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Studies in Indian Philosophy Council, Arahant Moggaliputta Tissa, to refute the schismatic views then prevalent, Available evidence, therefore, indicates that all seven books were composed before 250 B.C.
In order to facilitate the study of the Abhidhamma, which is divided into these seven books, scholars in ancient days started to write compendia. These works were classed under a group of manuals entitled in Burmese, Letthan, or “Little Finger Summaries” and were nine in number. Most of them are exegetical literature dealing with psychology and philosophy. 1 Paramatthavinicchaya (The Solution of Philosophical Pro.
blems) by Anuruddha.9 2 Namarūpapariccheda (the Distinction between Mind and
Body) by Anuruddha. 10 3 Abhidhammāvatāra (Introductory Philosophy) by Buddha
datta of India, a contemporary of Buddbaghosa 11 Rūpārūpavibhāga (the Division between Body and Mind) by Buddhadatta, while residing in a monastery in the port
of Kāvīra. 12 5 Saccasarkhepa (Outlines of Truth) by Dhammapāla, 13 the
author of the Visuddhimaggaţikā.. 6 Mohavicchedani ( the Dispelling of ignorance ) by Mahā
kassapa of Chola country.14 7 Khemappakarana (the Manual of Kbema) by Khema of Sri
Lanka. 15 8 Nāmācāradipaka (the Actions of Mind) by Saddhamma
Jotipāla (Chapada of Pagan, Burma). 16 Abhidhammatthasargaha (Compendium of Philosophy) by Anuruddha.17 This has been a most popular work, especially in Burma and Sri Lanka, as well as throughout the entire Buddhist world. This being the case, I propose to make it the subject of this Paper.
There are six main sub-commentaries ( ļīkā) written by erudite scholars ; | Porāņa-fikā, the Commentary of Kassapa of Dimbulāgala,
the Forest Monastery in Sri Lanka.
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