Questions tagged [abhidhamma]
Abhidharma (Sanskrit) or Abhidhamma (Pali) are ancient (3rd century BCE and later) Buddhist texts which contain detailed scholastic reworkings of doctrinal material appearing in the Buddhist sutras, according to schematic classifications. The Abhidhamma works do not contain systematic philosophical treatises, but summaries or abstract and systematic lists.
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Vipassana on arupa worlds
S. N. Goenka in Why Vedana and What is Vedana? says:
It is clear that vedana as a part of the nama that is firmly rooted in kaya is what the Buddha wanted us to focus on when he talked about ...
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Consciousness in Nibbana
In the Abhidhamma, it makes mention to 89 and 121 states of consciousness. It says there are four ultimate realities namely
Consciousness
Mental Factors
Matter
Nibbana.
The first three are ...
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How do we sense the flow of time?
According to the Abhidhamma, at each given instant there is a consciousness that arises and ceases completely before the next consciousness arises. Each consciousness is only aware of the present ...
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Nibbāna in The Progress of Insight
I was wondering if anyone could help to clearly explain the phenomenology of what happens in this passage from Mahasi's The Progress of Insight, specifically the bolded section:
12. Insight Leading ...
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Scientific approach of Kamma
The concept of Kamma implies that information is stored in the mind (not the brain) and after the being is dead, this mind (or this data "storage") goes on and carries with it the current position of ...
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Sankharas, once eliminated. Do they have a chance of coming back?
When I talk of sankharas, I mean the pattern of the mind and the way in which the sanna recognizes an object. After prolonged Vipassana and remaining equanimous to the body sensations, Many of my ...
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Differences of Ultimate Realities in different traditions
In Theravada Abhidhamma Pitaka there are four Ultimate Realities (paramattha dhammaa) mentioned,
Citta
Cetasika
Rupa
Nibbana
Is there any variations in these realities in other traditions of ...
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Why are “Fear and Shame” listed among the beautiful cetasikas?
I was wondering how the mental factors of Fear and Shame should be understood. Normally I would understand them both as being unwholesome but I guess in Abhidhamma-perspective they have a different ...
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Could Lobha(craving) and Dosa(aversion) be working in tandem?
Is wishing for a pain to go away an instance of aversion(Dosa) or an instance of craving(Lobha)? Or both working in tandem?
ex: leg pain while doing sitting meditation.
Aversion is obvious, if the ...
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Without an enduring quid between lifes, how to explain past life recalling?
How a being (be it a Buddha) can remember its past lives, if there is no "quid"/soul/self enduring for more time?
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The Abhidamma Pitaka
Can anyone help me with finding The Abhidamma Pitaka or some of the 7 books from it?
I seem not to be able to find anything when searching on google. Maybe im just not skilled enough to find books/...
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In a Buddhist perspective how do we recall memories of this life and beyond?
What is the Buddhist perspective on how we store and recall memories of this life and beyond? Since there is not solid core (Atman) as in the Hindu perspective which all such memories are stored and ...
asked Dec 7 '14 at 5:33
Suminda Sirinath S. Dharmasena
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Is there an English translation of the Abhidhamma?
I wonder if there is an English version of the Abhidhamma, in its entirety?
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Too much Dhamma in modern age
Ajahn Brahm’s quite interesting position on "too much Dharma" and studying Abhidharma might be conveyed in this citation:
I think of our modern age is that too much Dhamma. So much Dhamma ...
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What does the Abhidhamma say about impermanence?
I understand the state of changing (impermanence) mentioned in Buddhism, but I have also heard that another more complex version (of the doctrine of impermanence) exists in the Abhidhamma.
I would ...
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Is intention and purpose the same?
Given that there are 'intentions' (cetanā) which lead (if they're not neutral) to either wholesome fruits or unwholesome fruits -- then is the same also true for 'purpose' (sankappa), i.e.:
Are there ...
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Conventional versus Ultimate
People sometimes qualify their statements, by adding the word, "conventionally" — and people distinguish between Conventional Truth (Sammuti Sacca) versus Ultimate Truth (Paramattha Sacca).
