DOCSLIB.ORG

Download Download

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Download Download ISSN: 2322 - 0902 (P) ISSN: 2322 - 0910 (O) International Journal of Ayurveda and Pharma Research Review Article BUDDHIST COUNCILS (SANGITI) AND ITS LITERATURE: A REVIEW Potbhare Balaji M*, Wakode Vanmala *Research Officer (Ayu.), Regional Ayurveda Research Institute for Mother and Child Health, Nagpur, Maharashtra, India. Received on: 06/03/2019 Revised on: 17/03/2019 Accepted on: 31/03/2019 ABSTRACT There are two main philosophical sciences in India; atheistic (Charavka, Jain and Bauddha) and theist (Sankhya, Yoga, Nyaya, Vaishehika, Purva mimansa and Uttar mimansa). In India, abundant literatures of philosophical sciences are available except Buddhist literature and the reasons are unknown. Buddhist literatures were in Pali language which was a dialect of ancient India and to preserve the invaluable teaching of the Buddha, till dated six Councils (Shangiti) were convened out of which three councils were assembled in ancient India. It is said that the knowledge of history of Indian culture is incomplete without the knowledge of Pali literature. Ayurveda is a Darshanshashtra (Philosophy) as well as clinical science having the goal of Moksha. Every Darshanshashtra has its goal to achieve the Moksha. Aastika and Nastika darshanshashtras have their influence on Ayurveda. The purpose of this paper is to know about the Buddhist councils along with at least appellations of the Buddhist literature. KEYWORDS: Buddhist, Ayurveda, Darshan, Councils (Shangati), Atharva Veda. INTRODUCTION The science of Ayurveda and its basic (lit.baskets); the Vinaya pitaka (the monastic concepts are based upon the Indian fundamental discipline), Shutta pitaka (the popular discourses), sciences which are called Darshan (a system of and Abhidhamma pitaka (a compendium of profound philosophy).[1] Six historical Dhamma councils or teachings elucidating the functioning and Dhamma-shangitis were organized to a mass and interrelationships of mind, mental factors, matter and preserve the words of the Buddha. There are two the phenomenon transcending all these). [3] important aspects of the Dhamma the theoretical, The tradition continued of organizing the known as Pariyatti; and the practical, applied aspect historical Dhamma Councils, the last of which, the which is called Patipatti. These councils were Chattha-shangayana (Sixth Dhamma Council), took organized to preserve the Pariyatti, or theoretical, place in Myanmar (Burma) in 1954-56 A.D., while aspect of the Dhamma in its pristine purity. The simultaneously the healthy tradition of memorizing councils were necessary to safeguard and accurately the words of the Buddha was also maintained. Just as preserve the teachings because the words of the the Buddha is a historical person rather than a Buddha were not committed to writing until the mythical figure, similarly, the Dhamma-vacana are fourth councils, more than 500 years after the composed of his own statements of experience or Buddha’s Mahaparinibbana. [2] those of his disciples and not merely flights of Historical background imagination of a poet. The neighbouring countries of The Buddha suggested two methods to keep India have very conscientiously safeguarded this the pure Dhamma long lived. First, the Dhamma- valuable treasure and, therefore not only India, but vacana (words of the Buddha) should be preserved in all of humanity is grateful to them. [4] their original form in a well-organized manner. Necessity of the study Second, his devoted followers should assemble in There are so many references in Buddhist concord and collectively recite the Dhamma, which literature related to Ayurveda. For example, Human the enlightened one had taught through self- anatomical parts have been detailed described in realization. After the Mahaparinibbana of the Visuddhimaggo, like kidney, heart, Pitta, hairs, skin, Buddha, his five hundred chief disciples assembled liver, spleen, brain, lungs, intestines, and stomach etc. under the aegis of Ven. Maha kassapa. The entire body of his teaching was divided into three Pitakas IJAPR | January 2019 | Vol 7 | Issue 1 13 Int. J. Ayur. Pharma Research, 2019;7(1):13-17 Pitta pannacaritassa accham vippasannam anavilam Pittanti dve pittani baddhapittanca pandaram parisuddham niddhotajatimani viya abaddhapittanca| tattha baddhapittam vannato jutimantam khayati| disato uparimaya disaya