lec. 6 the explanation of tipitaka in brief by atthakathacariya

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Lec. 6 The explanation of Tipitaka in brief by Atthakathacariya, Dr. Jutamas Vareesangthip

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Page 1: Lec. 6 the explanation of tipitaka in brief by atthakathacariya

Lec. 6 The explanation of Tipitaka in brief by Atthakathacariya,

Dr. Jutamas Vareesangthip

Page 2: Lec. 6 the explanation of tipitaka in brief by atthakathacariya

Atthakathācariyā• Atthakathācariyā.-Composers (?) of

the Commentaries. They lived prior to Buddhaghosa, because he refers to them.

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Atthakathācariyā• Buddhaghosa makes use of several other

authorities which show a close connection with the atthakatha. In fact, it is quite possible that some of them were found incorporated in the Sinhala commentaries. The various authorities cited are a clue to the philosophical and literary activity of the time and it would have been only surprising if the commentaries had remained static.

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• Two terms closely connected with atthakatha were atthakathika and atthakathacariya. “Those who studied and handed down the atthakatha were known as the atthakathikas. By the other term were generally understood the teachers (acariya), responsible for the compilation of the atthakatha.

Atthakathācariyā

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• Buddhaghosa holds the atthakathacariyas in high esteem and says that they knew the intentions of the Buddha and that, therefore, their word should he taken as authority”. The views of these atthakathacariyas are scattered throughout the commentaries. Quotations from them are given, often in prose and sometimes in verse.

Atthakathācariyā

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• The opinion of the acariyas is also sometimes quoted. This referred to the opinion of great teachers like Mahapaduma. The authority of Acariyanam samanatthakatha (similar expositions of the teachers) is often cited as opposed to the views of the Vitandavadins (unorthodox sectarians).

Atthakathācariyā

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• The commentaries contain numerous quotations from the porana (ancients), most often in verse but sometimes in prose, which for the most part are introduced with words tenahu porana, ’therefore the ancients say.’ The frequency of these quotations and the manner in which they are introduced show that they formed a very important and authoritative source of the commentaries on all the three Pitakas.

Atthakathācariyā

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• It is not known whether Buddhaghosa found them already included in the Sinhala commentaries. Closely associated with the porana were the poranacariya and the pubbacariya whose views are also contained in the Pali commentaries. There were also the poranakatthera whose opinions are regarded with less authority than the foregoing.

Atthakathācariyā

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• The relationship between these has not been definitely established and various views have been expressed. Some have identified the porana with the poranatthakatha while others do not agree with this. [See Oldenberg, Dipavamsa intr.; Geiger, Dipavamsa and Mahavamsa; Law, Life and Work of Buddhaghosa—Foreword; Malalasekera, Pali Literature of Ceylon, p. 92; Vamsatthappakasini—Intr. pp. lxi f.; Adikaram op. cit. pp. 16-22]

Atthakathācariyā

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• The Pali commentaries have also made fairly wide use of the traditions handed down by the bhanaka (’the reciters’). Differences in views between the different bhanakas have been recorded. As in the case of the quotations from the porana it is not known whether the views of the bhanakas were already found in the Sinhala commentaries or, alternatively, in what form they were available.

Atthakathācariyā

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• There are also references to the different views held by the vinayadharas and the suttantikas. The view of the abhidhammikas is also recorded. The derivation of words by the akkharacintakas, the grammarians, is given with the alternative derivation of the atthakathacariyas.

Atthakathācariyā

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• ’Monks living beyond the sea’ (parasamuddavasi), presumably Indian, have also had their share of contribution to religious discussion. Their views are recorded in the Papañcasudani. Apart from these opinions of groups of monks and teachers, the individual views of certain eminent bhikkhus, who had a specialised knowledge of the canon, have also found their way into the commentaries. They were, undoubtedly, greatly respected bhikkhus, for their views to have assumed such importance.

Atthakathācariyā

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• Among the individual opinions recorded are those of Dighabhanaka Tipitaka Mahasiva, Tipitaka Culabhaya, Tipitaka Culanaga, Tipitaka Maha-Dhammarakkhita, Moravapivasi Mahadatta and Mahasiva thera.

Atthakathācariyā

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A Brief Introduction to Pali Commentaries

• The word 'Atthakatha' derives from the two words of Attha (meaning of a particular subject) and Katha (explanation or expression of it). Therefore, Atthakatha means the explanation of the meaning of a particular subject. The word 'Tika' means some more detailed explanation on some part of the commentary.