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Conceptual reality, mettā, ignorance
According to some commentaries/abhidhamma, all unwholesome states are rooted in ignorance; that ignorance is, according to Pa Auk Sayadaw, the ignorance that sees things as concepts, e.g., a man a ...
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What are Bhavanga and Javana?
Will someone explain Bhavanga and Javana in simple way?
At times, they seem non-comprehensible.
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Teachings regarding Veneration/Respect (as one of the traditional 10 meritorious deeds)
Feel invited or maybe even inspired to share any teachings regarding "Apacāyana" (Respect or Veneration). It is one of the less taught, but very basic and fundamental, meritorious deeds. Teachings ...
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Is the determining thought moment (vottopana) based entirely off of past karma?
Is the way I choose to react to a situation based entirely off of past karma or is there something else that determines how I react to an external object?
I am confused between my understanding that ...
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Citta Vithi in Abhidhamma
There is a chapter under citta vithi in Abhidhammattha Sangaha. In which of the seven books in Abhidhamma this concept appear?
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Questions about cetasikas
1) How are cetasikas expressed? Could they be expressed as how the mind is orientated, thus influencing how, when, and what cittas arise?
2) Do cetasikas therefore play any indirect role in the ...
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Resources to study the Abhidharma in the East/North Asian schools of Buddhism (e,g, Mahayana, Tibetan, Yogacara, Dharmaguptaka, etc.)
What are good resources and references (ideally online) to learn Abhidharma from East and North Asian (Mahayana, Tibetan, Yogacara, Asaṅga, Vasubandhu, Dharmaguptaka, etc.) schools of Buddhism.
NB: I ...
asked Dec 19 '15 at 7:57
Suminda Sirinath S. Dharmasena
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What are good resources to study the Abhidhamma of Central/South Asia Schools (e.g. Sthaviravāda, Sarvāstivāda, Dharmaguptaka, Mūlasarvāstivāda, etc.)
What are good resources and references (ideally online) to learn Abhidhamma from school of Buddhism in Central/South Asia (Sthaviravāda, Theravada, Sarvāstivāda, Dharmaguptaka, Mūlasarvāstivāda, etc.)....
asked Dec 19 '15 at 8:29
Suminda Sirinath S. Dharmasena
35.6k3 gold badges21 silver badges68 bronze badges
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What is the difference between nama-rupa and the five skandhas?
As I understood it from the abhidharma, nama-rupa is just another way of looking at the five skandhas, a different scheme for the same thing, along with others (e.g. the dhatus).
But, as far as I can ...
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Does an Arahant accumulate kamma in his/her life?
Cetana (Intention) is a universal mental factor which can be seen in every consciousness even in Arahants'.
Kamma is the intention in one's consciousness.
I have thought about the below statements ...
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The cognitive process: the stage of investigating consciousness
When practicing insight meditation and when observing mental formations arising then sometimes shortly after another mental formation arises caused by the first mental formation.
An example could ...
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Right time, Right time! But what is the right time to speak?
Failue, disappeared, they say: "Right time, right time. It wasn't the proper time!", but:
What's the right time to ask?
What's the right time to advise?
What's the right time to speak?
What's the ...
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Change and decay of one's own body. How fast is it?
We all know that we get sick and get old but i have heard that "Abhidhamma" talks about a faster version of decay and change.As i have heard there is a change that is happening every fraction of a ...
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Is lazyness a killer?
If so, in how far is it a killer, a quality that harms?
How does it arises, when arising? How does it vanish?
[Note that this isn't given/asked for trade, exchange, stakes or other layziness ...
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single word for metta in English language
I have been struggling to find a single English word for "metta".Think I have failed. Once I read "what Buddha thought"by Walpola Rahula Thero mentioned as Universal Love which I don't agree as ...
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What's the (mental) quality different between aversive leaving (vi-bhava) and renouncing (nekkhamma)?
Whats the different between leaving, abounding, letting go, push away, say out of aversion, anger, and renouncing?