jatam| bahalamadhukatelavannam| abaddhapittam okasato sarirabbhantare dvinnam thnanam majjhe milataakulipupphavannam| santhanato ubhayampi patitthitam| paricchedato hadayam hadayabhagena okasasanthanam| disato baddhapittam uparimaya paricchinnam, ayamassa sabhagaparicchedo| disaya jatam, itaram dvisu disasu jatam| okasato visabhagaparicchedo pana kesasadisoyeva. [7] abaddhapittam thapetva kesalomadantanakhanam Heart mamsavinimuttatthananceva thaddhasukkhacam This is the heart flesh. As to colour, it is the manca udakamiva telabindu avasesasariram colour of the back of a red-lotus petal. As to shape, it byapetva thitam, yamhi kupite akkhini pitakani honti, is the shape of a lotus bud with the outer petals bhamanti, gattam kampati, kanduyati| baddhapittam removed and turned upside down; it is smooth hadayapapphasanam antare yakanamamsam nissaya outside, and inside it is like the interior of a kosataki patitthite mahakosatakikosakasadise pittakosake (loofah gourd). In those who possess understanding thitam, yamhi kupite satta ummattaka honti, it is a little expanded; in those without understanding vipallatthacitta hirottappam chaddetva akatabbam it is still only a bud. Inside it there is a hollow as the karonti, abhasitabbam bhasanti, acintitabbam size of a Punnaga seed’s bed where half a Prasata cintenti| paricchedato pittabhagena paricchinnam, measure of blood is consciousness element occurs. [8] ayamassa sabhagaparicchedo| visabhagaparicchedo In Triptik, Vinayapitaka has a chapter called pana kesasadisoyeva. [5] Bhaisajya Skandhak, in which the drug and its means Bile of making, Swedan and surgery are described in There are two kinds of bile: local bile and free detail. bile herein as to colour, the local bile is the colour of Many scholars are of opinion that the thick madhuka oil’ the free bile is the colour of faded Samkhya and the Yoga represent the earliest akuli flowers. As to shape, both are the shape of their systematic speculations of India. It is also suggested location. As to direction, the local bile belongs to the that Buddhism drew much of its inspiration from upper direction; the other belongs to both directions. them; it may be that there is some truth in such a As to location, the free bile spreads, like a drop of oil view, but the systematic Samkhya and Yoga treatises in water, all over the body except for the fleshless as we have them had decidedly been written after parts of the head hair, body hair, teeth, nails and the Buddhism. Moreover it is well-known to every hard dry skin. When it is disturbed, the eyes become student of Hindu philosophy that a conflict with the yellow and twitch, and there is shivering and itching Buddhists has largely stimulated philosophic enquiry of the body. The local bile is situated near the flesh of in most of the systems of Hindu thought. Knowledge the liver between the heart and the lungs. It is to be of Buddhism is therefore indispensable for a right found in the bile container (gall bladder), which is understanding of the different systems in their like a large kosataki (loofah) gourd pip. When it is mutual relation and opposition to bhuddhism. [9] disturbed, beings go crazy and demented, they throw Regarding the background of the Indian off conscience and shame and does the undoable, philosophical sciences, it is said that ‘With regard to speak the unspeakable, and think the unthinkable. As the relation of Buddhism to the six orthodox systems to delimitation, it is bounded by what appertains to it seems to me that all we can honestly say is that bile. [6] schools of philosophy handlings down doctrines very Description of heart is as follows similar to those of our six classical or orthodox Hadayanti hadayamamsam| tam vannato systems are presupposed by the Buddhist Sutras. [10] rattapadumapattapitthivannam| The knowledge of history of Indian culture is santhanato bahirapattani apanetva adhomukham incomplete without the knowledge of Pali literature.’ thapitapadumamakuḷasanthanam| bahi mattham, The Buddhist Pali canon and its commentaries, as anto kosatakiphalassa abbhantarasadisam| well as a number of extra-canonical texts, are a rich pannavantanam thokam vikasitam, mandapannanam source of information on subjects related to the makuḷitameva| anto cassa development of the classical system of Indian punnagatthipatitthanamatto avatako hoti, yattha medicine. The systematic study and exploitation of addhapasatamattam lohitam santhati, yam nissaya this body of texts is therefore of great importance. manodhatu ca manovinnanadhatu ca vattani| tam Surprisingly this field of study has been neglected by panetam ragacaritassa rattam hoti, dosacaritassa both Indian and Western scholars for a long time. In kaḷakam, mohacaritassa mamsadhovanauda tracing the history of Ayurveda, we have not taken kasadisam, vitakkacaritassa kullatthayusavannam, proper advantage of the various materials lying in the IJAPR | January 2019 | Vol 7 | Issue 1 14 Potbhare Balaji M, Wakode Vanmala. Buddhist Councils (Sangiti) and its Literature: A Review Buddhist literature. Many medical historians have The Fifth Dhamma Council never mentioned this treasure house. The period It took place at Mandalay, in Myanmar in extending
Load more

Recommended publications
  • The Concept of Self-Liberation in Theravada Burmese Buddhism
    ASIA-PACIFIC NAZARENE THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY THE CONCEPT OF SELF-LIBERATION IN THERAVADA BURMESE BUDDHISM A Thesis Presented to The Faculty of Asia-Pacific Nazarene Theological Seminary In Partial Fulfilment of the Degree Master of Science in Theology BY CING SIAN THAWN TAYTAY, RIZAL NOVEMBER 2020 ASIA-PACIFIC NAZARENE THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY WE HEREBY APPROVE THE THESIS SUBMITTED BY Cing Sian Thawn ENTITLED THE CONCEPT OF SELF-LIBERATION IN THERAVADA BURMESE BUDDHISTS AS PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE MASTER OF SCIENCE IN THEOLOGY (SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY) Dr. Dick Eugenio _________ Dr. Phillip Davis __________ Thesis Adviser Date Program Director Date Dr. Eileen Ruger _________ Dr. Naw Yaw Yet ___________ Internal Reader Date External Reader Date Dr. Dick Eugenio _________ Dr. Larry Bollinger ___________ Academic Dean Date President Date ii ABSTRACT This thesis explores the self-liberation concept of Theravada Buddhism, with the hope that it can provide a foundation towards a dialogical exchange between Buddhists and Christians in Myanmar. To provide a better understanding of the context, the thesis offers a brief historical background of Buddhist-Christian relations in Myanmar. By mainly relying on the translation of the Pali Tipitaka, along with a number of secondary sources from prominent Buddhist scholars, the self-liberation concept of Theravada Buddhism is discussed, beginning with the personal experience of Gotama, the Buddha. The thesis is descriptive in nature. The research employs a basic qualitative method, integrated with the analytical and interpretive methods. Correlation and synthesis were done and are presented in the final chapter with an emphasis on implications for interfaith dialogue. The study produced some significant findings.
    [Show full text]
  • 4.35 B.A. /M.A. 5 Years Integrated Course in Pali A.Y. 2017-18
    Cover Page AC___________ Item No. ______ UNIVERSITY OF MUMBAI Syllabus for Approval Sr. No. Heading Particulars Title of the B.A./M.A. Five Year Integrated Course In 1 Course Pali Eligibility for As per existing Ordinances & policy 2 Admission Passing As per University Credit Semester System 3 Marks 2017 Ordinances / 4 - Regulations ( if any) No. of Years / 5 5 Years Semesters P.G. / U.G./ Diploma / Certificate 6 Level ( Strike out which is not applicable) Yearly / Semester 7 Pattern ( Strike out which is not applicable) New / Revised 8 Status ( Strike out which is not applicable) To be implemented 9 From Academic Year 2017-2018 from Academic Year Date: Signature : Name of BOS Chairperson / Dean : ____________________________________ 1 Cover Page UNIVERSITY OF MUMBAI Essentials Elements of the Syllabus B.A./M.A. Five Year Integrated Course In 1 Title of the Course Pali 2 Course Code - Preamble / Scope:- The traditional way of learning Pali starts at an early age and gradually develops into ethically strong basis of life. Now at the university though we cannot give the monastic kind of training to the students, the need of the time is -a very strong foundation of sound mind and body, facing the stress and challenges of the life. There is necessity of Pali learning for a long time from early age which few schools in Maharashtra are giving, but not near Mumbai. Mumbai University has only one college which satisfies the need of Pali learning at the undergraduate and graduate level those too only three papers in Pali. The interest in the study of Pali language and literature is on the rise.