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• At the time of the Buddha, there were sixteen states in India. Magadha was one of the largest and the most populous. The most common language was then Magadhi. The Gotama Buddha used the Magadhi language for his teaching, instead of his own Sakyan language.

A Brief Introduction to Pali Commentaries

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• Throughout 2550 years of the journey of Buddhism, the teachings of the Buddha were taught in Magadha, thus preserving the language, Magadhi, honoured as 'Pali' teachings of the Buddha.

A Brief Introduction to Pali Commentaries

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• There are many sources found in the Pali Cannon (Tipitaka) that the Buddha made commentaries when he gave his teachings.

A Brief Introduction to Pali Commentaries

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• In his very first sermon called 'Dhammacakkapavattana-sutta' of Suttanta-pitaka (the Basket of Discourses), the Buddha briefly taught 'jatipi dukkha' (birth is suffering), but in the discourse of 'Mahasatipatthana-sutta', he gave a detailed explanation of the word 'jati' as ‘jāti sañjāti okkanti abhinibbatti khandhānaṃ pātubhāvo āyatanānaṃ paṭilābho '[1].

A Brief Introduction to Pali Commentaries

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• [1] Birth is the production, the outcome, the rising up in a new form, the appearance of the Groups, the acquisition of sense-spheres, by this or that being in this or that class of beings. This is what is called birth.

• Though these words seem to be synonyms, they describe the hidden meaning of 'jati' in detail.

A Brief Introduction to Pali Commentaries

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• In Vinaya pitaka (the Basket of Disciplines), the Buddha gave very detailed accounts of the word 'methunadhammo' - as ' asaddhammo gāmadhammo vasaladhammo duṭṭhullaṃ odakantikaṃ rahassaṃ dvayaṃdvayasamāpatti '[2].

A Brief Introduction to Pali Commentaries

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• [2] Sexual intercourse means: what is not verily dhamma, village dhamma, low-caste dhamma, wickedness, the final ablution, secrecy, having obtained in couples: this is called sexual intercourse.

A Brief Introduction to Pali Commentaries

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• Also in Abhidhamma pitaka (the Basket of Utimate Teaching), the Buddha threw light on the word 'phasso' - as 'phusana samphusana samphusitattam'[3]

A Brief Introduction to Pali Commentaries

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• [3] The contact which on that occasion is touching, the being brought into contact, the state of having been brought into touch with – this is the contact that there then is.

A Brief Introduction to Pali Commentaries

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• on the word 'cittam' - as 'mano manasam hadayam pandaram manayatanam manindriyam vinnanam vinnanakkhandho'[4],

A Brief Introduction to Pali Commentaries

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• [4] The thought which on that occasion is ideation, mind, heart, that which is clear, ideation as the sphere of mind, the faculty of mind, intellect, the khandha of intellect, the appropriate element of representative intellect – this is the thought that there then is.

A Brief Introduction to Pali Commentaries

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• on the word 'piti' - as 'pamojjam Amodana pamodana haso pahaso vitti odagyam attamanata cittassa'[5], etc.

A Brief Introduction to Pali Commentaries

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• [5] The joy which on that occasion is gladness, rejoicing at, rejoicing over, mirth and merriment, felicity, exultation, transport of mind – this is the joy that there then is.

A Brief Introduction to Pali Commentaries

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• By these above references, the Buddha acted as the pioneer of all commentators and sub-commentators on his own teachings.

A Brief Introduction to Pali Commentaries

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• Take a look the 'Book of Description' (Mahaniddesa), which is composed of sixteen suttas. Fifteen suttas were expounded by the Buddha and the last sutta was taught by the Arahant Sariputta, the chief disciple of the Buddha. These sixteen suttas are the original teachings of the Buddha and Sariputta.

A Brief Introduction to Pali Commentaries

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• But the Arahant Sariputta himself made Niddesa (commentary) on these teachings. And he also made another commentary on Parayana-sutta, which is composed of 173 verses. Therefore, the Arahant Sariputta can also be called 'the great commentator' (atthakathacariya).

