Sarvāstivāda Abhidharma: Translations & Studies

[Jnana]

Some translations and studies on Sarvāstivāda teachings and practices. Please add more links to resources.

The Essence of Scholasticism: Abhidharmahṛdaya translated by Charles Willemen.

A Study of the Abhidharmahṛdaya by Wataru S. Ryose.

The Taste of the Deathless: The Amṛtarasa by Ghoṣaka translated by José van den Broeck. English translation by Ven. Migme Chodron.

Abhidharmakośabhāsyam (4 Volumes) translated by Louis de La Vallée-Poussin. English translation by Leo M. Pruden.

Vasubandhu's Abhidharmakośa and the Commentaries Preserved in the Tanjur by Marek Mejor.

Elucidating the Path to Liberation: A Study of the Commentary on the Abhidharmakośa by the First Dalai Lama by David Patt.

Saṃyuktābhidharmahṛdaya: Heart of Scholasticism with Miscellaneous Additions translated by Bart Dessein.

Disputed Dharmas: An Annotated Translation from Saṅghabhadra's Nyāyānusāra translated by Collett Cox.

Entrance into the Supreme Doctrine: Skandhila's Abhidharmāvatāra (Introduction) by Ven. K. L. Dhammajoti. Full text can be ordered here.

Sarvāstivāda Abhidharma (Chapter 1) by Ven. K. L. Dhammajoti. Full text can be ordered here.

Abhidharma Doctrines and Controversies on Perception (Introduction) by Ven. K. L. Dhammajoti. Full text can be ordered here.

Sarvāstivāda Buddhist Scholasticism by Charles Willemen, Bart Dessein, & Collett Cox.

Attainment through Abandonment: The Sarvāstivādin Path of Removing Defilements by Collett Cox.

The Sarvāstivāda Doctrine of the Path of Spiritual Progress by Liew, Jew Chong.

Methods of Spiritual Praxis in the Sarvāstivāda: A Study primarily based on the Abhidharma-mahāvibhāṣā by Stephen Suen.

Issues in Śamatha and Vipaśyanā: A Comparative Study of Buddhist Meditation by Ven. Syinchen.

[pueraeternus]

There is also the comprehensive study notes by Korin on the Abhidharmakosa:

http://abhidharmakosa.wordpress.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Greg]

There is also the comprehensive study notes by Korin on the Abhidharmakosa:

http://abhidharmakosa.wordpress.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

That one is amazing, and so is the one he did for the Mulamadhyamikakarika.

[dzogchungpa]

Where is the one for the MMK?

[Huifeng]

While the Kosa is popularly used as a Sarvastivada text, be careful, because it was roundly criticized by the Sarvastivadins at the time (esp. Sanghabhadra) as misrepresenting the school.

It's popularity in English language Buddhist studies is partly due to it's role in Tibetan Buddhism, and now the fact that a Sanskrit version exists. The other key Sarvastivada Abhidharma literature mainly only survives in Chinese. This is part of the reason why a number of the above studies are from Chinese scholars, eg. Bhante Dhammajoti and his students at HKU. I see that the material from "Korin" is also perhaps largely based on Bhante's lectures. (He teaches a course in this each year at HKU, alternating topics each year, so he constantly covers new material.)

As far as I know, a Ven. Sangpo at Gampo Abbey has recently, or shall soon, put out a new English translation of the whole text. He's been consulting with Bhante about this for a while.

In the end, the Mahavibhasa is really the text where the Sarvastivada is at. Good luck reading it, you'll need it!

~~ Huifeng

PS: Just noticed a got a thanks in some of "Korin's" material too... Don't know what I did to deserve that, but anyway...

[pueraeternus]

There is also the comprehensive study notes by Korin on the Abhidharmakosa:

http://abhidharmakosa.wordpress.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

That one is amazing, and so is the one he did for the Mulamadhyamikakarika.

Thanks for the heads-up on the MMK - found this on Scribd. It is a composite of his Abhidharmakosa study notes and a short work he did on the MMK:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/52089321/15/H ... aka-karika" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[pueraeternus]

In the end, the Mahavibhasa is really the text where the Sarvastivada is at. Good luck reading it, you'll need it!

~~ Huifeng

PS: Just noticed a got a thanks in some of "Korin's" material too... Don't know what I did to deserve that, but anyway...

Does anyone know if there is any on-going translation work on the Mahavibhasa? Karl Potter's VII of the Encyclopedia of Indian Philosophies (Abhidharma Buddhism to 150 A.D.) includes a 56 page summary of the Mahavibhasa based on works by Ryogen Fukuhara (translated by Shohei Ichimura), Poussin (translated by Robert Buswell & Collett Cox) and Kosho Kawamura. If anyone has links to a more substantial summary of the text, do share it here - it will be much appreciated.

