Abstract
The question of the origin of the Abhidhamma Pitaka represents one of the most enduring controversies in Buddhist studies, with the commentarial tradition of Theravada Buddhism providing the most comprehensive and systematic defense of Abhidhamma as Buddhavacana (the Word of the Buddha). This comprehensive academic inquiry examines the views of the great Pali commentators on the origin of the Abhidhamma, investigating their arguments, evidence, and hermeneutical strategies for establishing the authority of the Abhidhamma texts. Through systematic analysis of primary commentarial sources including the Atthasalini, Samantapasadika, Manorathapurani, Papancasudani, and the works of Ven. Buddhaghosa, Ven. Buddhadatta, and Ven. Dhammapala, alongside critical engagement with contemporary scholarship, this article demonstrates that the commentarial tradition developed a sophisticated apologetic framework for defending the Abhidhamma's authenticity. The investigation reveals that the commentators employed multiple strategies to establish Abhidhamma's authority: the narrative of heavenly transmission from the Tavatimsa heaven, the lineage of Abhidhammika teachers tracing back to the Buddha, the argument from the exceptional nature of Abhidhamma as the domain of omniscient Buddhas, and the hermeneutical principle that teachings transmitted through disciples could still be considered Buddhavacana. The article examines the commentators' responses to specific challenges, including the composition of the Kathavatthu at the third Buddhist council, the absence of a nidana (inception story) for Abhidhamma, and the historical absence of Abhidhamma from the first council accounts. The study proposes that the commentarial defense of Abhidhamma's origin must be understood within the broader Theravada hermeneutical framework that recognized multiple categories of Buddhavacana and acknowledged that the Buddha's words could exist both within and outside the formal canon. The article concludes that the commentators' views, while historically problematic from a modern critical perspective, represent a coherent and sophisticated hermeneutical strategy for preserving the doctrinal authority and spiritual significance of the Abhidhamma texts within the Theravada tradition.
1. Introduction
The Atthakatha, or commentaries, of the Theravada Buddhist tradition constitute one of the most significant bodies of exegetical literature in world religious history. As the expositions of the sense, explanation, and commentary on the Tipitaka, these works provide the traditional interpretations of the scriptures that have shaped Theravada Buddhist understanding for over fifteen centuries. The term atthakatha, derived from attha (meaning) and katha (discourse or explanation), refers to the expository treatises on the different texts of the Pali canon, each text having its own commentary. Their main purpose is to interpret the Buddha's teachings, not only explaining difficult words grammatically and lexically but also containing comprehensive explanations and expositions of the Buddha's doctrine.
The significance of the commentarial tradition for understanding the origin of the Abhidhamma cannot be overstated. While modern historical-critical scholarship generally dates the Abhidhamma texts to the centuries following the Buddha's parinibbana, the commentarial tradition provides the most extensive and systematic defense of the traditional Theravada view that the Abhidhamma represents the direct teaching of the Buddha himself. The great commentators, particularly Ven. Buddhaghosa, Ven. Buddhadatta, and Ven. Dhammapala, devoted considerable effort to establishing the authority of the Abhidhamma as Buddhavacana, developing sophisticated arguments and hermeneutical strategies that continue to shape Theravada understanding to the present day.
The commentators' views on the origin of the Abhidhamma are not merely matters of historical curiosity. They represent the foundation of Theravada orthodoxy regarding the status and authority of the Abhidhamma texts, and they continue to influence how Theravada practitioners and scholars understand the relationship between the Abhidhamma and the rest of the Tipitaka. As one scholar observes, "The Theravada orthodoxy, nonetheless, based on the Atthasalini (Buddhaghosa's commentary to the 1st book of Abhidhamma), holds the popular traditional view that Buddha himself was the first Abhidhammika". This traditional view stands in marked contrast to the conclusions of modern scholarship, which generally situates the composition of Abhidhamma texts in the centuries following the Buddha's death.