A Brief Introduction to Pali Commentaries

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• When the Tipitaka reach Sri-Lanka, monks in Sri-Lanka worked on commentaries (atthakatha), such as 'Kurundi-atthakatha', 'Mahapaccari-atthakatha', 'Maha-atthakatha', etc. But unfortunately the identity of the authors of those commentaries is unknown..

A Brief Introduction to Pali Commentaries

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• In CE-500 (BE-900), the great commentator named Buddhaghosa lived at Mahavihara monastery in Anuradha, Sri-Lanka. He wrote many works with reference to those earlier commentaries, especially to Maha-ahakatha. Some scholars say that the works of Buddhaghosa are the only condensed version of the earlier commentaries. Buddhaghosa wrote the following commentaries:

A Brief Introduction to Pali Commentaries

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1. Samantapasadika Atthakatha (Vinaya-pitaka)2. Kankhavitarani Atthakatha (Patimokkha)3. Sumangalavilasini Atthakatha (Dighanikaya)4. Papancasudani Atthakatha (Majjhimanikaya)5. Saratthapakasani Atthakatha (Samyuttanikaya)

A Brief Introduction to Pali Commentaries

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6. Manorathapurani Atthakatha (Anguttaranikaya)7. Atthasalini Atthakatha (Dhammasangani of Abhidhamma)8. Sammohavinodani Atthakatha (Vibhanga of Abhidhamma)9. Pancapakarana Atthakatha (the rest of Abhidhamma)10. Paramatthajotika Atthakatha (Khuddakapatha, Dhammapada, Suttanipata), and11. Visuddhimagga Atthakatha.

A Brief Introduction to Pali Commentaries

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• Not long after the great commentator's demise, another commentator named Dhammapala (CE-600) wrote the rest of commentaries on Khuddakanikaya. These include Udana, Itivuttaka, Vimana-vatthu, Peta-vatthu, Theragatha, Therigatha, Cariyapitaka, Nettippakarana

A Brief Introduction to Pali Commentaries

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• He also wrote the sub-commentaries on Dighanikaya-atthakatha, Majjhimanikaya-atthakatha, Samyuttanikaya-atthakatha, Visuddhimagga-atthakatha,Netti-atthakatha andJataka-atthakatha.

A Brief Introduction to Pali Commentaries

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• The following commentators are also very well-known in the history of Buddhism:1: Mahanama, made commentary on Patisambhidamagga of the Arahant Sariputta (early 5th AD),

A Brief Introduction to Pali Commentaries

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• 2: Upasena[6] ([6] The 15 suttas of Mahaniddesa are taught by the Buddha. The Arahant Sariputta made commentary (niddesa) on these 15 suttas (uddesa). Therefore, the works of Upasena on Culaniddesa and Mahaniddesa are not really commentaries but only sub-commentaries.)

made commentary on Culaniddesa and Mahaniddesa of the Arahant Sariputta (later 5th century AD),

A Brief Introduction to Pali Commentaries

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• 3: Buddhadatta made commentary on BuddhavaÑsa, date unknown. (5th century AD).

A Brief Introduction to Pali Commentaries

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• There are also three very well-known commentaries called 'Sangaha[7]‘([7] Saratthasangaha-atthakatha in Sinhalese by Siddhattha thera of Sri-Lanka is translated into Myanmar Pali by Ashin Kovida of Myanmar, Nay-yin monastery. And Siddhantakomudi-grammar from India is translated into Myanmar Pali called 'Saddasangaha' by the Minister, U

Phoe Hlaing.) in the world of Buddhism's scholars and students. They are as follows:

A Brief Introduction to Pali Commentaries

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• a: Abhidhammattha-sangaha atthakatha by Anuruddha Thera of Sri-Lanka,

b: Vinayasangaha atthakatha by Sariputta Thera of Sri-Lanka (CE 12),

c: Suttasangaha by the unknown author.

A Brief Introduction to Pali Commentaries

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• The above Pitakas were preserved in Magadhi (Pali) between 6th CE and 10th CE), and came to Myanmar from Sri-Lanka. When the Pitaka reached Bagan, Myanmar and Sri-Lanka became important anchors in Buddhist social development along with significant advances in culture, art, and literature.

A Brief Introduction to Pali Commentaries

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• There were often Scholar Exchange Programs between Myanmar and Sri-Lanka as the Buddhist movement moved across Asia..

