A lucid explanation of the basic contours of the Theravada Abhidamma system for serious students of Buddhist thought. The renowned Sri Lankan scholar Y. Karunadasa examines Abhidhamma perspectives on the nature of phenomenal existence. He begins with a discussion of dhamma theory, which describes the bare phenomena that form the world of experience. He then explains the Abhidhamma view that only dhammas are real, and that anything other than these basic phenomena are conceptual constructs. This, he argues, is Abhidhamma’s answer to common-sense realism—the mistaken view that the world as it appears to us is ultimately real. Among the other topics discussed are the theory of double truth (ultimate and conceptual truth), the analysis of mind, the theory of cognition, the analysis of matter, the nature of time and space, the theory of momentary being, and conditional relations. The volume concludes with an appendix that examines why the Theravada came to be known as Vibhajjavada, “the doctrine of analysis.” Not limiting himself to abstract analysis, Karunadasa draws out the Abhidhamma’s underlying premises and purposes. The Abhidhamma provides a detailed description of reality in order to identify the sources of suffering and their antidotes—and in doing so, to free oneself.

This comprehensive and detailed survey of the first six centuries of Indian Buddhism sums up the results of a lifetime of research and reflection by one of Japan's most renowned scholars of Buddhism.

The notion of 'view' or 'opinion' (ditthi) as an obstacle to 'seeing things as they are' is a central concept in Buddhist thought. Through its argument this book makes a valuable addition to the study of Buddhist philosophy.

Research Paper (undergraduate) from the year 2015 in the subject Theology - Miscellaneous, grade: 3.80, , course: Master Degree in Buddhist Studies, language: English, abstract: The Dhammasangani is a summary of the key principles of the other six books of the Pāli Abhidhamma Pitaka. Its contents was written according to the Buddha’s teaching, which uncover every latent and functional bits of our subtler interior strata that comprises the 89 consciousness, the 52 mental concomitants, and total 279 corporeal phenomena—explicitly analyse and explain these often unseen complexities within us, from the psychological, philosophical, moral and ethical aspects. This is a book which lays the solid foundation theories and principles for its practical side of the Samantha-Vipassanā. The present work is the result of almost a year of inquiry into the fundamental tenets of the Dhammasangani in the Theravada school of Abhidhamma. There were daunting yet enriching challenges in the preparation of the work such as the encounters with sometimes the ambiguous or different explanations for certain terms and principles from some of the translated modern literatures of the Dhammasangani. For such cases I made consultation to the Pāli texts of the Dhammasangani, to its commentary Atthasālinī and the sub-commentary Dhammasangani-Mūlatīkā. Subsequent consultations to the Pāli-English dictionaries by P.T.S. and others, are also sometimes faced with different renderings. My decision in such cases was including all their suggested meanings relevant to that context, and sometimes giving my recommended choice to what looked like is the obvious answer, and stating my reasons whenever that was necessary. Another difficult task was to still following the topical layout of the Dhammasanghani but to steer clear of its traditional way of catechetical exposition, and at the same time able to present as much as of its theories and essence as possible. We know that a well-presented table speaks a thousand words. Hence the several tables that I have created and every detailed explanations followed thereto, should be the effective analytical study guides for the new students. The concept of the tables and also much of the contents of the work, have drawn a great deal of the ideas from post-canonical literatures of the Abhidhammattha-sangaha, Visuddhimagga, and the mentioned Chinese sources. My decision to also include the succinct Chinese definitions for the Abhidhamma terminologies is primarily to facilitate those bilingual readers to more comprehensibly understand the connotative nuances of the words in Pāli, by comparison of the English and Chinese translations.

Theravada Buddhism provides a comprehensive introductory overview of the history, teachings, and current practice of an often misunderstood form of one of the world’s oldest religious traditions. Explores Theravada Buddhism’s origins, evolution, teachings, and practices Considers the practice of Theravada beyond Sri Lanka and Thailand, by exploring a wealth of material from countries including Bangladesh, Cambodia, and Vietnam Reveals its rich and varied traditions, and corrects common misunderstandings about links to other practices, such as early Buddhism or Hinayana Buddhism Incorporates student-friendly features including a glossary and other study aids

Astavakragita (The Song of the Self Supreme) contains the Sanskrit text of Astavakragita (both in Nagari and Roman script), its English translation, Exegesis and Glossarial Index. It presents in twenty chapters the substance of Astavakra`s teaching in respect of the Cosmic Self in the form of his dialogue with Janaka, the seer-king of Videha. The teaching is based on the Upanisadic creed of Absolute monism (Advaitavada) that identifies the Self with the non-dual Ultimate Reality. But the contribution of Astavakra is also immense, for he has introduced the element of emotional experience or the mystical feeling as the means for realizing the non-dual nature of the Self. Written in a lucid style and dealing systematically with the subject matter, the book will hold a unique position among the contemplative classics of the world.

This is the classical introduction to the study of Abhidhamma, the Buddhist philosophy of mind and mental processes. The work contains a translation of Acariya Anuruddha's Abhidhammattha-sangaha along with the Pali text and a detailed explanatory guide to this ancient philosophical psychology. A long introduction explains the basic principles of the Abhidhamma. Includes 48 charts and tables.

For those who approach Buddhism as a system of mental development, this book is a reliable and accessible guide to understanding the significance of themes from the Pali discourses. Themes include grasping, right view, craving, passion, contemplation of feeling, happiness, and liberation. A rare combination of scholarly rigor and extensive meditation experience from the author provides veracity to these studies and explorations.

This book contains fifteen numbers of the renowned Wheel Publication series, dealing with various aspects of the Buddha’s teaching. Wheel Publication No. 216: The Buddhist Attitude to Other Religions by K. N. Jayatilleke; 217-220: An Analysis of the Pali Canon by Russell Webb; 221-224: Kamma and Its Fruit by Leonard A. Bullen, Nina van Gorkom,Bhikkhu Nanajivako, Nyanaponika Thera,Francis Story; 225: Buddhism and Sex by M. O'C. Walshe; 226-230: A Technique of Living by Leonard A. Bullen;