Abhidhamma Studies: Buddhist Explorations of Consciousness and Time by Nyanaponika Thera (PDF)

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The Abhidhamma, the third great division of early Buddhist teaching, expounds a revolutionary system of philosophical psychology rooted in the twin Buddhist insights of selflessness and dependent origination. In keeping with the liberative thrust of early Buddhism, this system organizes the entire spectrum of human consciousness around the two poles of Buddhist doctrine – bondage and liberation, Samsara and Nirvana – the starting point and the final goal. It thereby maps out, with remarkable rigour and precision, the inner landscape of the mind to be crossed through the practical work of Buddhist meditation.In this book of groundbreaking essays, Venerable Nyanaponika Thera, one of our age’s foremost exponents of Theravada Buddhism, attempts to penetrate beneath the formidable face of the Abhidhamma and to make its principles intelligible to the thoughtful reader of today. His point of focus is the Consciousness Chapter of the Dhammasangani, the first treatise of the Abhidhamma Pitaka. Basing his interpretation on the detailed list of mental factors that the Abhidhamma uses as a guide to psychological analysis, he launches into bold explorations in the multiple dimensions of conditionality, the nature of consciousness, the temporality of experience, and the psychological springs of spiritual transformation. Innovative and rich in insights, this book does not merely open up new avenues in the academic study of early Buddhism. By treating the Abhidhamma as a fountainhead of inspiration for philosophical and psychological inquiry, it demonstrates the continuing relevance of Buddhist thought to our most astute contemporary efforts to understand the elusive yet so intimate nature of the mind.