Both seems to be combined with tanha (thirst), yet one is called ku-sala (bad-...
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What is breath?
There is a lot of talk on breath, now what is breath? What's the meaning?
Is it form? What of it? Is it an action? Is it a perception? A feeling? How should it be taken, if to be taken, so that it ...
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Abhidhamma on Chittas and Chetasikas of Bi-polar disorders, Autism, and many mental disorders
Here's what I'm given to understand:
The Abhidhamma manual classifies all possible mental states of a human being into - various different kinds of Chittas and Chetasikas.
Here's what I want to ...
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What is “Patigha”, and how does it differ from “Dosa”?
I would like to know what is defined as "Patigha" (Skt. "Pratigha"), and how it varies from "Dosa" (Skt. "Dvesha").
Thank you.
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Is rebirth a conventional truth within the Buddha's message?
There is a lot on this site (and elsewhere) on the validity of rebirth, whether it is necessary to understand the Buddha's message, or to reach enlightenment etc. My question is slightly different ...
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Text request--Abhidhamma
I am looking for a legal, online version of the Abhidhamma in English. Can anyone point me towards some good online sources, especially for the major books of the Abhidhamma?
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Can we be sensously aware without consciousness?
I wondered (after this thread) what Buddhists have said about this question.
Can anyone, monks, Buddhas, ordinary people, be aware of a sensation without consciousness of it?
And moreover to link it ...
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How does one understand the elements of the Pure Octad in Sunlight?
According to Abhidhamma, the smallest unit of Rupa is called the Suddhashtaka(Pure Octad) which has the following 8 elements:
patavi, apo, tejo, vayo, vanna, gandha, rasa, and oja
Regarding Sunlight,...
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Can the dhatu elements be considered as permanent?
Can the dhatu elements (earth, water, wind and fire) be considered as permanent?
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Was the Abhidhamma taught by the Buddha?
According to the Theravada tradition, the Abhidhamma was taught by the Buddha.
From "The Abhidhamma in Practice" by N.K.G. Mendis:
Theravaada tradition holds that the Buddha conceived the ...
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How is re-linking consciousness reconciled with MN 38?
In the essay "Buddhist Reflections on Death", V.F. Gunaratna wrote:
The terminal thought goes through the same stages of progress as any
other thought, with this differences that whereas the ...
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How do we guarantee the accuracy and validity of Buddhist scriptures?
In this site participators draw statements from "Buddhist scriptures" (Suttas), considering them pure and directly from Buddha's words.
Some of these statements [seem] closer to fantasy, ...
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Where does the consciousness (cittas) originate inside the body?
I have heard that all consciousness arise in hadaya vatthu rupa (blood inside the heart) except the five doors perceiving consciousness (Cakku vinnana, Sota vinnana, Ghana vinnana, Jeevha vinnana, ...
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What's the difference between remorse and shame of evil?
Remorse or regret (kukucca) is supposed to be unwholesome, while shame of evil (hiri) is wholesome.
What is the difference between the two? Why is one wholesome, while the other isn't?
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Is “doing according to one's best understanding” a protection from wrong-doing?
A common belief is that, if one conducts himself "as best he can" (in the best ways he understands and knows), then would be a protection from -- or an excuse for -- wrong-doing.
For example, "I ...
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Sudden enlightenment & knowledge of the Abhidhamma
In the Mahayana tradition, there is the notion of sudden enlightenment. I am not asking whether sudden enlightenment is possible or not. I would like to know if Mahayanists see acquisition of ...
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What does 'all the phenomena related to the senses are “not real”' mean?
Upasaka Angus asked on another place:
What do you mean that all the phenomena related to the senses are "not real"?
So what does a statement '"all the phenomena related to the senses are "not real ...
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What's the different between kusala (good) and akusala (bad)? [duplicate]
What's the different between ku-sala (good) and a-ku-sala (bad), in regard of what the Buddha taught?
(ku - bad, sala - cutting away, a - not)
What are good and bad actions by deeds, speech and mind,...