This article undertakes a comprehensive examination of the commentators' views on the origin of the Abhidhamma, investigating their arguments, evidence, and hermeneutical strategies for establishing the authority of the Abhidhamma texts. The investigation begins with an examination of the nature and scope of the commentarial tradition, including the contributions of the major commentators and the relationship between the Pali commentaries and their Sinhala precursors. It then examines the commentators' definitions of Abhidhamma, particularly the influential definitions provided by Ven. Buddhaghosa in the Atthasalini and Samantapasadika.
The analysis then turns to the commentators' account of the Abhidhamma's origin, examining the narrative of heavenly transmission, the lineage of Abhidhammika teachers, and the argument from the exceptional nature of Abhidhamma. The investigation examines the commentators' responses to specific challenges to Abhidhamma's authenticity, including the composition of the Kathavatthu at the third Buddhist council, the absence of a nidana (inception story) for Abhidhamma, and the historical absence of Abhidhamma from the first council accounts.
The article then explores the broader hermeneutical framework within which the commentators operated, examining the Theravada understanding of Buddhavacana and the recognition that the Buddha's words could exist both within and outside the formal canon. The investigation concludes with an assessment of the commentators' views in light of modern scholarship and a proposal for understanding the relationship between traditional and critical perspectives on the origin of the Abhidhamma.
Through this systematic examination, the article demonstrates that the commentarial defense of Abhidhamma's origin represents a sophisticated and coherent hermeneutical strategy that, while historically problematic from a modern critical perspective, preserves the doctrinal authority and spiritual significance of the Abhidhamma texts within the Theravada tradition.
2. The Commentarial Tradition: Nature and Scope
2.1 The Meaning and Function of Atthakatha
The term atthakatha is a general term meaning exposition of the sense, explanation, and commentary. Although atthakatha could refer to all commentarial literature, as it did during the Anuradhapura period when it had even a wider application and included all literary works other than the Tipitaka, today it is used when referring to the commentaries on the Tipitaka. They are the expository treatises on the different texts of the Pali canon, each text having its own commentary.
The main purpose of the commentaries is to interpret the Buddha's teachings. They not only explain difficult words grammatically and lexically but also contain explanations and expositions of the Buddha's doctrine. Commentators have often digressed in the course of their explanations, and various narratives and episodes have found their way into the commentaries, making them rich in material not only for the religious history but also for the secular history of ancient India and Ceylon.
The word commentary has been explained in the commentarial tradition itself. The Saratthadipani explains: "Ettha ca, attho kathīyati etāyāti atthakathā, sāyeva atthakathā thakārassa thakāram katvā dukkhassa pī'lanattho'ti" - "Here, the meaning is explained through this, therefore it is called atthakatha; that very atthakatha, having changed the 'th' to 'th', serves to remove suffering." This etymological explanation emphasizes the practical purpose of the commentaries as tools for understanding the Dhamma and achieving liberation.
The atthakatha extant today are the works of Buddhaghosa and other commentators who translated into Pali the then existing Sinhala atthakatha which, in turn, were translations from the original Pali. The earliest commentaries, written in Pali, may have reached Sri Lanka along with the canon itself by the 3rd century BCE. Between then and the 1st century CE they were translated into Sinhalese, and others were written in that language. In the 5th century, the greatest commentator, Buddhaghosha, produced a reworking in Pali of much of the earlier material plus Dravidian commentaries and Sinhalese traditions.
2.2 The Major Commentators: Buddhaghosa, Buddhadatta, and Dhammapala
The commentarial tradition of Theravada Buddhism is associated with several great commentators whose works have shaped Theravada understanding for over fifteen centuries. The most influential of these is Ven. Buddhaghosa, who lived in the 5th century CE and produced reworkings in Pali of much of the earlier Sinhala commentarial material. As Britannica notes, "In the 5th century the greatest commentator, Buddhaghosha, produced a reworking in Pali of much of the earlier material plus Dravidian commentaries and Sinhalese traditions".
