Divergent Doctrinal Interpretations On The Nature Of Mind And Matter In Theravāda Abhidhamma: A Study Mainly Basedon The Pāli And Siṃhala Buddhist Exegetical Literature
The nucleus of the Theravāda exegetical literature was introduced to Sri Lanka with the introduction of Theravāda Buddhism. It developed in the subsequent centuries. Its extant literature consists of the following works: *Vimuttimagga, Visuddhimagga, Aṭṭhakathā-s, Ṭīkā-s, Gaṇṭhipadas, Gӓṭapada-s, Piṭapot/piṭapat-s, and Sannaya-s. These works contain divergent doctrinal interpretations and discussions relating to their authenticity. Many views have been expressed by modern scholars with regard to these divergences. Some scholars believe that they do not greatly affect the Theravāda doctrinal position as they represent minor differences that existed between the exegetes who followed one or the other Theravāda fraternity. But other scholars take a different position. They consider Buddhaghosa, the first Pāli commentator, either as the founder of the Theravāda, or as the one who introduced new doctrinal concepts to Sri Lankan Theravāda from Buddhist schools in India. Moreover, some of these scholars believe that the orthodox Theravāda exegesis preserved at the Mahāvihāra was changed by Buddhaghosa and by his contemporaries and successors. The present study begins with a discussion of the Theravāda exegeses and shows how divergent doctrinal interpretations contributed to their development. It examines divergent Theravāda exegeses as can be gathered from Pāli and Siṃhala exegetical works. These are arranged here under four main headings: (1) the canonical authenticity of the Abhidhamma-piṭaka: origin of the Abhidhamma and its canonical treatises; (2) Abhidhamma analysis of mind into consciousness (citta) and mental factors (cetasika): history of the notion of momentariness in Theravāda, the static moment of consciousness, some mental factors, such as vitakka, vicāra, the three virati-s, issā, macchariya, karuṇā, and muditā; (3) cognitive process (cittavīthi): history of the theory of life-continuum (bhavaṅga), five-door cognitive process, mind-door cognitive process, different stages of the cognitive processes; (4) analysis of matter (rūpa): number of material dhamma-s, life-span of matter, distribution of primary elements in the physical sense-organs, physical objects and their impingement on the sense-organs, the two faculties of gender, and middha in relation to matter. Divergences on the above teachings have, in fact, existed among the Sri Lankan Theravādins since the Sīhaḷa-aṭṭhakathā period. Proponents and opponents of these divergences followed either the Mahāvihāra or the Abhayagiri. Some of the exegetes of these two fraternities sometimes agreed, and sometimes disagreed. Both parties sought to establish the authenticity of their interpretations on the basis of different authorities, namely, sutta (original discourse), suttānuloma (conformity to sutta), ācariyavāda (teachers’ view), and attano mati (one’s own personal opinion). Influence of non-Theravāda doctrinal interpretations can be discerned in some divergences. Proponents and opponents of these divergences dealt seriously with them. It is not correct to say that Theravāda doctrines of momentariness, life-continuum, and the cognitive process were created by Buddhaghosa, or that they were introduced by him to Sri Lankan Theravāda. They were a part of the Mahāvihāra exegesis that existed prior to his arrival in Sri Lanka.
