An Analysis of the Abhidhammatthasaogaha

An Analysis of the Abhidhammatthasaogaha is a transcription of a series of lectures given by an unknown author in a monastary in Burma. The transcription was found in the library of Chanmay Meditation Centre in Burma by the German Manfred Wierich who digitalized them. What is presented here only covers the first chapter of the Abhidhammatthasaògaha; the remaining chapters have not yet been found. Download the illustrated book here as a pdf ebook (181 pages):

An Analysis of the Abhidhammatthasaogaha

What is the Abhidhammatthasaogaha?

The “Abhidhammattha Sangaha” is a comprehensive manual of Abhidhamma, the higher teachings of the Theravada Buddhist tradition. This text serves as an introductory guide to the Abhidhamma literature and offers a detailed, systematic, and non-sectarian exposition of the Abhidhamma teachings.

Written by Acariya Anuruddha, a 12th-century Theravada Buddhist monk, the “Abhidhammattha Sangaha” succinctly presents the main themes and principles of Abhidhamma, including:

1. Ultimate Realities (Paramattha Dhammas): It outlines the basic categories of ultimate reality, such as consciousness (citta), mental factors (cetasikas), matter (rūpa), and Nirvana (Nibbāna).
2. Mental Processes: The text discusses how consciousness and mental factors interoperate within the mind.
3. Matter (Rūpa): It describes the material elements and their interaction with the mind.
4. Dependent Origination (Paticca Samuppada): This section covers the chain of causes and effects that lead to suffering and the cycle of rebirth.
5. Meditative States (Jhānas): It details the stages of concentration and meditative absorptions.
6. Path to Liberation: The text outlines the path towards enlightenment and the cessation of suffering, as understood in Theravada Buddhism.

The “Abhidhammattha Sangaha” is renowned for its clarity and conciseness, making it a frequently studied text in Theravada monastic education and a valuable resource for lay practitioners interested in deepening their understanding of Buddhist philosophy and practice.