    [Show full text]
  • Burmese Buddhist Imagery of the Early Bagan Period (1044 – 1113) Buddhism Is an Integral Part of Burmese Culture
    Burmese Buddhist Imagery of the Early Bagan Period (1044 – 1113) 2 Volumes By Charlotte Kendrick Galloway A thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy of The Australian National University November 2006 ii Declaration I declare that to the best of my knowledge, unless where cited, this thesis is my own original work. Signed: Date: Charlotte Kendrick Galloway iii Acknowledgments There are a number of people whose assistance, advice and general support, has enabled me to complete my research: Dr Alexandra Green, Dr Bob Hudson, Dr Pamela Gutman, Dick Richards, Dr Tilman Frasch, Sylvia Fraser- Lu, Dr Royce Wiles, Dr Don Stadtner, Dr Catherine Raymond, Prof Michael Greenhalgh, Ma Khin Mar Mar Kyi, U Aung Kyaing, Dr Than Tun, Sao Htun Hmat Win, U Sai Aung Tun and Dr Thant Thaw Kaung. I thank them all, whether for their direct assistance in matters relating to Burma, for their ability to inspire me, or for simply providing encouragement. I thank my colleagues, past and present, at the National Gallery of Australia and staff at ANU who have also provided support during my thesis candidature, in particular: Ben Divall, Carol Cains, Christine Dixon, Jane Kinsman, Mark Henshaw, Lyn Conybeare, Margaret Brown and Chaitanya Sambrani. I give special mention to U Thaw Kaung, whose personal generosity and encouragement of those of us worldwide who express a keen interest in the study of Burma's rich cultural history, has ensured that I was able to achieve my own personal goals. There is no doubt that without his assistance and interest in my work, my ability to undertake the research required would have been severely compromised – thank you.
    [Show full text]
  • The Mind-Body in Pali Buddhism: a Philosophical Investigation
    The Mind-Body Relationship In Pali Buddhism: A Philosophical Investigation By Peter Harvey http://www.buddhistinformation.com/mind.htm Abstract: The Suttas indicate physical conditions for success in meditation, and also acceptance of a not-Self tile-principle (primarily vinnana) which is (usually) dependent on the mortal physical body. In the Abhidhamma and commentaries, the physical acts on the mental through the senses and through the 'basis' for mind-organ and mind-consciousness, which came to be seen as the 'heart-basis'. Mind acts on the body through two 'intimations': fleeting modulations in the primary physical elements. Various forms of rupa are also said to originate dependent on citta and other types of rupa. Meditation makes possible the development of a 'mind-made body' and control over physical elements through psychic powers. The formless rebirths and the state of cessation are anomalous states of mind-without-body, or body-without-mind, with the latter presenting the problem of how mental phenomena can arise after being completely absent. Does this twin-category process pluralism avoid the problems of substance- dualism? The Interaction of Body and Mind in Spiritual Development In the discourses of the Buddha (Suttas), a number of passages indicate that the state of the body can have an impact on spiritual development. For example, it is said that the Buddha could only attain the meditative state of jhana once he had given up harsh asceticism and built himself up by taking sustaining food (M.I. 238ff.). Similarly, it is said that health and a good digestion are among qualities which enable a person to make speedy progress towards enlightenment (M.I.