Ven. Buddhaghosa's commentaries cover virtually the entire Tipitaka. His fourteen alleged commentaries include the Samantapasadika on the Vinaya Pitaka, the Sumangalavilasini on the Digha Nikaya, the Papancasudani on the Majjhima Nikaya, the Saratthappakasini on the Samyutta Nikaya, the Manorathapurani on the Anguttara Nikaya, and numerous commentaries on the Khuddaka Nikaya texts. Most significantly for the study of Abhidhamma, he composed the Atthasalini on the Dhammasangani, the Sammohavinodani on the Vibhanga, and the Pancappakaranatthakatha on the remaining five Abhidhamma texts.
Ven. Buddhadatta, another great commentator, was a contemporary of Buddhaghosa who also composed important commentarial works. His most significant contribution is the Abhidhammavatara, a comprehensive Abhidhamma manual that provides a systematic presentation of Abhidhamma doctrine. He is also traditionally attributed with the Madhuratthavilasini, the commentary on the Buddhavamsa.
Ven. Dhammapala, who lived after Buddhaghosa, probably no later than the tenth century, composed commentaries on several Khuddaka Nikaya texts. His Paramatthadipani commentaries cover the Udana, Itivuttaka, Vimanavatthu, Petavatthu, Theragatha, Therigatha, and Cariyapitaka.
These commentators, working across several centuries, developed a consistent and coherent interpretive framework for understanding the Buddha's teachings. Their works provide not only grammatical and lexical explanations but also comprehensive doctrinal expositions that have shaped Theravada Buddhist understanding to the present day.
2.3 The Relationship Between Pali and Sinhala Commentaries
The relationship between the Pali commentaries and their Sinhala precursors is a matter of significant scholarly interest. According to Theravada tradition, the earliest commentaries, written in Pali, may have reached Sri Lanka along with the canon itself by the 3rd century BCE. Between then and the 1st century CE they were translated into Sinhalese, and others were written in that language.
When Ven. Buddhaghosa came to Sri Lanka in the 5th century CE, he encountered these Sinhala commentaries and undertook the project of translating them back into Pali. As Britannica notes, "In the 5th century the greatest commentator, Buddhaghosha, produced a reworking in Pali of much of the earlier material plus Dravidian commentaries and Sinhalese traditions". This reworking was not merely a translation but a creative synthesis that incorporated material from various sources and systematized the commentarial tradition.
The earlier Sinhala atthakatha have not survived, but the works of Buddhaghosa and his successors are mines of information on the development of life and thought in the Theravada Buddhist community. They provide much secular and legendary material as well, and are doctrinally orthodox and stylistically elegant.
These commentaries were themselves the subject of later commentaries known as tika (subcommentaries), and these in turn by others called anutika (further commentary). The earlier atthakatha also served as sources for the epic chronicles of Sri Lanka, the Dipavamsa (History of the Island) and Mahavamsa (Great Chronicle). This layered commentarial tradition demonstrates the ongoing engagement of Theravada scholars with the interpretation and elaboration of the Buddha's teachings.
3. The Commentators' Definitions of Abhidhamma
3.1 Buddhaghosa's Definitions in the Atthasalini
Ven. Buddhaghosa, the great Pali commentator, provides one of the most comprehensive and influential definitions of Abhidhamma in the Atthasalini, his commentary on the Dhammasangani. According to Buddhaghosa, the term Abhidhamma is composed of the prefix 'abhi' and the term 'dhamma'. The prefix 'abhi' conveys the meaning of great, exceeding (atireka), or subtle, noble, ultimate, ultra (visittha). The term 'dhamma' refers to the Buddha's teaching. Thus, Abhidhamma is defined as "that which exceeds and is distinguished from the Dhamma".
In the Atthasalini, Buddhaghosa provides a more detailed definition: "Tattha kenatthena abhidhammo dhammatireka dhammavisesattha" - "the extra Dhamma or distinguished Dhamma is called Abhidhamma". This definition captures the sense of Abhidhamma as surpassing or going beyond the conventional presentation of the Dhamma found in the Suttas.
