The Encyclopedia of Indian Philosophies v7.c48.2

v7.c48.2

The *Mahāniddesa* is an Abhidharma-style commentary on the *Aṭṭhakavagga* of the *Suttanipāta*. Its structure is determined by that of the *Aṭṭhakavagga*, which it follows closely by *sutta* and verse. (The *Aṭṭhakavagga* consists of verses 766-975 of the *Suttanipāta* and is divided into sixteen *suttas*.) Along with the *Cūḷaniddesa*, which comments on portions of the *Pārāyanavagga* of the *Suttanipāta*, the *Mahāniddesa* constitutes the eleventh text of the Pali canon's *Khuddakanikāya*. The *Niddesa* is the only explicitly commentarial text included in the Pali canon. Reflecting this unusual status, although most of the canonical texts are regarded as the Buddha's words (*buddhavacana*), the *Niddesa* is attributed by the Theravāda tradition to the Buddha's leading disciple, Sāriputta. As a commentary the *Niddesa* is quite old, while as a canonical text it is relatively late. Thus it provides a valuable glimpse into a crucial time within the historical development of Theravāda Buddhist thought—a time when Abhidharma types of analysis were being developed and were taking hold within the Buddhist traditions.