User’s Reviews

Editorial Reviews: Review “A learned and carefully reasoned inquiry into the workings of the mind from a Buddhist perspective… a challenging yet important work.” ― Religious Studies Review”Abhidhamma is a systemization of reality as it concerns the final goal the Buddha’s teaching, ‘liberation from suffering.’ Abhidhamma Studies rigorously maps out the inner landscape of the mind to be crossed through Buddhist meditation.” ― Research News and Opportunities in Science and Theology”I am greatly honored to welcome this new English edition of Nyanaponika Thera’s brilliant work, rendered even more valuable by the addition of an instructive and lucid introduction by Bhikkhu Bodhi.” — Prof. P.S. Jaini, UC Berkeley, Buddhist Studies”Delightful and thought-provoking… Essential reading for any serious student of Buddhism. Additionally, it will appeal to those interested in a wide variety of phenomenological and ontological issues… I heartily recommend reading it from cover to cover.” — Douglas W, Shrader, SUNY Oneonta, in his review in Philosophy East & West”Students of Buddhism will find this an important guide.” ― The Bookwatch”Groundbreaking…innovative and rich in insights…valued and informative contribution to Buddhist studies.” ― Wisconsin Bookwatch”Interesting and important ideas…” ― Journal of Buddhist Ethics About the Author Nyanaponika Thera, a German-born Buddhist monk, was a scholar, translator, and founder of The Buddhist Publication Society in Sri Lanka. Thera died in 1994 at the age of 93.Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi is an American Buddhist monk from New York City, born in 1944. He obtained a BA in philosophy from Brooklyn College and a PhD in philosophy from Claremont Graduate School. After completing his university studies he traveled to Sri Lanka, where he received novice ordination in 1972 and full ordination in 1973, both under the leading Sri Lankan scholar-monk, Ven. Balangoda Ananda Maitreya (1896-1998). From 1984 to 2002 he was the editor for the Buddhist Publication Society in Kandy, where he lived for ten years with the senior German monk, Ven. Nyanaponika Thera (1901-1994), at the Forest Hermitage. He returned to the U.S. in 2002. He currently lives and teaches at Chuang Yen Monastery in Carmel, New York. Ven. Bodhi has many important publications to his credit, either as author, translator, or editor. These include The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha (Majjhima Nikaya, 1995), The Connected Discourses of the Buddha (Samyutta Nikaya, 2000), and The Numerical Discourses of the Buddha (Anguttara Nikaya, 2012). In 2008, together with several of his students, Ven. Bodhi founded Buddhist Global Relief, a nonprofit supporting hunger relief, sustainable agriculture, and education in countries suffering from chronic poverty and malnutrition. Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved. Abhidhamma StudiesEXCERPTChapter 1: The Abhidhamma Philosophy: Its Estimation in the Past, Its Value for the PresentThe High Esteem for the Abhidhamma in Buddhist TraditionThe Abhidhamma Pitaka, or the Philosophical Collection, forms the third great section of the Buddhist Pali Canon (Tipitaka). In its most characteristic parts it is a system of classifications, analytical enumerations, and definitions, with no discursive treatment of the subject matter. In particular its two most important books, the Dhammasangani and the Patthana, have the appearance of huge collections of systematically arranged tabulations, accompanied by definitions of the terms used in the tables. This, one would expect, is a type of literature scarcely likely to gain much popular appreciation. Yet the fact remains that the Abhidhamma has always been highly esteemed and even venerated in the countries of Theravada Buddhism.Two examples taken from the chronicles of Sri Lanka illustrate this high regard for the Abhidhamma. In the tenth century C.E., on the order of King Kassapa V, the whole Abhidhamma Pitaka was inscribed on gold plates, and the first of these books, the Dhammasangani, was set with jewels. When the work was completed, the precious manuscripts were taken in a huge procession to a beautiful monastery and deposited there. Another king of Lanka, Vijayabahu (eleventh century), used to study the Dhammasangani in the early morning before he took up his royal duties, and he prepared a translation of it into Sinhala, which however has not been preserved.What were the reasons for such an extraordinary esteem for material that appears at first glance to consist of no more than dry and unattractive textbooks? And what actual importance do the two basic works of the Abhidhamma in particular, the Dhammasangani and the Patthana, still have today? These are the questions that we shall attempt to answer here.In considering the reasons for this high esteem and regard for the Abhidhamma, we may leave aside any manifestation of faith, more or less unquestioning, that evokes in the devotee a certain awe owing to the very abstruseness and bulk of these books. That apart, we may find a first explanation in the immediate impression on susceptible minds that they are faced here by a gigantic edifice of penetrative insight, which in its foundations and its layout cannot well be ascribed to a lesser mind than that of a Buddha; and this first impression will find growing confirmation in the gradual process of comprehending these teachings.According to the Theravada tradition the Abhidhamma is the domain proper of the Buddhas (buddhavisaya), and its initial conception in the Master’s mind (manasa desana) is traced to the time immediately after the Great Enlightenment. It was in the fourth of the seven weeks spent by the Master in the vicinity of the Bodhi Tree that the Abhidhamma was conceived. These seven days were called by the teachers of old “the Week of the House of Gems” (ratanaghara-sattaha). “The House of Gems” is indeed a very befitting expression for the crystal-clear edifice of Abhidhamma thought in which the Buddha dwelt during that period.The Abhidhamma as System and MethodThose who have an eye for the ingenious and the significant in the architecture of great edifices of thought will probably be impressed first by the Abhidhamma’s structural qualities, its wide compass, its inner consistency, and its far-reaching implications. The Abhidhamma offers an impressive systematization of the whole of reality as far as it is of concern to the final goal of the Buddha’s teaching–liberation from craving and suffering; for it deals with actuality from an exclusively ethical and psychological viewpoint and with a definite practical purpose.A strikingly impressive feature of the Abhidhamma is its analysis of the entire realm of consciousness. The Abhidhamma is the first historical attempt to map the possibilities of the human mind in a thorough and realistic way, without admixture of metaphysics and mythology. This system provides a method by which the enormous welter of facts included or implied in it can be subordinated to, and be utilized by, the liberating function of knowledge, which in the Buddha’s teaching is the essential task and the greatest value of true understanding. This organizing and mustering of knowledge for such a purpose cannot fail to appeal to the practical thinker.The Abhidhamma may also be regarded as a systematization of the doctrines contained, or implicit, in the Sutta Pitaka, the Collection of Discourses. It formulates these doctrines in strictly philosophical (paramattha) or truly realistic (yathabhuta) language that as far as possible employs terms descriptive of functions and processes without any of the conventional (vohara) and unrealistic concepts that assume a personality, an agent (as different from the act), a soul, or a substance.These remarks about the systematizing import of the Abhidhamma may perhaps create the impression in the reader that the Abhidhamma is no more than “a mere method with only a formalistic function.” Leaving aside the fact that this is not so, as we shall see later, let us first quote, against this somewhat belittling attitude, a word of Friedrich Nietzsche, himself certainly no friend of rigid systematization: “Scientific spirit rests upon insight into the method.”For the preeminently practical needs of the Buddhist the Abhidhamma fulfills the requirements stated by Bertrand Russell: “A complete description of the existing world would require not only a catalogue of the things, but also a mention of all their qualities and relations.” A systematic “catalogue of things” together with their qualities, or better “functions,” is given in the first book of the Abhidhamma, the Dhammasangani, a title that could well be rendered “A Catalogue (or Compendium) of Things”; and the relations, or the conditionality, of these things are treated in the Patthana.Some who consider themselves “strong-minded” have called systems “a refuge of feeble minds.” While it must be admitted that the conceptual labels supplied by systems (including the Abhidhamma) have often been misused as a surrogate for correct comprehension of reality, this does not mean that the fault lies in systematic thought itself. The fault lies, rather, in the attitude with which a system is developed and the use to which it is put. If systematic thought is cautiously and critically applied, it can fulfill a valuable function, providing “weapons of defense” against the overwhelming assault of innumerable internal and external impressions on the human mind. This unceasing influx of impressions, by sheer weight of number and diversity alone, can be either overpowering and fascinating or else confusing, intimidating, distracting, even dissolving. The only means by which the human mind can assimilate this vast world of plurality (papanca), at least partly, is with the aid of systematic and methodical thought. But systems may also be “aggressive weapons” when wielded by a mind that through its power of understanding tries to control and master the numerous experiences, actions, and reactions occurring in our inner and outer world, subordinating them to its own purposes.The Abhidhamma system, however, is not concerned with an artificial, abstract world of “objects in themselves.” Insofar as it deals with external facts at all, the respective concepts relate those “external facts” to the bondage or liberation of the human mind; or they are terms auxiliary to the tasks of the understanding and mental training connected with the work of liberation.The basically dynamic character of the Abhidhamma system, and of the concepts it employs, goes far in preventing both rigidity and any artificial simplification of a complex and ever-changing world–the faults that those inimical to them find in all “systems.” System and method bring order, coherence, and meaning into what often appears to be a world of isolated facts, which becomes amenable to our purposes only by a methodical approach. This holds true for the system of the Abhidhamma, too, in regard to the highest purpose: mind’s liberation from ignorance and suffering. Read more

