Rhys Davids

Psychological Ethics Rhys Davids

A Buddhist Manual of Psychological Ethics: Translation of the first book Abhidhammapitaka entitled Dhammasangani, Compendium of States or Phenomena In any consideration of Abhidhamma studies the term to be examined before all others is ìmatika.î The reason for this lies in the method adopted throughout the Abhidhammapitaka of examining the nature and behaviour of the many states, mental and material, which in accord with the fundamental principles of anicca, dukkha and anatta are shown to arise and pass away throughout the whole continuity of process which existence is demonstrated to be. Each of the seven books of the Abhidhamma Pitaka is considered to have its own matika, and these have been commented upon at some length in Mohavicchedani (P. T. S. edition 1961). This work is considered to have been compiled by a certain Kassapa Thera at the request of his pupils. The text, classified in Burma as one the nine "littlefinger" manuals, was probably written in the early thirteenth century at the Naganana Vihara in the Cola country of southern India. It is a most valuable work in that it summarizes the whole of Abhidhamma Pitaka, book by book, from Dhammasa?gani to Patthana. Pali Text Society, Translation Series, No. 41