Buddhaghosa also explains the meaning of the prefix 'abhi' by comparison with 'ati' which is used in the sense of preponderance and distinction. As the Atthasalini states: "Just as 'aticchatta (the pre-eminent sunshade)', 'atidhaja (pre-eminent flag)', 'atriajakumara (prince par excellence)', 'atibrahma (the supreme Brahma)', so too dhamma is called Abhidhamma because it excels and is distinguished by several qualities from the other Dhamma".
In the Samantapasadika, the commentary on the Vinaya Pitaka, Buddhaghosa provides a celebrated verse definition:
"Yam ettha vuddhimanto, salakkhanā pūjitā paricchinnā;
Vuttādhikā ca dhammā, abhidhammo tena akkhāto"
"Because this shows things that suffer growth of proper attributes, to be revered, well-differentiated, and of worth surpassing, Abhidhamma is its name".
This definition emphasizes several aspects of Abhidhamma's character. First, it is growth (vuddhi) in the sense of developing understanding of the Dhamma. Second, it reveals the own characteristics (salakkhana) of phenomena, the unique nature of each reality that distinguishes it from others. Third, it is revered (pujita), worthy of veneration as the Buddha's highest teaching. Fourth, it is well-differentiated (paricchinna), providing systematic classification and analysis. Fifth, it is of worth surpassing (uttadhika), representing the most profound and comprehensive aspect of the Buddha's teaching.
3.2 The Depth and Superiority of Abhidhamma
In the commentarial works, Ven. Buddhaghosa made multiple efforts to demonstrate the superiority and depth of Abhidhamma. When defining the word Abhidhamma, he showed its superior nature by explaining the prefix 'Abhi'. The commentator showed Abhidhamma as deeper than Suttanta. Philosophical teachings such as, "pañcakkhandhā dvādasāyatanāni, atṭhārasa dhātuyo, cattāri saccāni, bāvisatindriyāni, dvādasapadiko paccayākāro" are not fully classified but only partially classified in the Suttanta. While in the Abhidhamma, those teachings are classified fully by the method of Suttanta-classification (suttantabhājaniya), Abhidhamma-classification (abhidhammabhājaniya) and catechism (pañhapucchakam).
Bhikkhu Buddhaghosa explained how tradition acknowledged the specific nature of each pitaka. It is said that the Vinaya is the discourses on injunctions (āṇā-desanā); the Sutta is the popular discourse (vohāra-desanā), while the Abhidhamma is the discourse on ultimate truths (paramattha-desanā). This characterization emphasizes the distinct function of each Pitaka within the Theravada tradition.
The Atthasalini also explains the extraordinary nature of Abhidhamma by stating: "Wo pandita abhidhammahi sabanna Buddhanamyeva visayo na annesam visayo" - "Abhidhamma is the domain of omniscient Buddhas alone, not the domain of others". This statement establishes the unique authority of Abhidhamma by asserting that only fully enlightened beings can comprehend its depth and scope.
3.3 Abhidhamma as Buddha's Higher Teaching
According to the commentarial tradition, Abhidhamma represents the Buddha's higher teaching, the most profound and comprehensive expression of the Dhamma. The commentators assert that the seven books of the Abhidhamma Pitaka were preached by the Buddha himself: "Samma sambuddho sattappakaranani desito" - "The Perfectly Enlightened One preached the seven treatises".
This assertion is based on the understanding that the Abhidhamma presents the Dhamma in a form that is more comprehensive, systematic, and profound than the Suttas. According to this view, the Suttas were preached to diverse audiences in various contexts, adapting the teaching to the needs and capacities of particular listeners. The Abhidhamma, by contrast, presents the Dhamma in its universal, systematic, and complete form, abstracted from particular contexts and organized according to logical and psychological principles.
The commentarial tradition developed a sophisticated framework for defending this view, including the narrative of heavenly transmission, the lineage of Abhidhammika teachers, and the argument from the exceptional nature of Abhidhamma as the domain of omniscient Buddhas alone.
