Dear Dimitry, Nina, Jim, Robert Kirpatrick and all


Dimitry wrote:

"Personally I hold an opinion that Buddha has not been the author of
Dhammasanganii, at least in its present form. For the detailed
analysis of Dhammasanganii date please see the article
http://ccbs.ntu.edu.tw/FULLTEXT/JR-ENG/bcl.htm"

Thank you for this comment and the link for BC Law's research paper.

I have just now answerd Thomas Law's similar question off-list as
follows.

________________________________ Begin Quote

(The editied version of the off-list letter To Thomas Law)

Dear Thomas Law

How are you?

You asked:

"How do you know that the Pali verb was actually spoken by the
Buddha?"

Abhidhamma Pi.taka is within Khuddaka Nikaaya. Nikaaya Pali texts
embody the words of the Buddha and his disciples who are Arahants.

What the Arahants teach are the same as those taught by the Buddha
in the sense that they are either the exact words or restatements of
the words of the Buddha.

This uniformity in words and meanings between the teachings of the
Buddha and his Arahant disciples is made possible by the Noble
Eightfold Path being followed and practiced by them to perfection.

Now, if you are questioning if Pali is the original language used by
the Buddha and his Arahant disciples, my answer is yes. How do I
know this? I know this because it is stated by the ancient Buddhist
masters in Pali texts. I believe them because I do not see any
reason why they would tell lies. Telling lies is against the Vinaya
rules, and Theravada ascetics follow the Pali Vinaya rules.

I hope that I have answered your question.

Suan Lu Zaw
__________________________ End Quote.


I do not take very seriously the hermeneutic interpretations of the
speculative scholars and ideologists mainly because they have no
relevance to my scientific undertakings in real life situations.

However, I do respect your own view on the matter if it suits your
circumstances and your Buddhist practice.

For me, the traditional view of the Theravada ascetics is the best,
namely that the Buddha taught Abhidhamma Pi.taka to sensuous gods
(Devas)and Jhaana gods (Brahmaas) in Taavaitmsa Heaven, then taught
the brief method version to Saariputta who taught it to his ascetic
disciples, which has been recited at the First Congress Recital
convened by the senior Arahants and become Abhidhamma Pi.taka as we
know it.

Please read the following quote from Ganthaarambakathaa of
A.t.thasaalinii, Commentary On Dhammasanganii:

Maataram pamukham katvaa, tassaa paññaaya tejasaa;
abhidhammakathaamaggam, devaanam sampavattayi.
<skip>
Yam devadevo devaanam, desetvaa nayato puna;
therassa saariputtassa, samaacikkhi vinaayako.
Anotattadahe katvaa, upa.t.thaanam mahesino;
yañca sutvaana so thero, aaharitvaa mahiitalam.
Bhikkhuunam payirudaahaasi, iti bhikkhuuhi dhaarito; ...



Dimitry also asked:

"Do you seriously consider that every time 'when a mental event
happens by taking one or another of the six stimuli', all items on
this list arise simultaneously?"

All items on that list arise if the mental event is kaamaavacaram
kusalam cittam somanassasahagatam ñaa.nasampayuttam as given in
Section 1 of Dhammasanganii.

But, if the mental event is a different one such as the Second
Jhaana, some mental associates will be missing.

Please see Section 161, Dhammasanganii below

"161. Katame dhammaa kusalaa? Yasmim samaye ruupuupapattiyaa
maggam bhaaveti vitakkavicaaraanam vuupasamaa ajjhattam
sampasaadanam cetaso ekodibhaavam avitakkam avicaaram
samaadhijam piiti sukham dutiyam jhaanam ‚ upasampajja
viharati pathaviikasi.nam, tasmim samaye phasso hoti, ...."

Aacariya Buddhaghosa's view on the question regarding which of the
mental associates comes first, which comes later is also worth
looking at, and is given in A.t.thasaalinii on page 107 (Roman
script) as follows. His answer is No, of course.

"Ekacittasmiñhi uppannadhammaanam `ayam pa.thamam uppanno ayam
pacchaa'ti idam vattum na labbhaa. Balavapaccayabhaavepi
phassassa kaara.nam na dissati. Desanaavaareneva pana
phasso pa.thamam vutto. Vedanaa hoti phasso hoti, saññaa
hoti phasso hoti, cetanaa hoti phasso hoti, cittam hoti phasso
hoti, vedanaa hoti saññaa hoti, cetanaa hoti vitakko
hotiiti aaharitumpi hi va.t.teyya. Desanaavaarena pana
phassova pa.thamam vuttoti veditabbo. Yathaa cettha evam
sesadhammesupi pubbaaparakkamo naama na pariyesitabbo.
Vacanatthalakkha.narasaadiihi pana dhammaa eva pariyesitabbaa."

He established the simultaneous arisings of a mental event and its
mental associates firmly by the following statement.

"Ekacittasmiñhi uppannadhammaanam `ayam pa.thamam uppanno ayam
pacchaa'ti idam vattum na labbhaa."

With regards,

Suan

http://www.bodhiology.org



--- In Pali@yahoogroups.com, "Dimitry A. Ivakhnenko (Äìèòðèé
Àëåêñååâè÷ Èâàõíåíêî)" <koleso@...> wrote:


Dear Suan,

Thank you for the citation.

......

Best regards,
Dimitry