Abhidhamma Pitaka

Lecture 1
Derivation and definition of term
Abhidhamma
Derivation
Abhi + dhamma
Abhi Prefix =
Abhiiti abhimukhabhva visihdhi
kuddhakamma kula sruppavandana
lakkhaitthambhtakkhna vicchdsu.
Atirekavisesatthadpako hettha abhi-saddo
Simple meaning of prefix abhi is great, deep,
extra, special, and excellent
Dhamma
Dhamma - Dhara Dhreti Primary derivative
Dhammoti catusaccadhamm
Dhammoti pa
Tattha dhretti dhammo. Ke dhreti, attna
dhrente. Dhammo have rakkhati dhammacrinti hi
vutta. Kathaca dhreti, catsu apyesu
vaadukkhesuca apatamne karonto. Kica
dhraanma, yesa vasena satt apyesuv
vaadukkhesuv patanti, tesa kilesna
ekadesenav sabbasov samucchindana. Imasmi
atthe cattro ariyamagg nibbnaca nippariyyato
dhammonma

Earliest occurrence of the term
Abhidhamma
Idhvuso sriputta, dve bhikkh abhidhammakatha kathenti, te
aamaa paha pucchanti, aamaassa paha puh
vissajjenti, no ca sasdenti [sasrenti (ka.)], dhamm ca nesa kath
pavattin hoti. Evarpena kho, vuso sriputta, bhikkhun
gosigaslavana sobheyyti.
(mahgosigasutta)

Puna capara, bhikkhave, bhavissanti bhikkh angatamaddhna
abhvitaky abhvitasl abhvitacitt abhvitapa. Te abhvitaky
samn abhvitasl abhvitacitt abhvitapa abhidhammakatha
vedallakatha kathent kahadhamma okkamamn na bujjhissanti.
(Tatiyaangatabhayasutta
)
Tena kho pana samayena sambahul ther bhikkh pacchbhatta
piaptapaikkant maalame sannisinn sannipatit
abhidhammakatha kathenti. Tatra suda yasm citto
hatthisriputto therna bhikkhna abhidhammakatha
kathentna antarantar katha opteti. Atha kho yasm
mahkohiko yasmanta citta hatthisriputta etadavoca
myasm citto hatthisriputto therna bhikkhna
abhidhammakatha kathentna antarantar katha optesi,
yva kathpariyosna yasm citto gametti. Eva vutte
yasmato cittassa hatthisriputtassa sahyak bhikkh yasmanta
mahkohika etadavocu myasm mahkohiko
yasmanta citta hatthisriputta apasdesi, paito yasm
citto hatthisriputto. Pahoti cyasm citto hatthisriputto therna
bhikkhna abhidhammakatha kathetunti.
(hattisariputta sutta)
English renderings of the term
Abhidhamma
Pli English dictionary of Childers as, higher
doctrine, transcendental doctrine, and
metaphysics
P.T.S Pali English dictionary described this
word as, The special dhamma, Theory of the
doctrine, the doctrine classified. The Rory
grace of personalities, the doctrine pure and
simple.
According the Chiness translation
Abhidhamma means great Dhamma, peerless
dhamma, excellent Dhamma and Study about
Dhamma or facing dhamma. According to
Vimalabdhi abhi means classical so
Abhidhamma mens classical Dhamma.

Puna capara, bhikkhave, bhikkhu dhammakmo
hoti piyasamudhro, abhidhamme abhivinaye
urapmojjo. Yampi, bhikkhave, bhikkhu
dhammakmo hoti piyasamudhro, abhidhamme
abhivinaye urapmojjo, ayampi dhammo
nthakarao.
(Pahamanthasutta, Dasaka nipta)
Puna capara, subhti, bhikkhu dhammakmo hoti
piyasamudhro abhidhamme abhivinaye
urapmojjo. Yampi, subhti, bhikkhu dhammakmo
hoti piyasamudhro abhidhamme abhivinaye
urapmojjo, idampi, subhti, saddhassa
saddhpadna hoti.
(Subhuti sutta, dasaka nipata )

Occurrences of the term Abhidhamma
in the vinaya
igha tva suttante v gthyo v abhidhamma v
pariypuassu, pacch vinaya pariypuissasti
bhaati, ummattakassa, dikammikassti
(Vilekhanasikkhpada, pcittiyapli )

Paha puccheyyti suttante oksa krpetv vinaya
v abhidhamma v pucchati, patti pcittiyassa. Vinaye
oksa krpetv suttanta v abhidhamma v pucchati,
patti pcittiyassa. Abhidhamme oksa krpetv
suttanta v vinaya v pucchati, patti pcittiyassa.
(Pcittiyapli, Bhikkhuivibhaga)

abhidhamme vinetu, abhivinaye vinetu,
uppanna dihigata dhammato vivecetu
imehi kho, bhikkhave, pacahagehi
samanngatena bhikkhun
upasampdetabba, nissayo dtabbo,
smaero upahpetabbo
(Mahavagga pali )

Commentarial definitions on the term
Abhidhamma
Samantapsdik indicates that, term abhi shows five
different shades of meaning as ,
Ya ettha vuhimanto, salakkha pjit paricchinn;
Vuttdhik ca dhamm, abhidhammo tena akkhto.