4. The Commentators' Account of the Abhidhamma's Origin
4.1 The Narrative of Heavenly Transmission
The traditional Theravada account of the Abhidhamma's origin, as preserved in the Atthasalini and other commentaries, presents a remarkable narrative of heavenly teaching. According to this tradition, the Buddha, having attained enlightenment, spent the fourth week in the Ratanaghara (Jewel House), where he contemplated the intricate doctrines of the Abhidhamma. Then, prior to his seventh annual rains retreat, he ascended to the Tavatimsa heaven to preach the Abhidhamma to the assembled deities, led by his mother Mahamaya Devi, who had been reborn in that celestial realm.
The Atthasalini explains the occasion of the Abhidhamma teaching: "Eakam samayam devesu viharati Tavatimsanam parichattaka muli pandukambala silayam tatra kho bhagawa bhikkunam abhidhamma katham kathase" - "At one time the Blessed One was dwelling in the Tavatimsa heaven, on the Pandukambala stone at the foot of the Parichattaka tree, where he preached the Abhidhamma to the monks." This passage, cited by Ven. Madalanivasasi Tissa and Gramavasi Sumanadeva, provides the traditional nidana (inception story) for the Abhidhamma.
The narrative explains that the Buddha taught the complete Abhidhamma over three continuous months, requiring an uninterrupted session possible only for celestial beings who could remain in one position for such extended periods. During this teaching, the Buddha would descend to earth for his midday meal, leaving behind a created image to continue the session in his absence. While on earth, he transmitted the Abhidhamma to Ven. Sariputta, who subsequently taught it to his own disciples, establishing the lineage of Abhidhamma transmission.
The Atthasalini provides a methodical explanation to prove the truth of the origins of Abhidhamma through a series of questions and answers:
Q: What was the origin of Abhidhamma? (ayam Abhidhammo nama kena pabhavito?)
A: From the wisdom of Buddha (Bodhi abhinīhāram sandhāya pabhavito)
Q: Who understood it? (Kenadhigate?)
A: By the Buddha (Sabbanñu budhdhena)
Q: Where did it examine? (Kada vicito)
A: Under the Bo-tree (Bodhi mande)
Q: Where was it preached? (Katha desito?)
A: In Tavatimsa heaven (Dewesu tavatimsesu)
Q: Whom did it preached? (Kassathaya desito?)
A: To gods (devatanam)
Q: Whose words? (Kassa vacanati?)
A: Buddha's (bhagavato vacanam arahato samma sambuddhassa)
Q: Who did it continue? (Kenahato?)
A: Teacher tradition (acariya parampara).
4.2 The Lineage of Abhidhammika Tradition
The Atthasalini presents a lineage of Abhidhamma transmission that legitimates the textual tradition through direct succession from the Buddha. According to this lineage, the Buddha is the first Abhidhammika, followed by Ven. Sariputta, and continuing through a succession of teachers culminating in Ven. Moggalliputta Tissa at the third council.
The lineage is recorded as follows:
1. Buddha is the first Abhidhammika
2. Ven. Sariputta
3. Ven. Bhaddaji
4. Ven. Sobhita
5. Ven. Piyajali
6. Ven. Piyatissa
7. Ven. Piyapala
8. Ven. Kosiyaputta
9. Ven. Siggawa
10. Ven. Sandeha
11. Ven. Moggalliputtatissa.
This lineage establishes apostolic succession, connecting the texts to their ultimate source. As one scholar notes, "According to Theravada commentary, Buddha preached Abhidhamma to his beloved mother in Tusita heaven during three months. The same preaching was done by Buddha to Sariputta Thera again and venerable Sariputta preached it to his 500 students. According to commentators, the Abhidhamma was continued by the Sariputta tradition".
The Atthasalini also records that "Abhidhamma was brought to Sri Lanka by Arahat Maha Mahinda Thera. It was described in Kathavatthuppakarana as follows: 'Samma sambuddho sattapakaranani desento tit sathara dinnayena thanita matikaya desitatta sakalampi etam lakaranam Buddha bhasitameva jatam'".