Reviews from Amazon users which were colected at the time this book was published on the website:

⭐I read this book in two days. I read it with a highlighter in hand, and let me say, there was plenty of content that was significant enough to mark.This book offers enough information to be of help to the academic who is looking to begin Abhidhammic studies, and to the practitioner who is looking for a clear way to navigate and reconcile the diverse ways in which Buddhist teachings are described in various texts.When reading Buddhist literature, I found it challenging that subjects such as the famous Anatta doctrine would be discussed, yet the one discussing it would refer to the student as an individual. It seemed contradictory to me. This book explains such issues in more conventional or soteriological texts, as well as using language that is consistent with Buddhist thought. In other words, there is no discussion of a self. There is only discussion of factors. There is no discussion a person or agent, but of the factor of intention or volition.Another great achievement of this book is that it highlights both the analytic and synthetic components of this philosophy. The Abhidhamma, although it begins with an analysis and division of conscious states into their respective atomistic compartments, it simultaneously demonstrates that these compartments are only half of the reality. The compartments or “psychic [psychological] atoms” are not unchanging qualities just because they cannot be reduced further. Rather, they are defined by their relations to other present qualities, and in fact one quality, in the presence of other qualities, has a changed nature and goes by a different name. For example, the factor of mental one-pointedness is a factor of meditative absorption insofar as it is present during experiences of absorption. However, it also goes by the name of “Faculty of concentration” when it is functioning as an over-powering/exerting force against mental fog or incessant thinking.In this way, the Dhammas are not platonic or fundamental, but relational. Yet, they also are irreducible as they are not composed of anything but themselves. So they are defined as much by themselves as they are by their relations, and cannot be considered completely relativistic to the point of meaninglessness, but also cannot be considered fundamental to the point of static, eternal meaning; their meanings change depending on their relationship to other aspects of consciousness in any one conscious moment.The reading of this book causes the experience of the factor of interest and enthusiasm, which will act as a cause for further study.Read this book if you are interested in understanding Buddhist psychology in a way that, for many, would be impossible by studying the other baskets of the pali canon or any other sutras.