    [Show full text]
  • Buddhism and Responses to Disability, Mental Disorders and Deafness in Asia
    Buddhism and Responses to Disability, Mental Disorders and Deafness in Asia. A bibliography of historical and modern texts with introduction and partial annotation, and some echoes in Western countries. [This annotated bibliography of 220 items suggests the range and major themes of how Buddhism and people influenced by Buddhism have responded to disability in Asia through two millennia, with cultural background. Titles of the materials may be skimmed through in an hour, or the titles and annotations read in a day. The works listed might take half a year to find and read.] M. Miles (compiler and annotator) West Midlands, UK. November 2013 Available at: http://www.independentliving.org/miles2014a and http://cirrie.buffalo.edu/bibliography/buddhism/index.php Some terms used in this bibliography Buddhist terms and people. Buddhism, Bouddhisme, Buddhismus, suffering, compassion, caring response, loving kindness, dharma, dukkha, evil, heaven, hell, ignorance, impermanence, kamma, karma, karuna, metta, noble truths, eightfold path, rebirth, reincarnation, soul, spirit, spirituality, transcendent, self, attachment, clinging, delusion, grasping, buddha, bodhisatta, nirvana; bhikkhu, bhikksu, bhikkhuni, samgha, sangha, monastery, refuge, sutra, sutta, bonze, friar, biwa hoshi, priest, monk, nun, alms, begging; healing, therapy, mindfulness, meditation, Gautama, Gotama, Maitreya, Shakyamuni, Siddhartha, Tathagata, Amida, Amita, Amitabha, Atisha, Avalokiteshvara, Guanyin, Kannon, Kuan-yin, Kukai, Samantabhadra, Santideva, Asoka, Bhaddiya, Khujjuttara,
    [Show full text]
  • Myanmar Buddhism of the Pagan Period
    MYANMAR BUDDHISM OF THE PAGAN PERIOD (AD 1000-1300) BY WIN THAN TUN (MA, Mandalay University) A THESIS SUBMITTED FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY SOUTHEAST ASIAN STUDIES PROGRAMME NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE 2002 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to express my gratitude to the people who have contributed to the successful completion of this thesis. First of all, I wish to express my gratitude to the National University of Singapore which offered me a 3-year scholarship for this study. I wish to express my indebtedness to Professor Than Tun. Although I have never been his student, I was taught with his book on Old Myanmar (Khet-hoà: Mranmâ Râjawaà), and I learnt a lot from my discussions with him; and, therefore, I regard him as one of my teachers. I am also greatly indebted to my Sayas Dr. Myo Myint and Professor Han Tint, and friends U Ni Tut, U Yaw Han Tun and U Soe Kyaw Thu of Mandalay University for helping me with the sources I needed. I also owe my gratitude to U Win Maung (Tampavatî) (who let me use his collection of photos and negatives), U Zin Moe (who assisted me in making a raw map of Pagan), Bob Hudson (who provided me with some unpublished data on the monuments of Pagan), and David Kyle Latinis for his kind suggestions on writing my early chapters. I’m greatly indebted to Cho Cho (Centre for Advanced Studies in Architecture, NUS) for providing me with some of the drawings: figures 2, 22, 25, 26 and 38.
    [Show full text]
  • The King of Siam's Edition of the Pāli Tipiṭaka
    JOURNAL THE ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY. ART. I.—The King of Slant's Edition of the Pali Tipitaka. By ROBERT CHALMERS. THOUGH four years have passed since the publication, at Bangkok, of thirty-nine volumes of the Pali Canon, under the auspices of His Majesty the King of Siam,1 it was not till a more recent date that, thanks to His Majesty's munificence, copies of this monumental work reached the Royal Asiatic Society, and other libraries in Europe, and so became available for study by Western scholars. The recent visit of the King to this country gave me an oppor- tunity of discussing the genesis and circumstances of the edition with H.R.H. Prince Sommot; and I now desire to communicate to the Royal Asiatic Society the information which I owe to the Prince's scholarship and courtesy. The value of that information will be recognized when it is "stated that Prince Sommot is Private Secretary to the King, served on the Editing Committee, and is brother to the Priest-Prince Vajirafianavarorasa, who has edited eleven out of the thirty-nine volumes already published. 1 His Majesty has informed the Society that there will follow in due course an edition of the Atthakathas and Tikas. J.R.A.8. 1898. 1 Downloaded from https://www.cambridge.org/core. University of Exeter, on 11 May 2018 at 02:56:23, subject to the Cambridge Core terms of use, available at https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0035869X0014612X 2 THE KING OF SIAM'S The first matter which I sought to clear up was the purport of the Siamese preface prefixed to every volume.