4.3 The Two Nidanas for the Abhidhamma
The commentarial tradition identifies two nidanas (inception stories) for the Abhidhamma, which serve to establish its authenticity as Buddha-vacana. The first nidana is the fourth week after the Buddha's enlightenment, when he remained in the Ratanaghara (Jewel House) contemplating the Abhidhamma. The second nidana is the seventh year after the Buddha's enlightenment, when he ascended to the Tavatimsa heaven to preach the Abhidhamma to the assembled deities.
These two nidanas address the potential objection that the Abhidhamma lacks an inception story. The commentators argue that the absence of a nidana does not invalidate a text's claim to be Buddha-vacana, as even some Sutta texts, such as the Dhammapada and Suttanipata, lack nidana stories but are accepted as the Buddha's teachings.
The Atthasalini, Samantapasadika, Rasawahini, and Dhammasangini have shown many facts to prove that Abhidhamma is preached by Buddha, not by others. These commentaries provide extensive evidence for the traditional attribution of the Abhidhamma to the Buddha.
5. The Commentators' Responses to Challenges
5.1 The Kathavatthu Problem and Traditional Resolution
The Kathavatthu (Points of Controversy) presents a particular challenge to the traditional attribution of the entire Abhidhamma Pitaka to the Buddha, as even Theravada tradition acknowledges its composition by Ven. Moggalliputta Tissa at the third Buddhist council. Some scholars have argued that this demonstrates that the Abhidhamma was not directly taught by the Buddha.
The commentators address this apparent inconsistency by arguing that while the Kathavatthu was formally composed and compiled at the council, its doctrinal content originated with the Buddha and was merely systematized by Moggalliputta Tissa. As one scholar notes, "The commentary of the book (viz. Pañcappakaranatthakatha) has the following explanation to make: After he [the Buddha] had taught them the Dhammasangani, the Vibhanga, the Dhatukatha and the Puggalapannatti, he thought: when in the future the turn for setting forth the Kathavatthu shall arrive, my disciple, the greatly wise Elder, Tissa, the son of Moggali will purge the blemishes that have arisen in the Religion, and calling a third council, will seated in the midst of the Order, divide this compilation into thousand sections... He drew up, with respect to courses to be adopted in all the discourses, a list of heads in a text uncompleted by just one section for recitation".
This explanation attributes the authorship of the main themes of debates recorded in the book to the Buddha and leaves the detailed authorship to Moggalliputta Tissa. As one scholar observes, "This saves the situation by attributing the authorship of the main themes of debates recorded in the book to the Buddha and by leaving the detailed authorship to Moggaliputta Tissa".
The commentary also records that "the Buddha predicted the authorship and contents of this work, and ... when Moggaliputta tissa compiled the treatise, he was faithfully following the principles (naya) and topics (matika) established by the Buddha".
5.2 The Absence of Abhidhamma from the First Council Accounts
Another challenge to the traditional attribution of the Abhidhamma to the Buddha is the absence of Abhidhamma from the accounts of the first Buddhist council. The Cullavaggapali of the Vinaya Pitaka, one of the most authentic Theravadin texts, records the proceedings of the first Buddhist council but makes no mention of the recital of the Abhidhamma Pitaka.
The commentators address this challenge through several arguments. First, they suggest that the Abhidhamma was recited at the first council but not recorded in the account. The Sumangalavilasini, the commentary to the Digha Nikaya by Ven. Buddhaghosa, says in its introduction that the Abhidhamma Pitaka was also recited alongside the Dhamma and Vinaya Pitakas. This claim is supported by the Dhiga- and Majjhima-bhanakas of the Pali Bhanaka tradition.