A Brief Introduction to Pali Commentaries

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• Between the 8th and 11th century AD, Pali literature became highly developed in Bagan. Even kings, ministers, princesses and princes became well educated in Pali . The well-known books, Saddabindu (grammar) written by the king, Kya-swar, and Than-pyin-Tika written by the minister, Than-pyin, were the ideals.

A Brief Introduction to Pali Commentaries

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• In the middle of 11th century AD, Pali grammar was highly respected by scholars and included other works on Pali grammars and Sanskrit grammars, called 'Saddaniti', 'dhatumala, padamala and suttamala'. These were written by the scholar-monk Aggavamsa in Bagan (Arimaddana-pura).

A Brief Introduction to Pali Commentaries

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• In the mid-Innwa period (14th CE), during the reign of the king Min-khaung, the monk Ariyavamsa from Sagaing Hills wrote Manisaramanjusa-Tika in Pali, sub-commentary on Abhidhamma-pitaka. In the reign of the king Thar-lon, the monk Munindaghosa known as Taung-Phi-Lar Sayadaw (16th CE) from Sagaing Hills wrote Vinayalankara-Tika in Pali, sub-commentary on Vinaya-piÔaka.

A Brief Introduction to Pali Commentaries

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• And the monk Tejodipa known as Tilokaguru Sayadaw (17th CE) also wrote Paritta-Tika in Pali, sub-commentary on eleven parittas of Suttanta-pitaka.

• During the British Colonial period, the monk Nyanadhaja, known as Ledi-Sayadaw (1846-1923), wrote Paramatthadipani-Tika in Pali, sub-commentary on Abhidhamma.

A Brief Introduction to Pali Commentaries

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• In his book, he criticized the book Abhidhammattavibhavini-Tika written by Sumangalasami from Sri-Lanka and pointed out 325-errors of it. Then, hundreds of books appeared against Ledi-Sayadaw's comments on Abhidhammatthavibhavini-Tika. Apart from Paramatthadipani-Tika, Ledi-Sayadaw also wrote Nirutti-dipani in Pali, which is condensed from all other grammars such as Pada-rupasiddhi, Nayasa, Moggallana, Kaccayana, etc.

A Brief Introduction to Pali Commentaries

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• In Amarapura period, there was a book, which was very well-known in the history of Pali-literature and which is also a handy-book for all Pali-scholars today, named Sadhuvilasini-Silakkhandhavagga-abhinava-Tika, written by the Samgha-raja 'Ashin Nyanabhivamsa' from Maung-htaung village.

A Brief Introduction to Pali Commentaries

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• The former book called Silakkhandhavagga-Tika (porana) written by Acariya Dhammapala did not please his query. Therefore, the Samgha-raja 'Ashin Nyanabhivamsa' attempted to write new Silakkhandhavagga-Tika (abhinava).

A Brief Introduction to Pali Commentaries

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• Ashin Narada (1868-1955), also known as Mingun Jetawun Sayadaw who was the teacher (meditation instructor) of Mahasi-Sayadaw, Ashin Sobhana, wrote Petakopadesa-atthakatha and Milinda-panha-atthakatha in Pali.

• There is a great scholar monk in Mandalay named Ashin KumarabhivaÑsa known as Bamaw Sayadaw. And recently he wrote Therapadanadipani and Vipassana-nayapakaranam in Pali.

A Brief Introduction to Pali Commentaries

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• Today, Myanmar Pali Universities, Pali Colleges, and Pali institutions offer a systematic Pali curriculum in accordance with thousands of years of monastic study, and vast resources of Pali literature, including Pali, Pali-atthakatha, Pali-Tika, and Pali grammars.

A Brief Introduction to Pali Commentaries

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• They offer students three levels, Pali-primary, Pali-high-school and Pali-Dhammabhandagarika (Pitaka- master). The Myanmar government administers the system through the Ministry of Religious Affairs and its Cabinet-level Minister. All examination records, applicants and degree programs are maintained through its governing boards.

A Brief Introduction to Pali Commentaries

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• It should be noted that though Pali, the language of Magadha, is related to Sanskrit and Prakrit languages, it is a unique and commonly used language with a strong heritage of thousands of years of study.With the help of the above references, it can be easily understood that the Buddha and the Arahant Sariputta were the great commentators. It also logically follows that Buddhaghosa, Dhammapala, Buddhadatta, etc., were the great sub-commentators.

A Brief Introduction to Pali Commentaries

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