DhaMMapala (1), (2) and DhaRMapala
Dhammapala is one of the most famous and important commentators like BG in the history of Theravada Buddhism. We have to find the information of DP and his works in Ganthavams and Sasanavams which were written in
(1) Nettipakarana Atthakatha, (2) Itivuttaka A, (3) Udana A, (4) Cariyapitaka A,
(5) Theragatha A, (6) Therigatha A, (7) Vimanavatthu A, (8) Petavatthu A,
(9) Visuddhimagga Tika, (10) Dighanikaya T, (11) Jatakatthakatha T,
(12) Nettipakarana T, (13) Buddhavamsa T, (14) Abhidhamma T.
According to this list, DP is the author of NPA and NPT. Some scholars believe that both A and T of the Nettipakarana have not been written by DP. But it is possible that he wrote the NPA when he was young and its T in his old age.
Of the 14 books mentioned in Gvs, seven books from 2 to 8 are collectively known as Paramatthadipani included in KN. There is no doubt for some scholars that these seven books are DP's own work. Internal evidence shows that the MN-T and SN-T are also DP's own work but these are not mentioned in Gvs. The Jataka A-T is totally unknown.
According to A.K Warder, the author of PD is not the same as the author of Tikas. The author of Visuddhimagga-T and the sub commentaries on the first three Nikayas, lived in the 10th century AD cannot be ruled out. The Svs attributes the Anutika on the Mulatika to DP. He was the student of Ananda (10th AD) who is the author of Mulatika on Abhidhamma.
Therefore, we may assume that DP, the author of PD and DP, the author of the Tikas are different. Another DP came to SL in the 6th cAD from the Badaratittha Vihara known as Dhammasoka Maharaja Vihara in Nagapattana, a place close to sea in south
Therefore, Prof. Mori assumes that DP has written the PD in one of the branches of Mahavihara in
It seems strange that BG has written on all the four major Nikayas but DP has written Tikas on the first only three Nikayas, Vm and Anutika on the Abhidhamma. DP was more open minded than BG. If he found some opinions of other schools to be acceptable, he did not hesitate to accommodate them. For example, he was the only one commentator to accept six Paramitas while all the others accepted ten only according to Theravada tradition.
Another Dharmapala appeared in the Mahayana tradition. He was a famous commentator of the
Sinhalese Atthakathas
Traditionally Tripitaka and commentaries were brought by Thera Mahinda from
Sinhala Atthakathas belonged to not only Mahavihara tradition but also Ahhayagi. Jetavana also had its own Sinahalese Atthakathas. Hence there is a difficulty here to find out whether these Sinhalese Atthakathas belonged to all Schools are the same or not. From the evidences collected from Pali Atthakatha, we can say that some are different and some are almost the same. In the Pali commentary, there are some views which belonged to Abhayagiri criticized by
First we have to find out whether these Sinhalese Atthakathas had been completed in the 5th century A.D or before 5th century AD. There are several methods to determine the period. The linguistic study is not applicable because today we don’t have the Sinhalese Atthakathas to be examined.
There is only one way to examine them through Pali Atthakathas based on Sinhala Atthakathas. Therefore we have to depend entirely on PCs. Especially the names of kings, places are mentioned in the Pali commentaries. By examining these evidences of names, places and events that took place in
During the time of Vattagamani, the Tripitaka and Commentary were written on loa leafs. Vasabha( 2nd century AD,) is the last king who was mentioned in the commentary. No other names were mentioned thereafter. We can assume that they would be mentioned in the Sinhalese Atthakathas. The commentaries seemed to be written down in Sinhalese in the fourth Buddhist Council. Here, we can say that the period of Sinhala Atthakathas started from 3rd century BC and continued till about 2nd century AD.
But there is one more problem that the name of king Mahāsena who lived in 3rd century AD is referred to only one place in the Vinaya Atthakatha. That doesn’t suggest that the other Sinhalese Sources were also composed up to the 3rd century AD because no other names between Vasabha and Mahasena have been mentioned in the Pali Atthakatha.
The major portion of Sinhala Atthakathas was composed during the period from 3rd century BC to 2nd century AD, and some additions had been made even after 2nd century AD during the time of Mahāsena. Buddhaghosa came to
By this method we can come to the conclusion that the writing of Sinhalese Atthakathas started about 3rd century BC and completed about 2nd century AD. Some additions were made during the time of king Mahasena in the 3rd century AD. (566 words)
Sabbannu
We may examine Sabbannutanana or Omniscience in the following areas; the Buddhist definition of Sabbannu, the interpretation of the term Sabba in Sabbannu, Sabbadasavi, etc.