Second, the commentators argue that the Abhidhamma was not recognized as a separate Pitaka at the time of the first council but was included within the broader category of Dhamma. The Mahavamsa, a prominent Sri Lankan Pali chronicle, concludes its introduction to the account of the first Buddhist council saying Dhamma-vinaya was recited (no mention of Abhidhamma). Nonetheless, the fourth chapter of the same chronicle says that the participants in the second Buddhist council, held a century after Buddha's demise, were Pitakattayadharins, a term suggesting that the participants were Bearers of the Tipitaka (i.e., Sutta, Vinaya and Abhidhamma).
Further, the fifth chapter of the same chronicle claims that the participants of the third council, held roughly three hundred years after Buddha's demise, were Tipitakas, a term also suggesting the participants were Masters of the Tipitaka. According to the Mahavamsa's and some other authentic texts like Cullavaggapali's accounts, it's much justifiable to assume that the recitation or perhaps the formation of the Abhidhamma Pitaka probably took place after the first Buddhist council.
5.3 The Absence of Nidana Story in Abhidhamma
Some scholars have argued that the absence of an inception story (nidana) for the Abhidhamma indicates that it was not originally considered Buddha-vacana. The commentators respond to this challenge by pointing out that several Sutta texts also lack nidana stories but are accepted as the Buddha's teachings.
In the Dhammapada and Suttanipata, we cannot find a nidana katha (inception story), but we cannot say those are not preached by the Buddha. As same as Abhidhamma also not having a nidana katha, it is not right to prove that this is not Buddha-desana (Buddha's teaching). The commentators argue that the absence of a nidana does not invalidate a text's claim to be Buddhavacana, as many authentic texts lack such stories.
The commentators also point out that the Abhidhamma does have two nidanas: the fourth week in the Ratanaghara and the seventh year teaching in Tavatimsa. These nidanas provide the traditional authority for the Abhidhamma's claim to be Buddhavacana.
6. The Broader Hermeneutical Framework
6.1 The Concept of Buddhavacana in Theravada Tradition
The commentarial defense of Abhidhamma's origin must be understood within the broader Theravada hermeneutical framework concerning the nature of Buddhavacana (the Word of the Buddha). As one scholarly study reveals, "It is evident from the Theravadin's point of view that the Pali canon does not consist exclusively of the Buddha's words". The commentaries recognize that the Buddha's words exist both inside and outside the formal canon.
The Vinaya Pitaka classifies the Dhamma into four categories: buddhabhasita (what was spoken by the Buddha), savaka-bhasita (what was spoken by disciples), isi-bhasita (what was spoken by saints), and deva-bhasita (what was spoken by deities). This classification demonstrates that the concept of Buddhavacana was broader than simply the literal words of the historical Buddha.
The Pali commentaries also reveal that "the executors of the councils (sangitikaras) occasionally add their own words and passages to the canon". This indicates that the canon was recognized as a living tradition that developed and evolved over time, with the community's authorized representatives playing a role in its formation.
Furthermore, "the Pali commentaries recognized that the Buddha's words exist outside of the canon". When the suttas relate the Buddha pleasing people with a dhammakatha, the commentaries, calling it Palimuttakakatha (the sermon freed from the canon), sometimes reveal the content of the sermon. There is even a case when a non-canonical story is called buddhabhasita by the commentator.
6.2 The Distinction Between Buddhabhasita and Buddhavacana
The commentarial tradition maintained a distinction between buddhabhasita (the literal words of the Buddha) and buddhavacana (the Word of the Buddha as authorized by the tradition). As one scholar observes, "in buddhavacana consisting of three pitakas listed at three councils" (tisso sangitiyo aruhe tepitake buddhavacane), buddhavacana is a category term for the three pitakas collected, approved and authorized at three councils, while buddhabhasita exist inside and outside of the canon.
This distinction is crucial for understanding the commentarial defense of Abhidhamma's origin. Even if the Abhidhamma texts were not literally spoken by the Buddha in their present form, they could still be considered Buddhavacana because they were authorized by the tradition and preserved the essential teaching of the Buddha.
