[Buddha-l] Non-Arising

[JKirkpatrick]

Joanna,

> "... Also, the Pali version of the Abhidhamma is a strictly
Theravada 
> collection, and has little in common with the Abhidhamma works 
> recognized by other Buddhist schools[11].

The reference is to an encyclopedia article, so I don't know who
made that claim, but it is false, or at best, grossly overstated.
Long-time buddha-l-ers may remember a discussion some years back
between Lance Cousins and myself on this issue. Lance, relying on
Frauwallner (who, in his survey of Abhidharma literature, made
great effort to minimize differences from Theravadin versions),
argued that the non-Theravadin adhidharma materials corresponded,
virtually book by book with the Theravadin versions. I took the
opposite position, pointing out that it was in this pitika that
one finds the greatest variance between the difference schools.

Since I was the one pressing for recognizing the differences, let
me clarify that there are definite affinities between the
abhidharma literatures of the various schools, though they evolve
differently. Some texts -- one presumes the earliest -- match up
better than others. And the Sarvastivadins, etc., developed a
debate literature within the abhidharma that has no Theravada
parallel. So the claim the there is "little in common" between
Theravada abhidhamma and other Abhidharmas is simply false. There
are big differences, but not a radical disjunct.

One of the great scholars of abhidharma today, Rev. Dhammajoti
(who has been teaching abhidharma to Theravadin monks in Sri
Lanka, Kuala Lampur and elsewhere for decades; as well as
teaching at Hong Kong University), in his books on abhidharma,
uses the Pali, Sanskrit, Chinese, and Tibetan versions. 
The numerous nuts-and-bolts comparisons he draws between
Sarvastivadin, etc., abhidharma terms and arguments, and the
Theravadin versions should be enough to dismiss that
characterization. He would not, however, conflate them as does
Frauwallner or Cousins, nor would I.

His books:

Bhikkhu KJ Dhammajoti. _Sarvastivada Abhidharma_ Hong Kong:
Centre of Buddhist Studies, 2009, 4th rev. ed.

---. _Abhidharma Doctrines and Controversies on Perception_. Hong
Kong: 
Centre of Buddhist Studies, 2007, 3rd rev. ed.

---. _Entrance in the Supreme Doctrine: Skandhila's
Abhidharmavatara_. Hong
Kong: Centre of Buddhist Studies, 2008, 2nd rev. ed.

VERY highly recommended reading for all interested in actual
Buddhism, including psychology, epistemology, marga, etc.

Dan 

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