________________ 62 Introduction The Patisambhida-vibhanga deals with four kinds of faculties of analysis, viz., attha, dhamma, nirutti and patibhana. The derivation of the term patisambhida is doubtful since in the Skt. tradition it is called pratisamvit. There also the same four kinds are enumerated, but the order of the first two is reversed. Although the Sb. of this Vibhanga gives several meanings of the four patisambhidas, it should be noted that neither the term nor the four kinds occur in the early Nikayas. They are found only in the Ang. nikaya, and there too they are not explained. The so-called Sb., therefore, is derived from the Patisambhida-magga, an Abhidhamma work (attributed to Sariputta) included in the Sutta-pitaka. The Ab. is also drawn from the same source, and hence differs very little from the Sb. The traditional meanings of these four terms, and particulrly those of the first two, viz., the atthao and dhamma' are given in detail by Mrs. Rhys Davids in her translation of the Kathavatthu, where she also gives views of Dr. Ledi Sadaw on this subject. But the difference between the sutra and abhidharma meanings of these terms is not clear from this exposition. With the help of the Vaibhashika interpretations, it is now possible to arrive at a plausible sutra meaning. The four patisambhidas in all probability stand for four branches of textual analysis. Dhamma meant the navanga preachings, i.e. the terms, and attha their verbal meanings. Nirutti meant derivations of the terms or definitions, and patibhana meant a specialised skill in all these in addition to a mastery in the art of composition, preaching and disputation. In the Sb., however, several meanings are given to the first two, viz., the attha and dhamma. Attha means dukkha, dukkha-nirodha, phala and finally the meanings of any speech, particularly that of the navanga preaching.2 Dhamma means dukkha-samudaya, dukkha-nirodha-gamini-patipada, hetu and the 1 Points of Controversy, Appendix, pp. 377-382. 2 Vbh. pp. 293-4.
