follows: Khanda, Ayatana, dhatu,
Sacca, Indriya, Paccayakar, Satipatthana,
Sammapadhana, Iddhipada, Bojjhanga,
Magga, Jhana, Appamannya, Sikkhapada,
Patisambidha, Nana, khuddak vatthu and
Dhamma hadaya.
Seven text of Abhidhamma Pitaka
3.Dhatu katha- Discourse of Elements
• It is the analysis of the Khand, Dhatu and ayatana
described in Vibhanga. Khand is Panca skandha (five
aggregate) which is Rupa (form),
vedana( sensation), sanna (cognition), sankhara
( mental formation) and Vinnana( consciousness).
• Dhatu consist of 18 element as follows: cakkhu,
rupa, Cakkhu vinnana, Sota, sabda, Sota Vinnana,
Ghana, ganda, Ghana vinnana, Jivha, rasa, Jivha
vinnana, Kaya, phassa, Kaya vinnana, Mana,
dhamma, Manovinnana.
Seven text of Abhidhamma Pitaka
4.Puggala pannati- Book on individuals
It is the book on the types of individual. The
text contains ten chapters. First chapter
consist of the one type of Individual, Second
chapter consist the two types of individual and
so on.
Seven text of Abhidhamma Pitaka
5.Katha vatthu- Point of controversy
• It consist the analysis of 18 sects which had
been developed at the time of Asoka. It has
given argument that only Theravada is the
original doctrine and commented the doctrine
of all remaining 17 sects. It became the text of
Abhidhamma pitaka only at 3rd council that is
patronized by Asoka. It is written by
Mogaliputta tissa.
Seven text of Abhidhamma Pitaka
6.Yamaka- The book of pairs
In this text the questions are asked in pair. It is
divided into ten sections as Mula yamaka,
Khanda yamaka, Ayatana yamaka, Dhatu
yamaka, Sacca yamak, Sankhar yamaka,
Anusaya yamaka, Citta yamaka, Dhamma
yamakka and Indriya yamaka.
Seven text of Abhidhamma Pitaka
7. Patthana- The book of casual relations
• It is the most important and unique text of
abhidhamma pitaka. It might be described as the book
of ''causes '' and deals with the twenty four paccayas
or modes of relations between things, mental and
material. The phenomenon of Permanence which all
the non Buddhsit doctrines were based on is discarded
in this text. The mind and matter is analyzed as Anicca (
impermanent), Dukkha (suffering ) and Anatta
( soullessness). It is also called the analysis of
Paticcasamuppada in special way.
•
Seven text of Abhidhamma Pitaka
• The 24 paccayas are as follows:
• Hetu, Alambana, Adhipati, Anantara,
Samanantar, Sahahjat, Annyomannya,
Nishraya, Upanishraya, Purbajata, paschajata,
Asevana, Karma, Vipaka, Ahara, Indriya,
Dhyana, Marga, Samprayukta, Vipryukta, Asti,
Nasti, Vigata and avigta.