The Pali commentaries certainly attempt to interpret some suttas discoursed by the disciples of the Buddha to be buddhabhasita or jinabhasiita on account of the Buddha's approval. However, since it is not applicable in most cases, such interpretation cannot be generalized.
6.3 The Role of the Councils in Canonical Formation
The commentarial tradition places significant emphasis on the role of the councils in establishing the authority of the Tipitaka. The three councils, held at Rajagaha, Vesali, and Pataliputta, authorized the texts that came to constitute the Theravada canon.
The Kathavatthu is a particularly interesting case in this regard. As one scholar notes, "The proceedings of this Third Council are recorded in the Kathavatthu, a text that gained canonical status in no time, despite being written by a disciple who lived almost 250 years after the Buddha. It was the doctrinal significance of this work that compelled later commentators to make a special effort to justify its authority and sanctity".
The commentators justified the Kathavatthu's authority by claiming that the Buddha predicted the authorship and contents of this work, and that when Moggaliputta Tissa compiled the treatise, he was faithfully following the principles and topics established by the Buddha.
This demonstrates the sophisticated hermeneutical strategy of the commentarial tradition, which preserved the authority of the texts while acknowledging the role of later disciples in their compilation and systematization.
7. Conclusion
The commentarial tradition of Theravada Buddhism, as articulated by the great commentators Ven. Buddhaghosa, Ven. Buddhadatta, and Ven. Dhammapala, provides the most comprehensive and systematic defense of the Abhidhamma as Buddhavacana, the Word of the Buddha. Through careful analysis of the Atthasalini, Samantapasadika, and other commentarial works, this investigation has revealed the sophisticated hermeneutical strategies employed by the commentators to establish the authority of the Abhidhamma texts.
The commentators' account of the Abhidhamma's origin is built upon several key elements: the narrative of heavenly transmission from the Tavatimsa heaven, the lineage of Abhidhammika teachers tracing back to the Buddha through Ven. Sariputta, the argument from the exceptional nature of Abhidhamma as the domain of omniscient Buddhas alone, and the hermeneutical principle that teachings transmitted through disciples could still be considered Buddhavacana.
The commentators developed specific responses to the major challenges to Abhidhamma's authenticity. The composition of the Kathavatthu at the third Buddhist council was addressed by attributing the main themes of the debates to the Buddha and leaving the detailed authorship to Moggalliputta Tissa. The absence of Abhidhamma from the first council accounts was addressed by arguing that the Abhidhamma was either recited but not recorded or was included within the broader category of Dhamma. The absence of a nidana story was addressed by pointing out that several Sutta texts also lack such stories and by identifying two nidanas for the Abhidhamma.
The commentarial defense of the Abhidhamma's origin must be understood within the broader Theravada hermeneutical framework concerning the nature of Buddhavacana. The commentaries recognized that the Pali canon does not consist exclusively of the literal words of the Buddha but includes teachings transmitted through disciples and authorized by the tradition. The distinction between buddhabhasita (the literal words of the Buddha) and buddhavacana (the Word of the Buddha as authorized by the tradition) enabled the commentators to preserve the authority of the Abhidhamma while acknowledging the role of later disciples in its compilation.
As one scholar concludes, "according to above all the facts, it is acceptable, that the Abhidhamma pitaka was created later by the scholars taking special preaching of Buddha". This conclusion, while consistent with modern historical-critical scholarship, does not diminish the significance of the commentarial tradition. Rather, it illuminates the sophisticated hermeneutical strategies that enabled the tradition to preserve the authority of the Abhidhamma while accommodating its historical development.
In conclusion, the commentators' views on the origin of the Abhidhamma represent a sophisticated and coherent hermeneutical strategy that, while historically problematic from a modern critical perspective, preserves the doctrinal authority and spiritual significance of the Abhidhamma texts within the Theravada tradition. The commentators were not engaged in modern historical scholarship but in the preservation and transmission of sacred tradition. Their accounts of the Abhidhamma's origin must be understood within this context, not as empirical historical claims but as expressions of the tradition's self-understanding.
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