Abhidhammattha Sangaha - Abhidhamma Categories

Abhidhammattha Sangaha ( A Manual of Abhidhamma )

Translated by Narada Maha Thera
Published By the Buddhist Missionary Society

Chapter VII
Samuccaya—Sangaha—Vibhago
_______
§1.Dvasattatividha vutta vatthudhamma salakkhana
Tesam dani yathayogam pavakkhami
samuccayam.
§2.Akusalasangaho, missakasangaho, bodhipakkhi-
yasangaho, sabbasangaho c’ ati samuccayasangaho catub-
bidho veditabbo.
Katham?
(i)Akusalasangahe tava cattaro asava:—kamasavo,
bhavasavo, ditthasavo, avijjasavo.
(ii)Cattaro ogha — kamogho, bhavogho, ditthogho,
avijjogho.
(iii)Cattaro yoga — kamayogo, bhavayogo, ditthi-
yogo, avijjayogo.
(iv)Cattaro gantha — abhijjha kayagantho, vyapado
kayagantho, silabbataparamaso kayagantho, idamsacca-
bhiniveso kayagantho.
(v)Cattaro upadana — kamupadanam, ditthupada-
nam, silabbatupadanam, attavadupadanam.
(vi)Cha nivaranani — kamacchandanivaranam,
vyapadanivaranam, thinamiddhanivaranam, uddhaccaku-
kkuccanivaranam, vicikicchanivaranam, avijjanivaranam.

(vii)Sattanusaya — kamaraganusayo, bhavaraga-
nusayo, patighanusayo, mananusayo, ditthanusayo, viciki-
cchanusayo, avijjanusayo.
(viii)Dasa samyojanani — kamaragasamyojanam,
råparagasamyojanam, aråparagasamyojanam, patighasam-
yojanam, manasamyojanam, ditthisamyojanam, silabbata
paramasasamyojanam, vicikicchasamyojanam, uddhacca
samyojanam, avijja samyojanam, suttante.
(ix)Aparani dasa samyojanani — kamaragasamyo-
janam, bhavaragasamyojanam, patighasamyojanam,
manasamyojanam, ditthisamyojanam, silabbataparama-
sasamyojanam, vicikicchasamyojanam, issasamyojanam,
macchariyasamyojanam, avijjasamyojanam, abhidhamme.
(x)Dasa kilesa — lobho, doso, moho, mano, ditthi,
vicikiccha, thinam, uddhaccam, ahirikam, anottappam.
Asavadisu pan’ ettha kamabhavanamena tabbatthuka
tanha adhippeta. Silabbataparamaso idamsaccabhiniveso
attavadupadanam ca tatha pavattam ditthigatam’ eva
pavuccati.
âsavogha ca yoga ca tayo gantha ca vatthuto
Upadana duve vutta attha nivarana siyum
Chaëevanusaya honti nava samyojana mata
Kilesa dasa vutto’ yam navadha papasangaho

Chapter 7
Abhidhamma Categories
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Introductory
§1.The seventy-two kinds of entities (1) have (already)
been described with their characteristics. Now I shall speak
of their categories in accordance with their relations.
§2.The compendium of categories should be understood
as fourfold:—
(i)The compendium of immoral categories.
(ii)The compendium of mixed categories.
(iii)The compendium of categories that pertain to
enlightenment.
(iv)The miscellaneous compendium.
How?
(i)To begin with, in the immoral compendium
here are four Defilements (2):—
1. Sense-desires, 2. Attachment to existence, 3. False
Views, and 4. Ignorance.
(ii)There are four Floods (3):—(same as 1–4).
(iii)There are four Bonds (4):—(same as 1–4).
(iv)There are four (bodily) Ties (5):—1. Covetous-
ness, 2. Illwill, 3. Adherence to rites and ceremonies,
4.Dogmatic belief that ‘this alone is truth’.
(v)There are four Graspings (6):—1. Sense-
desires, 2. False Views, 3. Adherence to rites and ceremo-
nies, 4. Soul-theory (7).

(vi)There are six Hindrances (8):—Sense-desires,
2. Illwill, 3. Sloth and Torpor, 4. Restlessness and Brood-
ing, 5. Doubts, 6. Ignorance.
(vii)There are Seven Latent Dispositions (9)
1.Attachment to sensual pleasures, 2. Attachment to exist-
ence, 3. Hatred, 4. Pride, 5. False Views, 6. Doubts, and
7.Ignorance.
(viii)There are ten Fetters according to the Suttas
(10):—1. Attachment to sensual pleasures, 2. Attach-
ment to Realms of Form, 3. Attachment to Formless
Realms, 4.Hatred, 5. Pride, 6. False Views, 7. Adherence
to rites and ceremonies 8. Doubts, 9. Restlessness, and
10. Ignorance.
There are other ten Fetters according to Abhi-
dhamma:— 1. Attachment to sensual pleasures, 2. Attach-
ment to existence, 3. Hatred, 4. Pride, 5. False Views,
6.Adherence to rites and ceremonies, 7. Doubts, 8. Envy
9. Avarice, and 10. Ignorance.
(ix)There are ten Impurities (II):—Greed, 2. Hate,
3. Delusion, 4. Pride, 5. False Views, 6. Doubts, 7. Sloth,
8.Restlessness, 9. Moral Shamelessness, and 10. Moral
Fearlessness.
Herein in the category of Defilements and so on the
terms ‘attachment to sensual pleasures’ and ‘attachment to
existence’ imply craving based on them. In the same way
‘adherence to rites and ceremonies’, dogmatic belief that
‘this alone is truth’, and ‘clinging to the soul-theory con-
note just ‘false views’ connected therewith.

