A History of Indian Literature v2.c19.s4.5

v2.c19.s4.5

Book I of the Abhidhammapiṭaka, the Dhamma-Saṅgaṇi,² "Compendium of Dhammas," deals with the classification and definition of the Dhammas, *i.e.*, the psychical conditions and phenomena. Now, as in ancient Buddhism, ethics and psychology are just as inseparable as are philosophy and religion,³ the English translator of this work, Mrs. Rhys Davids, is quite right in calling it "A Buddhist Manual of Psychological Ethics."⁴ In the extremely valuable introduction to her translation,⁵ this excellent authority on the philosophy of the Pāli texts, has been successful in her attempt to present the philosophy of ancient Buddhism in its main characteristics, as contained in the doctrine of the Nikāyas, and classified and summarised in this catechism, whose bare structure of enumerations is so difficult of comprehension, and to assign to that philosophy its rightful place in the general history of philosophical thought. It is not the intention of the Dhamma-Saṃgaṇi itself to give any systematic presentation of ethics or psychology; it presupposes a knowledge of the Dhamma, and only claims to be a manual for study for the use of advanced monks. In spite of the fact that it is a purely learned work, and anything but popular, it has been held in great regard in Ceylon. Evidence of this can be found in the report about a king of Ceylon in the 10th century, who had a copy of the work engraved on gold plates studded with jewels, and took it in grand procession to a vihāra he had built, where he worshipped it with offerings of flowers.¹