The Abhidhamma is the Buddhist analysis of mind and mental processes, a wide-ranging systemization of the Buddha's teaching that combnes philosophy, psychology, and ethics into a unique and remarkable synthesis. The Buddhist monks and scholars of southern Asia hold the Abhidhamma in the highest regard, pursuing its study with great diligence.
For 800 years, a little treatise in the Pali language called the Abhidhammattha Sangaha (Manual of Abhidhamma) has served as the key to open this treasure store of Buddhist wisdom. In this work, the author, Acariya Anurudda, concisely surveys the central topics of Abhidhamma: states of consciousness and mental factors, the functions and processes of the mind, the material world, dependent arising, the methods and stages of meditation.
The present book offers an exact translation of the Sangaha along with the original Pali text and a detailed, section-by-section explanatory guide designed to lead the modern reader through the complexities of this ancient philosophical psychology. A long introduction explains the basic principles of the Abhidhamma, while the book specially features 48 charts and tables which represent the subject in a visually accessible format.