⭐This is not an easy read; it takes good focus and a pot of strong green tea to take in. Given that, however, one cannot help but be struck by how insightful Nyanaponika Thera is and how logical and clear-headed his approach, his arguments, and conclusions about the Abhidhamma.Although I’ve owned the Abhidhammattha Sangaha—a Comprehensive Manual of Abhidhamma for several years, the few times I’ve opened it I have shied away within minutes from its meticulous and intricate approach to the mind and its phenomena. In fact, I would venture to say that without such a primer as Nyanaponika Thera’s excellent work, my copy of the Comprehensive manual would probably remain forever unread.I am not saying that it is now at the top of my reading list, but what I am saying is that Nyanaponika Thera’s introduction and heartfelt apology for the Abhidhamma has made me view it as much more than simply a curiosity for the intellectually overstimulated.Nyanaponika details his reason why the Abhidhamma in fact is, and why rightly so, an important part of the Pali Canon, and he does this admirably. His language is clear and precise and it is hard to fault his reasoning.If you have wondered about the Abhidhamma but, like me, felt a bit intimidated by it, I highly recommend this book.

⭐The problem is the physical book itself. It is poorly made and falls apart page by page when used for actual study. It was worth it to me to buy a second copy, but that should have been unnecessary if the publisher and printer were doing their jobs and quality control. Nevertheless, if one is serious about an introduction to the “Third Jewel” this is a valuable and fortunate work to find and use. Perhaps the authors will find a publisher who will make a book that can withstand ordinary use.

⭐Simon and Schuster’s Kindle version of this excellent book has been deliberatefdly crippled by the publisher.. By default, books in the Kindle format support text to speech which means that they are accessible to readers like myself who are visually ipaire. Simon and Schuster deliberatel adds code to their Kindle ooks so that purchasers who are reliant on text to speech can’t access their books.I purchased this Kindle book before I realized that it was another Simon and Schuster finger in the eye. I would love to read this book but I am forced to return it. Yet another example of this publisher’s corporate greed and paranois..Amazon should provide a way to separately rank a book’s content and its Kindle edition. If Simon and Schuster had not crippled this Kindle version I would give it 5 stars.

⭐The book flies very high on the contents of the third basket of the Canon by only focusing on the description and categorization of the main mental dhammas but still presents many obstacles to anyone just familiar with the plain discourses of the Buddha. Still there is something very fascinating on finding oneself dull while reading of one’s own mind!Someone might also find interesting the heavy effort put by the author to ground the contents of the Abidhamma to the other parts of the Canon to prove its authenticity but, probably, non-scholars would have liked the effort to be been spent better otherwise.

⭐The Abhidhamma is a survey of the realms of consciousness together with those concommittents that precede and accompany consciousnes. This book offers a view of that landscape of consciousness in a voice different from Bhikku Bodhi’s translation of “a Compendium Manual of Abhidhamma”, giving a greater sensibility for this truth than I began with. It also helps illuminate the Suttas. As there is no self, much of the mechanics of my idiosyncratic persona I attributed to selfhood can be extrapolated through understanding this compendium of thought. Well worth the price and the time to read it.

⭐La prima parte spiega in modo chiaro il fenomeno della coscienza e, per quanto mi riguarda, ha risposto a molte domande che mi facevo sull’argomento. La seconda parte è più ostica, ma completa idealmente il libro. Da leggereI want to study Abhidhamma but find the original full text quite daunting (more than 1000 pages), so I looked for information on internet where to begin with; got this book came recommended.Clear short summary with explanation, I brought this book along for my last meditation retreat. This book helps me understanding the teaching, the practice and was a source for interesting discussion with the teacher.

⭐Scholarly book. Not meant for casual readers.

⭐It’s great teaching of Buddha

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