Abhidharma-kosa
Encyclopedia
Abhidharma-kośa is a key text in verse written in Sanskrit
by Vasubandhu
. It summarizes Sarvāstivādin
tenets in eight chapters with a total of around 600 verses. The text was widely respected, and used by schools of Mahayana
Buddhism
in India, Tibet and the Far East.
Vasubandhu wrote a commentary to his own work, called the Abhidharma-kośa-bhāsya. In it, he critiques the interpretations of the Sarvāstivādins and others of the tenets he presented in that work. This commentary includes an additional chapter in prose refuting the idea of the "person" (pudgala) favoured by some Buddhists. However, later Sarvāstivādin
master Samghabhadra considered that he misrepresented their school in the process, and at this point designated Vasubandhu as a Sautrantika (upholder of the sutra
s) rather than as an upholder of the Abhidharma
.
The Abhidharma-kośa and its commentary is composed of the following chapters:
Ancient translations of the Abhidharma-kośa were made into Chinese by Paramārtha (564
-567
CE) and by Xuán Zàng
(651
-654
CE). Other translations and commentaries exist in Tibetan, Chinese and Mongolian, and modern translations have been made into English, French and Russian.
The text includes 8 Chapters.
There are many commentaries written on this text, including an autocommentary by Master Vasubandhu
entitled Abhidharmakoshabhyasa. His Holiness the First Dalai Lama
, Gyalwa Gendun Drup (1391-1474) composed a commentary titled Illumination of the Path to Freedom.
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
by Vasubandhu
Vasubandhu
Vasubandhu was an Indian Buddhist monk, and along with his half-brother Asanga, one of the main founders of the Indian Yogācāra school. However, some scholars consider Vasubandhu to be two distinct people. Vasubandhu is one of the most influential figures in the entire history of Buddhism...
. It summarizes Sarvāstivādin
Sarvastivada
The Sarvāstivāda were an early school of Buddhism that held to 'the existence of all dharmas in the past, present and future, the 'three times'. Vasubandhu's states:-Name:...
tenets in eight chapters with a total of around 600 verses. The text was widely respected, and used by schools of Mahayana
Mahayana
Mahāyāna is one of the two main existing branches of Buddhism and a term for classification of Buddhist philosophies and practice...
Buddhism
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
in India, Tibet and the Far East.
Vasubandhu wrote a commentary to his own work, called the Abhidharma-kośa-bhāsya. In it, he critiques the interpretations of the Sarvāstivādins and others of the tenets he presented in that work. This commentary includes an additional chapter in prose refuting the idea of the "person" (pudgala) favoured by some Buddhists. However, later Sarvāstivādin
Sarvastivada
The Sarvāstivāda were an early school of Buddhism that held to 'the existence of all dharmas in the past, present and future, the 'three times'. Vasubandhu's states:-Name:...
master Samghabhadra considered that he misrepresented their school in the process, and at this point designated Vasubandhu as a Sautrantika (upholder of the sutra
Sutra
Sūtra is an aphorism or a collection of such aphorisms in the form of a manual. Literally it means a thread or line that holds things together and is derived from the verbal root siv-, meaning to sew , as does the medical term...
s) rather than as an upholder of the Abhidharma
Abhidharma
Abhidharma or Abhidhamma are ancient Buddhist texts which contain detailed scholastic and scientific reworkings of doctrinal material appearing in the Buddhist Sutras, according to schematic classifications...
.
The Abhidharma-kośa and its commentary is composed of the following chapters:
-
- 1: The Dhātus
- 2: The Indriyas
- 3: The World
- 4: Karma
- 5: The Latent Defilements
- 6: The Path and the Saints
- 7: The Knowledges
- 8: The Absorptions
- 9: Refutation of the Pudgala
- 1: The Dhātus
Ancient translations of the Abhidharma-kośa were made into Chinese by Paramārtha (564
564
Year 564 was a leap year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 564 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Births :* Hermenegild, Spanish Visigoth prince* Li...
-567
567
Year 567 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 567 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Europe :* Liuva I succeeds Athanagild as king of the...
CE) and by Xuán Zàng
Xuanzang
Xuanzang was a famous Chinese Buddhist monk, scholar, traveler, and translator who described the interaction between China and India in the early Tang period...
(651
651
Year 651 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 651 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Europe :* Clovis II, king of Neustria and Burgundy,...
-654
654
Year 654 was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 654 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Europe :* Rhodes is invaded by an Arab force;...
CE). Other translations and commentaries exist in Tibetan, Chinese and Mongolian, and modern translations have been made into English, French and Russian.
The text includes 8 Chapters.
| Tibetan | English | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| Gns Dng Po Khms Bsdn Pa | Ch. 1 Categories of Existence | Classifies existing things into stained and unstained phenomena |
| Gns Gnyis Pa Dbng Po Bstn Po | Ch. 2 Sense Powers | Describes how existing things are perceived |
| Gns Gsum Pa 'jig Rten Bsdn Pa | Ch. 3 The Suffering World | Describes the different realms and who inhabits them |
| Gns Bzhi Pa Lam Bsdn Pa | Ch. 4 Karma | Describes where the world comes from |
| Gns Lng Pa Phy Rgys Bsdn Pa | Ch. 5 How Bad Thoughts Motivate Karma Karma Karma in Indian religions is the concept of "action" or "deed", understood as that which causes the entire cycle of cause and effect originating in ancient India and treated in Hindu, Jain, Buddhist and Sikh philosophies.... |
Describes how we come to create the deeds that create our world |
| Gns Drug Pa Gng Zg Dng Lam | Ch. 6 How to Escape Suffering | Describes how wisdom can free us from suffering |
| Gns Bdun Pa Ye She Bsdn Pa | Ch. 7 Wisdom | Describes more thoroughly the wisdom mentioned in Ch.6 |
| Gns Brgyd Pa Snyoms Par 'jug Pa Bsdn Pa | Ch. 8 Balanced Meditation | Describes a Buddha Buddha In Buddhism, buddhahood is the state of perfect enlightenment attained by a buddha .In Buddhism, the term buddha usually refers to one who has become enlightened... 's knowledge |
There are many commentaries written on this text, including an autocommentary by Master Vasubandhu
Vasubandhu
Vasubandhu was an Indian Buddhist monk, and along with his half-brother Asanga, one of the main founders of the Indian Yogācāra school. However, some scholars consider Vasubandhu to be two distinct people. Vasubandhu is one of the most influential figures in the entire history of Buddhism...
entitled Abhidharmakoshabhyasa. His Holiness the First Dalai Lama
Dalai Lama
The Dalai Lama is a high lama in the Gelug or "Yellow Hat" branch of Tibetan Buddhism. The name is a combination of the Mongolian word далай meaning "Ocean" and the Tibetan word bla-ma meaning "teacher"...
, Gyalwa Gendun Drup (1391-1474) composed a commentary titled Illumination of the Path to Freedom.