Venerable - yes, I noticed Korin's nod to you too. Do you know Korin personally?

[Huifeng]

Venerable - yes, I noticed Korin's nod to you too. Do you know Korin personally?

I don't know a "Korin" off hand, but maybe I do, just not by that name.
I asked Bhante some time ago about a general outline of the text, section by section, the response was a negative.

~~ Huifeng

[dzogchungpa]

maybe:
http://sweepingzen.com/2011/01/13/pokor ... lie-korin/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Huifeng]

maybe:
http://sweepingzen.com/2011/01/13/pokor ... lie-korin/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

In that case, don't think I've ever met him.

~~ Huifeng

[Greg]

There is also the comprehensive study notes by Korin on the Abhidharmakosa:

http://abhidharmakosa.wordpress.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

That one is amazing, and so is the one he did for the Mulamadhyamikakarika.

Thanks for the heads-up on the MMK - found this on Scribd. It is a composite of his Abhidharmakosa study notes and a short work he did on the MMK:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/52089321/15/H ... aka-karika" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Not that - this is a 1452 page goliath of awesomeness.

http://www.mediafire.com/?333qocjs83qu6em" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Huifeng]

Massive dharma-data-dumps disguised as "study notes", the evils of the modern age!
I should know, I've made more than a few myself! mwahahaha! (Luckily, I've managed to destroy much of the evidence, hehe.)

~~ Huifeng

[plwk]

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/auth ... himan.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Theravada orthodoxy thus maintains that the Abhidhamma Pitaka is authentic Word of the Buddha, in this respect differing from an early rival school, the Sarvastivadins. This school also had an Abhidhamma Pitaka consisting of seven books, considerably different in detail from the Theravada treatises.
According to the Sarvastivadins, the books of the Abhidhamma Pitaka were composed by Buddhist disciples, several being attributed to authors who appeared generations after the Buddha.
The Theravada school, however, holds that the Blessed One himself expounded the books of the Abhidhamma, except for the detailed refutation of deviant views in the Kathavatthu, which was the work of the Elder Moggaliputta Tissa during the reign of Emperor Asoka.

Any opinion on this Jnana?

[Jnana]

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/auth ... himan.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Theravada orthodoxy thus maintains that the Abhidhamma Pitaka is authentic Word of the Buddha, in this respect differing from an early rival school, the Sarvastivadins. This school also had an Abhidhamma Pitaka consisting of seven books, considerably different in detail from the Theravada treatises.
According to the Sarvastivadins, the books of the Abhidhamma Pitaka were composed by Buddhist disciples, several being attributed to authors who appeared generations after the Buddha.
The Theravada school, however, holds that the Blessed One himself expounded the books of the Abhidhamma, except for the detailed refutation of deviant views in the Kathavatthu, which was the work of the Elder Moggaliputta Tissa during the reign of Emperor Asoka.

Any opinion on this Jnana?

Well, I personally don't believe that "the Blessed One himself expounded the books of the Abhidhamma." But even more importantly, I don't think it's very useful to make such claims in this day and age. I consider all of the extant treatises and commentaries on the Nikāyas & Āgamas -- Theravāda, Sarvāstivāda, Sautrāntika, Lokottaravāda, etc. -- to be valuable insofar as they comment on difficult points and passages from the canonical sūtras. Moreover, they offer us some insight into the historical development of Buddhist doctrines. But they also contain a whole lot of excessive, trivial minutia that isn't relevant to any pragmatic practice or interpretation of the sūtras.

[Tom]

While the Kosa is popularly used as a Sarvastivada text, be careful, because it was roundly criticized by the Sarvastivadins at the time (esp. Sanghabhadra) as misrepresenting the school.

Here is another often overlooked text to add to the list..

Abhidharmadīpa with Vibhāṣāprabhāvṛtti is translated by Padmadabh S. Jaini (SOAS) 1977.

It is important as it is a response to the Kośa-bhāṣya from an orthodox Vaibāṣika view point and we still have it (although only partially) in Sanskrit. It is a little hard to find though but well worth the effort!

[pueraeternus]

Not that - this is a 1452 page goliath of awesomeness.

http://www.mediafire.com/?333qocjs83qu6em" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

OMG

[Leo Rivers]

www.scribd.com/deleted/52089321 The document 'Korin - Abhidharmakosa study materials' has been deleted

[pueraeternus]

www.scribd.com/deleted/52089321 The document 'Korin - Abhidharmakosa study materials' has been deleted

All of Korin's works can be found in his wordpress site:

http://abhidharmakosa.wordpress.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;