Abhidhamma Pitaka treats Dhamma entirely in terms of ultimate reality (Paramattha sacca).
It resolves all phenomena into their ultimate contents (Sarupa) analytically and then aims at synthesis by finding the relations (Paccaya) between the various concomitant factors. The language of the Abhidhamma is purely objective and impersonal, hence truly scientific. It contains no such words as , 'I', 'We', 'He', 'She', 'Man', 'Tree' ,'Cow', 'Mountain', 'God', etc. which are just conventional names given to an object .
Everything is expressed in terms of Khandha – (five groups or aggregates of existence), sala yatana – (five sensory organs and mind) and their respective objects, Dhatu – (eighteen elements), Indriya – (twenty-two faculties), Sacca – (the four Noble truths). All relative concepts such as, man, tree, etc. are reduced to
their
ultimate contents, such as impersonal psycho-physical process which is Anicca
(impermanent , changing ), Dukkha (suffering)
and Anatta (without a permanent core e.g. ego or atma ,or non-self).
Abhidhamma can be called the 'science of mind ' in a real sense i.e. more than modern psychology.
The most venerable Acariya Buddha-ghosa describes Abhidhamma as uccatara (higher) or Visesa (special) dhamma (teaching) of the Buddha. A system of appraisal purely from the Buddhist psychological and philosophical standpoints. This special higher teaching was first expounded by the Buddha at Tavatimsa (Sakka, the divine ruler's heavenly realm) to his mother who was reborn as a deity . This exposition was in the 7th year of his ministry during the 3 months' Rain's- Retreat. After teaching the devas , the master repeated the teachings verbatim (Arhattas) to venerable Sariputta , who in turn taught five hundred Arahats , who memorized the Abhidhamma and passed it on to others.
The seven Books of Abhidhamma have so many portals of analytical wisdom containing different methods of analysis and synthesis.
1) Dhammasangani :-
into
three divisions:-
ii)An
analysis of corporeality (rupa).
iii)Summary
in which all phenomena of existence are brought under
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categories (matika), in groups of three (tika) and two (duka), e.g. kusala (wholesome)
dhamma , akusala (unwholesome) dhamma, abyakta (indorminate) dhamma.
i)
Sutta explanation.
ii)
Abhidhamma explanation.
iii)
Summary in question -answer form.
3)
Dhatukatha :-
Dhatukatha consists of 14 chapters in which all phenomena of existence are
discussed
with reference to the three categories of Khandha, Ayatana and Dhatu.
5)
Kathavatthu:
This is a gigantic work which together with
Dhammasangani, constitutes the quintessence of Buddhist Philosophy. Patthana elucidates
the profound philosophy of Relations (Paccaya) otherwise known as the ‗law of
conditionality.‘ This law is based on 24 Paccayas, conditions or relations,
which in different combinations and permutations, keep the 'wheel of existence'
(samsara) moving. These Paccayas explain the law of universal inter-dependence.