The concept of Sabbannu is found in Tevijjavacchagotta sutta. Nigantha claimed that their Master was a Sabbannu who knew everything in every moment. But the Buddha denied this kind of Sabbannu and claimed that he possesses the threefold Knowledge called Tevijja. The Kannakatthala sutta of MN states that there is neither a recluse nor a Brahmin who knows and sees all at the same time.
We find the terms like Sabbavidu, Sabbadassavi, Sabbabhibhu in canonical texts. Sabba means ‘all or everything’. In the Sabbasutta, the term Sabba is defined as Pancakkhandha, Dvadasayatana and Attharasadhatu. The Papancasudani gives the meaning of Anavasesa as without remainder’. The Itivuttaka-A states ‘Sabban sankhatasankhatam anavasesam janatiti sabbannutananam’ which means that Sabbannutanana is the knowledge of knowing everything, conditioned and unconditioned without remainder. In the commentary of SN, BG says that ‘Sabbabhibhu ti sabbani Khandha’ayatanadhatu-bhava-yoga-gata’dini abhibhavati’.
We can find another definition of Sabbannu in Saddhammapakasini and Saddhammapajjotika. It states that Pancaneyyapathappabhedam sabbam annasi’ti sabbannu. Pancaneyyapathappabheda means five kinds of nature of all cognizable phenomena- neyyapatha, known to a Buddha. They are, namely, 1. Sankhara- volitional activities; 2. Vikara- the distinctive forms of body gestures, vocal expression, lightness, pliancy and adaptability; 3. Lakkhana- integration, continuum, ageing and impermanence which are the four characteristics of existence; 4. Nibbana- not conditioned by any cause, the ultimate reality; 5. Pannatti- designation of animate and inanimate forms.
The Dhammasanganiatthakatha states that the Buddha’s knowledge is limitless. The commentaries talk the Buddha’s sabbannu in the sense of bending his mind to any object he wishes to know. Then Saddhammapakasini mentions that Sabbannuta arises because of the dependence on bending the mind to all Dhammas. The Saddhammapakasini and Saddhammapajjotika mention 5 kinds of Sabbannu; 1.Kamasabbannu- one who perceives all manner of things in their proper sequence; 2. Sakimsabbannu- one who is omniscient for once; 3. Sattisabbannu- one whose knowledge is complete due to his proficiency; 4. Satatasabbannu- one who is omniscient perpetually; 5. Natasabbannu- one who is thoroughly knowledgeable in things that matter. These are not found in any other commentaries.
Milindapanha also says that the Buddha is omniscient only in the sense of bending his mind to the object he wants to know, not knowing things at the same time. But his knowledge is limitless within the range of his ability to know. He knows everything within that range. The Buddha can gain the required knowledge of Dhammas together (ekajjham), separately (visum visum), suddenly (sakin) or gradually (kamena) as he wishes. Satatasabbannu is the same as Nigantha’s omniscience denied by the Buddha. Sattisabbannu may have been derived from the idea of ability as a possible mode of knowing that commentators refer to in connection with the knowing of Dhammas. Theravadins accept only the Natasabbannu because the Buddha’s Sabbannu does not go beyond the confines of the Dhammas that must be realized by the Buddha.
As the definitions mentioned above, it is clear how the Buddha is Sabbannu. Thus Sabbannu means a person who knows everything concerning all the Dhammas. It means the Buddha knows everything by directing his mind to any object he wishes to know. (539 words)
Historical events happened during the time of King Vattagamaniabhaya
During the time of King Vattagamaniabhaya (29-17 BC), there happened 3 things to remember in the history of Buddhism. It played a very important role in the history of Buddhism. Buddhism was introduced to this country at the 3rd c BC.Since then Mahavihara was the source centre of Buddhist activities and had close contact with
When a political chaos appeared in this country, Vattagamini had to flee from the capital of Anuradapura to rural area of SL and he met Mahatissa who helped him personally. He captured the country again and became the king of this country for the 2nd time. First one lasted 5or 6 months. He ruled for 12 years. That is recorded in Mhavamsa, Dipavamsa, and Samantapasadika. During this period, he established
Another important event was a famine or drought which lasted for 12 years. Samantapasadika states that all monks were advised by the king to go to
After taking these entire crisis into consideration, Sangha decided to write down the scriptures for the first time in the history of Buddhism in the world. They first committed to writing Buddhist Texts. History says that Mahatissa was subduced by Mahavihara bhikkhus because he was accused of going to layman's house. So he was expelled from Mahavihara. There was no difference between Mahavihara and Abhayagiri because Mahatissa was trained according to Mahavihara tradition. Abhayagiri became a centre of study connected with not only Theravada but Mahayana and followed some tradition of Mahavihara.
