--- In Pali@yahoogroups.com, "Dimitry A. Ivakhnenko (Äìèòðèé > r>
Robert;The Vibhanga is not a commentary it is part of the Tipitika,
and

> r> Buddhaghosa does not disagree with it.
> +++++++++++++++++++++++

Dimitry; If you read the Vibhanga, you would notice that it is in
effect

> largely a commentary to the suttas (though of course it does not
> belong to the Atthakatha literature, being composed much earlier).

+++++++++++++++++++++++++


Dear Dimitry,
I have read the Vibhanga, and it is part of the Tipitaka. According
to the Theravada it was recited along with the Suttanta and Vinaya
at the first council shortly after the parinibbana of the Buddha.
___________________________________________

>
> Specifically, the explanation of 'parimukha.m' mentioned:
>
> "Parimukha.m sati.m upa.t.thapetvaa"ti tattha katamaa sati? Yaa
> sati anussati pa.tissati …pe… sammaasati - aya.m

vuccati "sati".

> Aya.m sati upa.t.thitaa hoti supa.t.thitaa naasikagge vaa
> mukhanimitte vaa. Tena vuccati "parimukha.m sati.m
> upa.t.thapetvaa"ti.
> Vibhangapali .252
>
> As for Buddhaghosa, he interprets this phrase in Visuddhimagga
> (chapter VIII, paragraph 161) as "having placed mindfulness facing

the

> meditation subject".
>
> So Buddhaghosa does contradict the Vibhanga.

++++++++++
Buddhaghosa was the authour (editor/ translator) of the
Sammohavinodani - the commentary to the Vibhanga. If he contradicted
the word of the Buddha (as recorded in the Vibhanga) wouldn't the
monks at the time have pointed this out? What you see as a
contradictiion might be as simply a matter of emphasis in
explantion. Buddhaghosa is very thorough, sometimes he repeats what
he has said elsewhere but sometimes he goes further or looks at
another aspect.

One may study the texts looking for any little fault, trying to
prove them wrong. Is that the way Dhamma is understood?
I accept there can be errors in the commentaries. In fact
Buddhaghosa sometimes points out that one commentary says this and
another has a slightly different idea. Even the Tipitaka can have
some mistakes. But are we the ones to find them?

We are far from the time of the Buddha, are our opinions more
mature than the arahants in Sri lanka who worked to preserve the
teachings over a millenia ago? There is a reason that the sangha
have valued and still recite the commentaries at the councils.
RobertK

>