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THE ABHIDHAMMATTHASANGAHAI AND ITS TĪKĀ
Hammalava Saddhātissa
The collection of Pali canonical works is called Tipitaka (= Skt. Tripitaka) or 'Triple Basket' : the Suttapiţaka deals with the teachings of the Buddha on ethical and moral principles, the Vinayapiţaka deals with the monastic rules and the Sarigha, and the Abhidhammapitaka deals with philosophy and psychology. The last named and deepest aspect of the Buddha's teaching was preserved by the Theravāda School in Pali and consists of seven books; the Sarvāstivāda School did likewise in Sapskrit (later translated into Chinese). The names of the seven books of both Schools are as follows: Theravada
Sarvâstivada 1 Dhammasanganı (Buddhist Psychologi. Sangitiparyāyapada
cal Ethics) 2 Vibhanga (The Book of Analysis) 3 Dharmaskandha 3 Dhātukathā (Discourse on Elements)* Dhätukāyapāda 4 Puggalapannatti (Designation of Human Prajñaptipada
Types) 5 Kathāratthu (Points of Controversy) Vijñanapada 6 Yamaka (The Book of Pairs)?
Prakaranapada ? Paljhāna (Conditional Relations) Jñanaprasthāna
It is not possible to ascertain the date of compilation of these books of the Abhidhammapițuka. Judging from the interpal evidence, the Dhammasangani, Vibhanga and Parthāna are the earliest and were probably recited at the Second Council held in the fourth century B.C. The Dhātukathā, Puggalapaññatti and Yamaka were recited at the Third Council held during Emperor Asoka's regin (c. 269-232 B.C.). The Kathāvatthu was composed by the President of the Third
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