Abhayagiri received a lot of supports from king and laypeople. Abhayagiri was larger and more flourished than Mahavihara. Bhikkhus of Mahavihara decided to commit to writing Buddhist Text with the purpose of preserving what we call pure form of Buddhism because they saw some dangers for being forced from Abhayagiri in order to balance between Mahavihara and Abhayagiri.They did not want to mix with Buddhism of Abhayagiri. Unfortunately, king Vattagamani was not unfavorable to Mahavihara. This is made evident by the fact that the bhikkhus decided to write the texts at the Alokavihara, a place in the vicinity of Matale in the central province and remote from
The chief of that area gave the necessary support to the Council and the bhikkhus to write down the scriptures. Dr. Adikaram gave four reasons for the writing of Buddhist Texts during the time of Vattagamani.
(1) The island was in constant danger of being attacked by non Buddhist foreigners.
(2) The Brahmatissa famine made the bhikkhus think of danger of leaving the texts oral tradition.
(3) As time went on irresponsible and irreligious people entered the Order.
(4) Formation of
The priority was given to Tipitaka becauses it was regarded as a collection of Buddhavacana and then came Atthakathas. (610 words)
The value of Pali Commentary
Pali Commentary can be defined as a book written in Pali, which comments difficult words found in the canonical texts and prevent the Buddha’s words from the misinterpretation and distortion. They were written by the commentators like BG, DP, BD, etc not only for doctrinal study but also for philosophical, philological, linguistic, translation, historical, social and cultural study of Buddhism.
As the PCs were preserved in Mahavihara, we can say they are the interpretation of Mahavihara which represents Theravada Buddhism. Mahavihara bhikkhus tried to compare their own views with others mentioning the terms like keci, apare, eke, etc. With the help of PC, we can understand the doctrinal views how to practice the Buddha’s teachings.
To attain deathlessness, we must realize the four Nobel Truths. To realize them, we must practice the eightfold noble path. We must try to understand the three characteristics of five aggregates and remove the wrong view of personality-belief. They are explained in the commentaries from the point of philosophical view.
There are philological differences between Pali texts and commentaries. The Buddhavamsa has 28 chapters but in its commentary we do not find any comments of the last two chapters, Pakinnakakatha and Datubhajaniyakatha. They might be added later after writing commentary. And there are only two Parinibbana: kilasa and khandha in the Pali text. But we find three Parinibbanas including Dhatuparinibbana which must be added later. Moreover, some pali words are quite similar to some English words in meaning and pronunciation e.g. mata = mother, bhata = brother, dhita = daughter, etc.
Pali commentaries can be used as sources material to examine the characteristic of Pali language. There are many developmental stages such as Gatha period, prose and language of Bramhi period, commentarial period and sub-commentarial period. Pali has some similarities with
When we translate the Pali texts into any modern language, we must use the commentaries as guide for translation to have better understanding of the canonical passages. The PCs written in 5th c AD were very close to the time of Buddha and the 3rd Buddhist council. Therefore, the translation which consulted with commentaries should be more acceptable.
They are useful for studying the history of Buddhism both in
In the introduction of Pali commentaries, there are biographies of Buddha and his disciples and the history of Buddhist Councils where, how and why the elder held them to promote and propagate the Buddha’s teachings. Dr. Adikaram says that PCs can be used for historical, geographical and cultural studies of both
PCs can be used to compare Theravada tradition with Mahayana tradition. Many scholars take the necessary information from PCs to write the history of Buddhism. When we look at PCs as a whole, they offer tremendous opportunities to us as source material for the study of Buddhism from various points of views. Therefore, PCs are the most valuable source materials for the study of Buddhism. (565 words)
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