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lives retold at the request of the Venerable S�riputta. Whereas the J�taka
is concerned with the Buddha's previous existences from the time of
Sumedha, the hermit, till he becomes Gotama Buddha, Cariy� Pi�aka
deals only with thirty-five of the existences of the Bodhisatta in this last
world cycle. The Venerable S�riputta's object in making the request is to
bring out into bold relief the indomitable will, the supreme effort, the
peerless sacrifice with which the Bodhisatta conducts himself in
fulfilment of the ten p�ram�s (virtues towards Perfection).
The Bodhisatta has, throughout innumerable ages, fulfilled the ten
p�ram�s for countless number of times. Cariy� Pi�aka records such
performances in thirty-five existences, selecting seven out of the ten
p�ram�s, and recounts how each p�ram� is accomplished in each of these
existences. Ten stories in the first vagga are concerned with accumulation
of virtues in alms-giving, the second vagga has ten stories on the practice
of morality and the last vagga mentions fifteen stories, five of them
dealing with renunciation, one with firm determination, six with
truthfulness, two with loving-kindness and one with equanimity.
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(16) Netti and (17) Pe�akopadesa
The two small works, Netti, made up of seven chapters, and
Pe�akopadesa, made up of eight chapters, are different from the other books
of the Tipi�aka because they are exegetical and methodological in nature.
(18) Milindapa�ha P�i
Milindapa�ha P�i is the last of the books which constitute
Khuddaka Nik�ya. It records the questions asked by King Milinda and
the answers given by the Venerable N�gasena some five hundred years
after the Parinibb�na of the Buddha. King Milinda was Yonaka (Graeco-
Bactrian) ruler of S�gala. He was very learned and highly skilled in the
art of debating. The Venerable N�gasena, a fully accomplished Arahat,
was on a visit to S�gala at the request of the Sa�gha.
King Milinda, who wanted to have some points on the Dhamma
clarified, asked the Venerable N�gasena abstruse questions concerning
the nature of man, his survival after death, and other doctrinal aspects of
the Dhamma. The Venerable N�gasena gave him satisfactory replies on
each question asked. These erudite questions and answers on the
Teaching of the Buddha are compiled into the book known as the
Milindapa�ha P�i.
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Chapter IX
WHAT IS ABHIDHAMMA PI�AKA?
(a) Abhidhamma, the Higher Teaching of the Buddha.
Abhidhamma is the third great division of the Pi�aka. It is a huge
collection of systematically arranged, tabulated and classified doctrines
of the Buddha, representing the quintessence of his Teaching.
Abhidhamma means Higher Teaching or Special Teaching; it is unique in
its abstruseness, analytical approach, immensity of scope and
conduciveness to one's liberation.
The Buddha dhamma has only one taste, the taste of liberation. But
in Suttanta discourses, the Buddha takes into consideration the
intellectual level of his audience, and their attainments in p�ram�. He
therefore teaches the dhamma in conventional terms (voh�ra vacana),
making references to persons and objects as I, we, he, she, man, woman,
cow, tree, etc. But in Abhidhamma the Buddha makes no such
concessions; he treats the dhamma entirely in terms of the ultimate reality
(Paramattha sacca). He analyses every phenomenon into its ultimate
constituents. All relative concepts such as man, mountain, etc. are
reduced to their ultimate elements which are then precisely defined,
classified and systematically arranged.
Thus in Abhidhamma everything is expressed in terms of khandhas,
five aggregates of existence; �yatanas, five sensory organs and mind, and
their respective sense objects; dh�tu, elements; indriya, faculties; sacca,
fundamental truths; and so on. Relative conceptual objects such as man,
woman, etc. are resolved into ultimate components of khandhas,
�yatanas, etc. and viewed as an impersonal psycho-physical
phenomenon, which is conditioned by various factors and is impermanent
(anicca), suffering (dukkha) and is without a permanent entity (anatta).
Having resolved all phenomena into ultimate components
analytically (as in Dhammasa�ga�� and Vibha�ga) it aims at synthesis by
defining inter-relations (paccaya) between the various constituent factors
(as in Pa��h�na). Thus Abhidhamma forms a gigantic edifice of
knowledge relating to the ultimate realities which, in its immensity of
scope, grandeur, subtlety, and profundity, properly belongs only to the
intellectual domain of the Buddha.
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(b) The seven books of Abhidhamma.
The Suttanta Pi�aka also contains discourses dealings with
analytical discussions and conditional relationship of the five aggregates.
Where the need arises subjects such as the five aggregates, �yatanas, etc.
are mentioned in the sutta discourses. But they are explained only briefly
by what is known as the Sutta Method of Analysis (Suttanta bh�jan�ya),
giving bare definitions with limited descriptions. For example, khandhas,
the five aggregates, are enumerated as the corporeal aggregate, the
aggregate of sensation, the aggregate of perception; the aggregate of
mental formations (volitional activities) and the aggregate of [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]