    [Show full text]
  • Xvii Three Baskets (Tipitaka) I Buddhism
    261 XVII THREE BASKETS ( TIPITAKA ) I BUDDHISM COTETS 1. What is the Tipitaka ? 2. Language of Buddha’s words (Buddhavacana ) 3. What is Pali? 4. The First Council 5. The Second Council 6. The Great Schism 7. Origin of the Eighteen ikayas (Schools of Buddhism) 8. The Third Council 9. Committing the Tipitaka to Memory 10. Fourth Council: Committing the Tipitaka to Writing 11. Fifth and Sixth Councils in Myanmar 12. Conclusion 13. Appendix: Contents of the Tipitaka or Three Baskets 14. Explanatory Notes 15. References 262 • Buddhism Course 1. What is the Tipitaka ? The word of the Buddha, which is originally called the Dhamma , consists of three aspects, namely: Doctrine ( Pariyatti ), Practice (Patipatti ) and Realization ( Pativedha ). The Doctrine is preserved in the Scriptures called the Tipitaka . English translators of the Tipitaka have estimated it to be eleven times the size of the Christian Bible. It contains the Teachings of the Buddha expounded from the time of His Enlightenment to Parinibbana over forty-five years. Tipitaka in Pali means Three Baskets (Ti = Three, Pitaka = Basket), not in the sense of function of storing but of handing down , just like workers carry earth with the aid of baskets handed on from worker to worker, posted in a long line from point of removal to point of deposit, so the Baskets of Teachings are handed down over the centuries from teacher to pupil. The Three Baskets are: Basket of Discipline ( Vinaya Pitaka ), which deals mainly with the rules and regulations of the Order of monks and nuns; Basket of Discourses ( Sutta Pitaka ) which contains the discourses delivered by the Buddha to individuals or assemblies of different ranks in the course of his ministry; Basket of Ultimate Things ( Abhidhamma Pitaka ) which consists of the four ultimate things: Mind ( Citta ), Mental-factors ( Cetasikas ), Matter ( Rupa ) and ibbana .
    [Show full text]
  • “Siam's Borān Buddhism” from the Reign of Rāmā I (1782-1809 CE.)
    The Dhammakāyānussati-kathā: A Trace of “Siam's Borān Buddhism” from the Reign of Rāmā I (1782-1809 CE.) Woramat Malasart A thesis submitted for the degree of Master of Arts Of the University of Otago, Dunedin New Zealand June 4, 2019 Abstract The Dhammakāya text genre appears in manuscripts, inscriptions, and printed texts found in Central Thailand, Northern Thailand, and Cambodia. Texts belonging to this genre share the same core Pāli verses, and date back to the Ayutthaya period. In this thesis, I transliterate, translate, contextualise and analyse the Dhammakāyānussati-kathā, “Words on the Recollec- tion of the Body of Dhammas,” which was part of the Suat Mon Plae, a collection of Bud- dhist chanting rituals compiled during the 1st reign (1782-1809), using a historical-critical approach to the text. The Dhammakāyānussati-kathā consists of verses composed in Pāli fol- lowed by the Thai translation, using a traditional method called yok sab. The first three parts of the Dhammakāyānussati-kathā share the core Pāli verses of the Dhammakāya text genre, but the final section, which praises the Buddha‟s physical body, is different. The Pāli vers- es describe the Buddha‟s auspicious marks including radiance, hair, height, etc., verses that are also found in the Golden Manuscript Braḥ Dhammakāya, a text that can be dated to the 1st reign. Today, the Dhammakāyānussati-kathā is not well-known in Central Thailand, but its similar texts are still used in Northern Thailand and Cambodia during buddhābhiṣeka and the ritual of installing the Buddha‟s heart into a Buddha statute and chedī.
