Abhidhammāvatāra

From Encyclopedia of Buddhism
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Abhidhammavatara (Pali, also Abhidhammāvatāra), or "Introduction to Abhidhamma," is a manual on the Pali Abhidhamma that was "written in the fifth century by Buddhadatta, a contemporary of Buddhaghosa."[1]

According to Encyclopedia Britannica, the Abhidhammāvatāra is "the earliest effort at systematizing, in the form of a manual, the doctrines dealt with in the Abhidhamma (scholastic) section of the Theravada Buddhist canon."[2]

In this work, Buddhadatta summed up and gave original systematization to other commentaries dealing with Abhidhamma.[2] It is written in a chapter, verse format, with twenty-four chapters. According to Encyclopedia Britannica, the Abhidhammāvatāra has, to some extent, been superseded by the Abhidhammattha-sangaha.[2]

According to the Princeton Dictionary, this work contains many affinities with the Visuddhimagga.[3]

Notes

  1. Gethin 1998, s.v. Chapter 8.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 Britannica 2023.
  3. Buswell & Lopez 2014, s.v. Abhidhammāvatāra.

Sources