Anupitaka

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The Anupitaka (Pāli, literally, meaning "after piṭaka") is the collected non-canonical or extra-canonical Pāli literature of Buddhism.

Contents

[edit] Anupitaka (Extra-canonical Pāli literature)

The Tipitaka (Pāli canon) assumed its final form at the Third Buddhist Council (ca. 250 BC) and was first committed to writing sometime in the 1st c. BC. Shortly thereafter Buddhist scholar-monks in Sri Lanka and southern India began to assemble a body of secondary literature: commentaries on the Tipitaka itself, historical chronicles, textbooks, Pāli grammars, articles by learned scholars of the past, and so on.

The non-canonical or extra-canonical Pāli literature falls into three historical periods. The first ("classical") period stretches from about the 3rd century B.C. to about the 5th century A.D. The second ("commentarial") period extends from the 5th century to the 11th century, and the third ("modern") period begins with the 12th century.[1] The literature of the first period consists of some classical works of which only a few now survive. To this period belongs:

[edit] Nettipakarana

The Nettipakarana (Pāli: -pakarana: The Guide), Nettippakarana or just Netti is a Buddhist scripture, sometimes included in the Khuddaka Nikaya of Theravada Buddhism's Pāli Canon.

The nature of the Netti is a matter of some disagreement among scholars. The translator, supported by Professor George Bond of Northwestern University, holds that it is a guide to help those who already understand the teaching present it to others. However, A. K. Warder, Professor Emeritus of Sanskrit at the University of Toronto, disagrees, maintaining that it covers all aspects of interpretation, not just this.

The Netti itself says that the methods were taught by the Buddha's disciple Kaccana (also Katyayana or Kaccayana), and the colophon says he composed the book, that it was approved by the Buddha and that it was recited at the First Council. Scholars do not take this literally, but the translator admits the methods may go back to him. The translator holds that the book is a revised edition of the Petakopadesa, though this has been questioned by Professor von Hinüber. Scholars generally date it somewhere around the beginning of the common era.

The Nettipakarana presents methods of interpretation, as explained by Dhammapala, means exposition of that which leads to the knowledge of the good law. It is a Pāli work on textual and exegetical methodology. It has some similarity with the Jñãnaprasthãna śãstra because they were composed with an idea to serve the same purpose. Like yãska's Nirukta to the Vedas, it has the same relation to the Pāli canon. According to Mrs. Rhys Davids, the Nettipakarana is an earlier work than the Patthana of the Abhidhamma Pitaka. It is also called the Nettigandha or the Netti.

The opening section of the Nettipakarana is divided into:

  • Sanghavãra: collection of the contents
  • Vibhãgavãra: the section which gives a systematic treatment in classified tables. This section contains three sub-sections:
    • Uddesavãra
    • Niddesanãra
    • Patiniddesavãra

The Uddesavãra gives three separate categories:

  1. The sixteen hãras (connected claims) are : Desanã (the method of instruction), viccaya (the method of enquiry), yutti (the method of establishing connection in groups), Padatthãna (the method of teaching with reference to the fundamentals), Lakkhana (the method of determining implications by characteristic marks), Catuvyūha (the method of fourfold array), Āvatta (the cyclical method), Vibhatti (the method of classification), Parivattana (the method of transformation), Vavacana (the method of synonyms), Paññatti (the method of determining signification), otarana (the method of descending steps), sodhana (the method of rectification), adhitthãna (the method of determining positions), parikkhãna (the method of discriminating causal relations), and samãropana (the method of attribution).
  2. The five nayãya (modes of moestigation or inspection) have 5 book are : Nandiyãvatta ; tipukkhala (by the triple viewing); sīhavikkīlita (the lion-like sport) ; disãlocana (broad vision); arikusa (focusing).
  3. The eighteen mũlapadas consist of nine kusala and nine akusala. Nine kusala are : Tanha (craving), Nvijja (Ignorance), Lobha (greed), Dosa (Hatred), Moha (Delusion), Subhasañña (False idea of purity), Nicca naññã (false idea permanence), Sukha suññã (false idea of bliss). Attasaññã (false idea of personality); Nine akusala are: samattha (tranquility), vipassanã (insight), alobha (absence of greed), adosa (non-hatred), amoha ( absence of delusion), asubhasaññã (idea of impurity), Dukkhasaññã (idea of suffering), Aniccasaññã (belief in impermanence), and Anattasaññã (idea of non-identity) etc.

[edit] Petakopadesa

The Petakopadesa (petakopadesa: "Pitaka-Disclosure") is a Buddhist scripture, sometimes included in the Pāli Canon of Theravada Buddhism.

The nature of this book is a matter of some disagreement among scholars. The translator, supported by Professor George Bond of Northwestern University, holds it is a guide to those who understand the teaching in presenting it to others. However, A. K. Warder, Professor Emeritus of Sanskrit in the University of Toronto, maintains that it covers all aspects of interpretation, not just that.

According to the chapter colophons, the book was composed by the Buddha's disciple Kaccana (or Kaccayana). Scholars do not take this literally, though the translator mentions that the methods may go back to him. Scholars tend to give dates around the beginning of the common era.

The text of the book as handed down in manuscript is very corrupt. This book was regarded as canonical by the head of the Burmese sangha about two centuries ago. It is included in the inscriptions of the Canon approved by the Burmese Fifth Council and in the printed edition of the Sixth Council text.