Vuddhi increase
Salakkhana characteristics
Pujita respect
Paricchinna distinguishing defining
Adhik excellence

Ayahi abhisaddo
vuhilakkhaapjitaparicchinndhikesu dissati.
Tathhesa bh me vuso dukkh vedan
abhikkamanti no paikkamanttidsu (ma. ni. 3.389;
sa. ni. 5.195) vuhiya gato. Y t rattiyo
abhit abhilakkhittidsu (ma. ni. 1.49) lakkhae.
Rjbhirj manujindotidsu (ma. ni. 2.399; su. ni.
558) pjite. Paibalo vinetu abhidhamme
abhivinayetidsu (mahva. 85) paricchinne.
Aamaasakaravirahite dhamme ca vinaye cti
vutta hoti. Abhikkantena vaentidsu (vi. va.
75) adhike.

Definition in the Atthaslini
Tattha kenatthena abhidhammo?
Dhammtirekadhammavisesatthena. Atirekavisesatthadpako
hettha abhi-saddo. Blh me dukkh vedan abhikkamanti no
paikkamanti Tasm yath samussitesu bahsu chattesu ceva
dhajesu ca ya atirekappamn visesavaasahnaca chatta,
ta aticchattanti vuccati,...(vuccati, evamvaayampi dhammo
dhammtirekadhammavisesatthena abhidhammoti vuccati.

(Herein what is meant by abhidhamma? That which exceeds and is
distinguished form the dhamma (the studies) the prefix abhi, like ati
is used in the sense of preponderance and distinctions as in such
passages as, severe pains overwhelm me, brother and do not abate.
And or eminent lifted even so this dhamma called abhidhamma,
because it excels and is distinguished by several qualities from the
other dhamma.)

(Attaslini simon Hevawitharana Mudranaya, Colombo, 1940,2p)

Dhammasangini ik

abhidhamma-saddavicrassa
sambandhamha. Ye te may dhamm
abhi desit. Seyyathida cattro
satipahnpe sikkhita sikkhisu dve
bhikkh abhidhamme
nnvdtidisuttavasena kicpi
bodhipakkhiyadhamm abhidhammoti
vuccanti,

abhidhammoti vuccati. Bhagavat hi
suttanta patv
khandhyatanadhtusaccaindriyapaccaykr
dayo dhamm ekadesena vibhatt, na
nippadesena, abhidhamma patv pana
anekehi nayavisesehi nippadesatova vibhatt.
Eva dhammtirekadhammavisesahena
abhidhammoti veditabbo.

Vinaya Subcommentary
Abhidhammeti ettha suttantapito abhi
atireko, abhivisiho v dhammo
abhidhammoti vutte nmarpaparicchedaka
abhidhammapiakanti ha
nmarpaparicchedeti.
Dghanikya commentary

Tattha dhammoti suttantapiaka.
Abhidhammoti satta pakarani. Vinayoti
ubhatovibhag. Abhivinayoti
khandhakaparivr. Atha v suttantapiakampi
abhidhammapiakampi dhammo eva.
Maggaphalni abhidhammo. Sakala
vinayapiaka vinayo.
Kilesavpasamakraa abhivinayo.

Majjhimanikyahakath
Abhidhammeti abhivisihe dhamme imesu
sattisa bodhipakkhiya dhammesuti attho.
(Majjimanikyahakath, Hevawitharana
Mudranaya, Colombo, 1940,29p)

Anguattanikyahakath
Abhidhammanti uttamadhamma kath
Abhidhamme abhivinaye ettha dhammo
abhidhammo vinayo abhivinayoti catukka
veditabba; Tattha dhammoti suttapitaka
abhidhammoti sattapakaranni vinayoti
ubhato vibanga abhivinayoti khandhaka
pariv.
(Anguttaranikyahakath, simon Hevawitharana
Mudranaya, Colombo, 1940,279p)
Commentary to the hattisariputtasutta
Abhidhammakathanti
sldiuttamadhammakatha.
Scholastic Ideas on the meaning of
term Abhidhamma
it calls Abhidhamma, because it always able to investigate the
nature and characteristics of the phenomena, expounded in
the Sutra. It explains the twelve- member casual law and the
inherent nature of phenomena, it helps us to understand the
four noble truths thoroughly, it studies the practice the law of
the noble eightfold path, and it enables one to realize
Nirvna. It arranges phenomena in various ways by means of
profound doctrines.
(Vasumitra)
it is called abhidhamma because it collects,
arranges and discriminators, such problems
has defilement purity, bondage,
emancipation, degeneration and elevation, by
means of sentences, phrases and words
(carya bhadanta)
it is called abhidhamma because it is ultimate
excellent and in fallible wisdom
(Parva )
it is called abhidharma through it one who
seals emancipation, following the right
practice, gets clear insight as to suffering, the
path of preparatory process the penultimate
path, the process of emancipation, the special
higher process the noble path and the noble
fruits.
(Ghosaka)
abhidharma means facing the dhrama and
dhrama designates Nirvna and the four
truths as the law of the ideal. That which
confronts this dhrama is abhidhrama and its
primary sense it is pure and immaculate
wisdom, but in its wordly sense, preliminary
wisdom
(Vasubandu)
the term abhidamma means the study of the
dhamma, the term dhamma refers to the
doctrine preached by the Buddha; it may also
refer to the truths reveled by those teachings.
Consequently abhidhamma may be
interpreted as meaning studies of the
Buddhas teaching or research into the truth
reveled by Buddha
(Professor Harkava Akirava )
Abhidhamma is a description about Buddhas
word
(Professor W.S Karunarathna)
Abhdihamma is the best description which has
done neither exceeding the fundamental
Buddhist teachings nor harming the beauty of
the Buddhist philosophy.
(Professor Sumanapala Galmangoda )