    [Show full text]
  • Chronology of the Pali Canon Bimala Churn Law, Ph.D., M.A., B.L
    Chronology of the Pali Canon Bimala Churn Law, Ph.D., M.A., B.L. Annals of the Bhandarkar Oriental Researchnstitute, Poona, pp.171-201 Rhys Davids in his Buddhist India (p. 188) has given a chronological table of Buddhist literature from the time of the Buddha to the time of Asoka which is as follows:-- 1. The simple statements of Buddhist doctrine now found, in identical words, in paragraphs or verses recurring in all the books. 2. Episodes found, in identical words, in two or more of the existing books. 3. The Silas, the Parayana, the Octades, the Patimokkha. 4. The Digha, Majjhima, Anguttara, and Samyutta Nikayas. 5. The Sutta-Nipata, the Thera-and Theri-Gathas, the Udanas, and the Khuddaka Patha. 6. The Sutta Vibhanga, and Khandhkas. 7. The Jatakas and the Dhammapadas. 8. The Niddesa, the Itivuttakas and the Patisambbhida. 9. The Peta and Vimana-Vatthus, the Apadana, the Cariya-Pitaka, and the Buddha-Vamsa. 10. The Abhidhamma books; the last of which is the Katha-Vatthu, and the earliest probably the Puggala-Pannatti. This chronological table of early Buddhist; literature is too catechetical, too cut and dried, and too general to be accepted in spite of its suggestiveness as a sure guide to determination of the chronology of the Pali canonical texts. The Octades and the Patimokkha are mentioned by Rhys Davids as literary compilations representing the third stage in the order of chronology. The Pali title corresponding to his Octades is Atthakavagga, the Book of Eights. The Book of Eights, as we have it in the Mahaniddesa or in the fourth book of the Suttanipata, is composed of sixteen poetical discourses, only four of which, namely, (1.) Guhatthaka, (2) Dutthatthaka.
    [Show full text]
  • Buddhism in Myanmar a Short History by Roger Bischoff © 1996 Contents  Preface  1
    Buddhism in Myanmar A Short History by Roger Bischoff © 1996 Contents Preface 1. Earliest Contacts with Buddhism 2. Buddhism in the Mon and Pyu Kingdoms 3. Theravada Buddhism Comes to Pagan 4. Pagan: Flowering and Decline 5. Shan Rule 6. The Myanmar Build an Empire 7. The Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries Notes Bibliography Preface Myanmar, or Burma as the nation has been known throughout history, is one of the major countries following Theravada Buddhism. In recent years Myanmar has attained special eminence as the host for the Sixth Buddhist Council, held in Yangon (Rangoon) between 1954 and 1956, and as the source from which two of the major systems of Vipassana meditation have emanated out into the greater world: the tradition springing from the Venerable Mahasi Sayadaw of Thathana Yeiktha and that springing from Sayagyi U Ba Khin of the International Meditation Centre. This booklet is intended to offer a short history of Buddhism in Myanmar from its origins through the country's loss of independence to Great Britain in the late nineteenth century. I have not dealt with more recent history as this has already been well documented. To write an account of the development of a religion in any country is a delicate and demanding undertaking and one will never be quite satisfied with the result. This booklet does not pretend to be an academic work shedding new light on the subject. It is designed, rather, to provide the interested non-academic reader with a brief overview of the subject. The booklet has been written for the Buddhist Publication Society to complete its series of Wheel titles on the history of the Sasana in the main Theravada Buddhist countries.
    [Show full text]
  • A Theravada Buddhist Contribution to Universal Ethics
    A Theravada Buddhist Contribution to Universal Ethics By James A. Santucci ABSTRACT Ethics is a sub;ecl thw is taking on increased importance in various areas of human activitv, especially with new challenges in the biological sciences, business, commerce, and trade. like many fields of inquiry, the principles are clearly defined, but it is in the details that disagreements abound This paper focuses on ethical action in Theravcida Buddhism. To do so requtres a definition of ethics and morals on the one hand, and ethic and moral on the other. It also requires a discussion of the difference, ifany, between moral actions and other normative actions. such as law, rilllals, customs, and etiquette. When applied to Theravada Buddhism, we find tha1 some linguistic d1fjiculty exists regarding a /ranslation of ethical actions into the Pali or Sanskril languages. A /though terms exist, they are not informative in defining the range of acllons thai we expect such actions to encompass. In this regard, cerlain axiomalic statements are inlroduced that serve as a basis of moral action regardless of culture. The Theravcida Buddhist response to these axioms, especially when discussing those actions reflecting srla, indicate a goal-oriented and utilitarian approach that conforms more closely to the concepl of karma than lo the Weslern notion of ethics. Why this is so requires an understanding of Vedic cu/lure, !he source of Indian attitudes regarding karma. Ethics is a subject that is taking on increased importance in various areas of human activity. especially with new challenges in the biological sciences, business, commerce, and trade.
    [Show full text]