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ABHIDHAMMATTHA - SANGAHA

of Anuruddhācariya

A manual of ABHIDHAMMA

Edited in the original Pali Text with English Translation and Explanatory Notes

by Nārada Thera, Vājirārāma, Colombo

Preface

CHAPTER I - Different Types of Consciousness (citta-sangaha-vibhāgo)

Introductory Verse
Subject - Matter (Abhidhammatthā)
The Four Classes of Consciousness (catubbidha-cittāni)
Immoral Consciousness (akusala cittāni)
(18 Types Of Rootless Consciousness)
“Beautiful” Consciousness Of The Sensuous Sphere - 24
(Form-Sphere Consciousness - 15)
(Formless-Sphere Consciousness - 12)
(Supra Mundane Consciousness - 4)
(121 Types of Consciousness)
Diagrams:

CHAPTER II - Mental States (cetasika)

Introduction
(Definition)
52 Kinds of Mental States
Different Combinations of Mental States
Immoral Mental States
(Beautiful Mental States)
Contents of Different Types of Consciousness
Supra mundane Consciousness
(Sublime Consciousness)
Sense-Sphere Beautiful Consciousness
Immoral Consciousness
Rootless Consciousness

CHAPTER III - Miscellaneous Section

(i. Summary of Feeling)
(ii. Summary of Roots)
(iii. Summary of Functions)
(iv. Summary of Doors)
(v. Summary of Objects)
(vi. Summary of Bases)

CHAPTER IV - Analysis of Thought-Processes

Five Sense-Door Thought-process
Thought-Processes
Mind-door Thought-Process
Appanā Thought-Process
The Procedure of Retention
Procedure of Javana (13)
Classification of Individuals
Section on Planes
Diagram IX

CHAPTER V - PROCESS-FREED SECTION

Summary of Rebirth Procedure
i. Four Planes of Life
ii. Fourfold Rebirth
iii. Fourfold Kamma (29)
iv . Procedure with Regard to Decease and Rebirth
v. The Stream of Consciousness

CHAPTER VI - ANALYSIS OF MATTER

Introduction
Analysis of Matter
Classification of Matter
The Arising of Material Phenomena (52)
Grouping of Material Qualities (57)
Arising of Material Phenomena (58)
Nibbāna (59)
Diagram XIII

CHAPTER VII - Abhidhamma Categories

Introductory verse
(Immoral Categories)
Diagram XIV
Mixed Categories
Factors of Enlightenment (28)
A Synthesis of ‘the Whole’ (36)

CHAPTER VIII - The Compendium Of Relations

Introductory verse
The Law of Dependent Arising
The Law of Casual Relations
Paññatti

CHAPTER IX - Mental Culture

Introductory verse
(Compendium of Calm)
Suitability of Subjects for different Temperaments
Stages of Mental Culture
Signs of Mental Culture
Rūpa Jhāna
Arūpa Jhāna (22)
Supernormal Knowledge (23)
Different Kind of Purity
Realization
Emancipation
Individuals
The Path of Purification
Attainments
Aspirations

Oben

PREFACE

Abhidhamma, as the term implies, is the Higher Teaching of the Buddha. It expounds the quintessence of His profound doctrine.

The Dhamma, embodied in the Sutta Pitaka, is the conventional teaching
(vohāra desanā), and the Abhidhamma is the ultimate teaching (paramattha
desanā)

In the Abhidhamma both mind and matter, which constitute
this complex machinery of man, are microscopically analyzed. Chief
events connected with the process of birth and death are explained in
detail. Intricate points of the Dhamma are clarified. The Path of
Emancipation is set forth in clear terms.

Modern Psychology,
limited as it is comes within the scope of Abhidhamma inasmuch as it
deals with the mind, with thoughts, thought-processes, and mental states
but it does not admit of a psyche or a soul. Buddhism teaches a
psychology without a psyche.

If one were to read the Abhidhamma
as a modern textbook on psychology, one would be disappointed. No
attempt has here been made to solve all the problems that confront a
modern psychologist.

Consciousness is defined. Thoughts are
analyzed 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 sense-doors and the mind-door is extremely interesting.
Such a clear exposition of thought-processes cannot be found in any
other psychological treatise.

Bhavanga and Javana
thought-moments, which are explained only in the Abhidhamma, and which
have no parallel in modern psychology, are of special interest to a
research student in psychology.

That consciousness flows like a
stream, a view propounded by some modern psychologists like William
James, becomes extremely clear to one who understands the Abhidhamma. It
must be added that an Abhidhamma student can fully comprehend the
Anattā (No-soul) doctrine, the crux of Buddhism, which is important both
from a philosophical and an ethical standpoint.

The advent of
death, process of rebirth in various planes without anything to pass
from one life to another, the evidently verifiable doctrine of Kamma and
Rebirth are fully explained.

Giving a wealth of details about
mind, Abhidhamma discusses the second factor of man-matter or rūpa.
Fundamental units of matter, material forces, properties of matter,
source of matter, relationship of mind and matter, are described.

In the Abhidhammattha Sangaha there is a brief exposition of the Law of
Dependent Origination, followed by a descriptive account of the Causal
Relations that finds no parallel in any other philosophy.

A physicist should not delve into Abhidhamma to get a thorough knowledge of physics.

It should be made clear that Abhidhamma does not attempt to give a
systematized knowledge of mind and matter. It investigates these two
composite factors of so-called being to help the understanding of things
as they truly are. A philosophy has been developed on these lines.
Based on that philosophy, an ethical system has been evolved to realize
the ultimate goal, Nibbāna.