The Petakopadesa deals with the textual and the exegetical methodology. It can be mentioned as a continuation of the Nettipakarana. It is nothing but a different manipulation of the subject-matter discussed in the Nettipakarana. The three chapters of the Nettipakarana are quoted in it. In some places there are quotations from the Tipitaka. B.C. law say, “its importance lies also in the fact that in places it has quoted the Pāli canonical passages mentioning the sources by such names as Samyuttaka (Samyutta Nikãya) and Ekuttaraka (Ekuttara or Anguttara Nikãya)”. The Petakopadesa describes the cattãri ariyasaccãni or the Four Noble Truths as the central theme or the essence of Buddhism. There are 8 sections as follows:

  1. Ariyasacca Pakasana (exposition of the Noble Truth)
  2. Sãsana patthãna (establishment of sãsana)
  3. Suttãditthãna (resolution of Suttas)
  4. Suttãvicaya (examination of the Suttas)
  5. Hãravibhanga (classification of categories)
  6. Sutttãhasamuccaya (collection of meanings of Suttas)
  7. Hãrasampãta (concurrence of categories)
  8. Sutta vibhangiya (Analyses of Suttas)

The third book of Anupitaka is the Milindapañhã:

[edit] Milindapañhã

The Milindapanha (also -pañha or -pañhā) is a Buddhist scripture, sometimes included in the Pāli Canon of Theravada Buddhism as a book of the Khuddaka Nikaya. It is in the form of a dialogue between King Menander I (or Milinda) of Bactria, who reigned in the second century BCE, and a monk named Nagasena, not independently known.

Rhys Davids says it is the greatest work of classical Indian prose, though Moritz Winternit says this is true only of the earlier parts, it being generally accepted by scholar that the work is composite, with additions made over some time. In support of this, it is noted that the Chinese versions of the work are substantially shorter. The book is included in the inscriptions of the Canon approved by the Burmese Fifth Council and the printed edition of the Sixth Council text The Milindapañhã. This work is much revered throughout and is one of the most popular and authoritative works of Pāli Buddhism.

What is most interesting about the Milindapañhã is that it is the product of the encounter of two great civilizations - Hellenistic Greece and Buddhist India - and is thus of continuing relevance as the wisdom of the East meets the modern Western world. King Milinda poses questions about dilemmas raised by Buddhist philosophy that we might ask today. And Nãgasena's responses are full of wisdom, wit, and helpful analogies.

[edit] Contents of the Milindapañhã

  1. Background History
  2. Questions on Distinguishing Characteristics : (Characteristics of Attention and Wisdom, Characteristic of Wisdom, Characteristic of Contact, Characteristic of Feeling, Characteristic of Perception, Characteristic of Volition, Characteristic of Consciousness, Characteristic of Applied Thought, Characteristic of Sustained Thought, etc.)
  3. Questions for the Cutting Off of Perplexity : (Transmigration and Rebirth, The Soul, Non-Release From Evil Deeds, Simultaneous Arising in Different Places, Doing Evil Knowingly and Unknowingly, etc.)
  4. Questions on Dilemmas : Speaks of several puzzles and these puzzles were distributed in eighty-two dilemmas.
  5. A Question Solved By Inference
  6. Discusses the Special Qualities of Asceticism
  7. Questions on Talk of Similes

[edit] In conclusion

The Nettipakarana and Petakopadesa are introductions to the teachings of Buddhism. These books present methods of interpretation, means exposition of that which leads to the knowledge of the good law. Petakopadesa is the 'Instruction on the Tipitaka'. The source material derives directly from the Sutta pitaka. These two books appear in the Khuddaka Nikaya of the Burmese Tipitaka (but not in the Thai or Sri Lankan).

Milindapañhã, written in the style of suttas, contains a dialogue between the Indo-Greek king Menander (in Pāli, Milinda) and the Thera Nãgasena, which throws a flood of light on certain important points of Buddhism.

[edit] See also

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Matthews (1995, p. 123) describes the three periods in the following manner:
    ... Ñāṇamoli and others argue that the classical age ended about the 4th century A.D. It included the canonical period, which saw the establishment of the Tipiṭaka over a period of three or four centuries, and the setting down of the Milindapañha just before the beginning of the Christian era. Between the first and fifth centuries, however, a pronounced decline in religious interpretation persisted until Buddhaghosa, ca. 400. With Buddhaghosa, the great age of commentaries commenced, inspiring a host of profound exegetical work. It was also the beginning of post-classical development in the Theravāda. If one takes Ñāṇamoli's chronology one step further, the commentarial period is, in turn, slowly sapped of its initiative until it finally expires with the Coḷa invasions of Lanka in about 1000. Only when a Buddhist polity is restored there by Parākramabāhu I (1153-1168) does the 'modern' era in Theravāda history begin....

[edit] Sources

  • Matthews, Bruce (1995). "Post-Classical Developments in the Concepts of Karma and Rebirth in Theravāda Buddhism," in Ronald W. Neufeldt (ed.), Karma and Rebirth: Post-Classical Developments. Delhi, Sri Satguru Publications. (Originally published by the State University of New York, 1986). ISBN 81-7030-430-X.

[edit] External links