As Mrs. Rhys Davids rightly says,
Abhidhamma deals with “(1) What we find (a) within us (b) around us and
of (2) what we aspire to find.”

In Abhidhamma all irrelevant
problems that interest students and scholars, but having no relation to
one’s Deliverance, are deliberately set aside.

The Abhidhammattha
Sangaha, the authorship of which is attributed to venerable Anuruddha
Thera, an Indian monk of Kanjevaram (Kāñcipura), gives an epitome of the
entire Abhidhamma Pitaka. It is still the most fitting introduction to
Abhidhamma. By mastering this book, a general knowledge of Abhidhamma
may easily be acquired.

To be a master of Abhidhamma all the
seven books, together with commentaries and sub-commentaries, have to be
read and re-read patiently and critically.

Abhidhamma is not a subject of fleeting interest designed for the superficial reader.

To the wise truth-seekers, Abhidhamma is an indispensable guide and an
intellectual treat. Here there is food for thought to original thinkers
and to earnest students who wish to increase their wisdom and lead an
ideal Buddhist life.

However, to the superficial, Abhidhamma must appear as dry as dust.

It may be questioned, “Is Abhidhamma absolutely essential to realize
Nibbāna, the summum bonum of Buddhism, or even to comprehend things as
they truly are?”

Undoubtedly Abhidhamma is extremely helpful to
comprehend fully the word of the Buddha and realize Nibbāna, as it
presents a key to open the door of reality. It deals with realities and a
practical way of noble living, based on the experience of those who
have understood and realized. Without a knowledge of the Abhidhamma one
at times’ finds it difficult to understand the real significance of some
profound teachings of the Buddha. To develop Insight (vipassanā)
Abhidhamma is certainly very useful.

But one cannot positively assert that Abhidhamma is absolutely necessary to gain one’s Deliverance.

Understanding or realization is purely personal (sanditthika). The four
Noble Truths that form the foundation of the Buddha’s teaching are
dependent on this one fathom body. The Dhamma is not apart from oneself.
Look within, Seek thyself. Lo, the truth will unfold itself.

Did
not sorrow-afflicted Patācārā, who lost her dear and near ones, realize
Nibbāna; reflecting on the disappearance of water that washed her feet?

Did not Cūlapanthaka, who could not memorize a verse even for four
months, attain Arahantship by comprehending the impermanent nature of a
clean handkerchief that he was handling, gazing at the sun?

Did not Upatissa, later venerable Sāriputta Thera, realize Nibbāna, on hearing half a stanza relating to cause and effect?

To some a fallen withered leaf alone was sufficient to attain Pacceka Buddha hood.

It was mindfulness on respiration (ānāpāna-sati) that acted as the basis for the Bodhisatta to attain Buddha hood.

To profound thinkers, a slight indication is sufficient to discover great truths.

According to some scholars, Abhidhamma is not a teaching of the Buddha, but is a later elaboration of scholastic monks.

Tradition, however, attributes the nucleus of the Abhidhamma to the Buddha Himself.

Commentators state that the Buddha, as a mark of gratitude to His
mother who was born in a celestial plane, preached the Abhidhamma to His
mother Deva and others continuously for three months. The principal
topics (mātikā) of the advanced teaching such as moral states (kusalā
dhammā), immoral states (akusalā dhammā) and indeterminate states
(abyākatā dhammā), etc., were taught by the Buddha to venerable
Sāriputta Thera, who subsequently elaborated them in the six books
(Kathāvatthu being excluded) that comprise the Abhidhamma Pitaka.

Whoever the great author or authors of the Abhidhamma may have been, it
has to be admitted that he or they had intellectual genius comparable
only to that of the Buddha. This is evident from the intricate and
subtle Patthāna Pakarana which minutely describes the various causal
relations.

It is very difficult to suggest an appropriate English equivalent for Abhidhamma.

There are many technical terms, too, in Abhidhamma which cannot be
rendered into English so as to convey their exact connotation. Some
English equivalents such as consciousness, will, volition, intellect,
perception are used in a specific sense in Western Philosophy. Readers
should try to understand in what sense these technical terms are
employed in Abhidhamma. To avoid any misunderstanding, due to
preconceived views, Pāli words, though at times cumbersome to those not
acquainted with the language, have judiciously been retained wherever
the English renderings seem to be inadequate. To convey the correct
meaning implied by the Pāli terms, the etymology has been given in many
instances.

At times Pāli technical terms have been used in
preference to English renderings so that the reader may be acquainted
with them and not get confused with English terminology.

Sometimes readers will come across unusual words such as corruption,
defilement, volitional activities, functional, resultants, and so forth,
which are of great significance from an Abhidhamma standpoint. Their
exact meaning should be clearly understood.

In preparing this
translation, Buddhist Psychology by Mrs. Rhys Davids and the Compendium
of Philosophy (Abhidhammattha Sangaha) by Mr. Shwe Zan Aung proved
extremely helpful to me. Liberty has been taken to quote them wherever
necessary with due acknowledgment.

My grateful thanks are due to
the Kandy Buddhist Publication Society for the printing of this fourth
revised volume, to the printers for expediting the printing, to Miss
Rañjani Goonatilaka for correcting the proofs, and to Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi
for his useful suggestions.

Above all I have to thank Mr.
Lankatilaka, a most distinguished artist of Sri Lanka, for his beautiful
and symbolical dust jacket design.

Nārada 14.7.1978/2522.

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