Summary
Actually Defilements, Floods, Bonds, and Ties are three-
fold. There are two Graspings and eight Hindrances.
Latent Dispositions are six. Fetters should be understood
as nine. Impurities are ten. This compendium of immoral
categories is ninefold.
_______
Notes:—
1.Vatthudhamma—namely,72.(1+52+18+1=72)
a.1—All the 89 types of consciousness are
regarded as one as they all possess the
characteristic of ‘awareness’.
b.52—All mental states (cetasikas) are
viewed separately as they possess dif-
ferent characteristics.
c.18—All the conditioned (nipphanna)
råpas are considered separately since
they differ in their characteristics.
d.1—Nibbana is one insamuch as it possesses
the characteristic of peacefulness.
All these 72 are subjective and objective realities described
in the previous chapters. They are miscellaneously treated
in this chapter.
2.âsava— is derived from a +√
su, to flow. They
are so called either because they flow up to the topmost plane
of existence or because they persist as far as the Gotrabhå
consciousness (i.e., the thought-moment that immediately

precedes the Path-consciousness of the ‘Stream-Winner’—
Sotapatti). These âsavas are latent in all worldlings and may
rise to the surface in any plane of existence. They lie dormant
in all from an indefinite period and are treated as strong
intoxicants or drugs that infatuate beings. Defilements,
Corruptions, Depravities, Taints, Intoxicants, Stains are sug-
gested as the closest equivalents for this ‘infamously famous’
Pali term. See Compendium, p.170, n. 1, p. 227.
Of the four âsavas kamasava means attachment to
sensual pleasures, bhavasava is attachment to Råpa and
Aråpa planes of existence, ditthasava are the sixty-two kinds
of erroneous views,
132 and avijjasava is ignorance with
regard to the four Noble Truths, past life, future life, both
past and future lives, and the Law of Dependent Arising.
3.Ogha is derived from ava +√ han, to harm or
kill. Beings caught in the current of a great flood are over-
turned and swept away directly to the sea and are hurled
into the bottom. In the same way these oghas drown beings
completely and are swept away into states of misery.
4.Yoga is derived from
√ yuj, to yoke. Yogas
are those that yoke beings to the round of existence or to
the machine of existence.
5.Ganthas are those that bind mind with body or
the present body with bodies of future existences. Here the
term kaya is used in the sense of mass or body—both men-
tal and physical.
132.See Brahmajala Sutta—Digha Nikaya. No. 1.

6.Upadanani is derived from upa + a
√ da, to
give. Intense craving is implied by the term. Hence in the
Paticcasamuppada it is stated — Because of craving
(tanha) there is attachment or grasping (upadana). Tanha
is like a thief groping in the dark to steal some thing.
Upadana is like the actual stealing.
7.Attavadåpadana—Commentaries mention twenty
kinds of soul-theories associated with the five Aggregates
as follows:—
(i)Soul is identical with the body,
(ii)Soul is possessed of a body,
(iii)Soul is in the body,
(iv)Body is in the soul.
Four soul-theories connected with each of the remaining
four Aggregates should be similarly understood.
8.Nivaranani—is derived from ni +√ var, to
obstruct, to hinder. They are so called because they obstruct
the way to celestial and Nibbanic bliss. According to the
commentary this term means that which prevents the aris-
ing of good thoughts in the way of jhanas etc., or that which
does not allow the jhanas to arise, or that which obstructs
the eye of wisdom. See A Manual of Buddhism, pp.113–115
and The Buddha and His Teachings pp. 538–541.
Usually Nivaranas are regarded as five excluding
ignorance.
Both sloth and torpor, restlessness and brooding are
grouped together because their functions (kicca), causes

(ahara = hetu), and their opposing factors are similar. The
function of sloth and torpor is mental inactivity; that of
restlessness and brooding is disquietude. The cause of the
first pair is laziness; that of the second pair is vexation
about the loss of relatives etc. Energy is opposed to the first
pair; tranquillity, to the second pair.
Sense-desire is compared to water mixed with various
colours; illwill, to boiling water; sloth and torpor, to water
covered with moss; restlessness and brooding, to perturbed
water caused by wind; indecision, to turbid and muddy water.
Just as one cannot perceive one’s own reflection in
muddy water, even so when one is obsessed by Hindrances
one cannot perceive what is conducive to the good and
happiness of oneself and others.
These Hindrances are temporarily inhibited by the
jhanas. They are completely eradicated by attaining the four
stages of Sainthood. Doubt or indecision is eradicated by
attaining Sotapatti; sense-desire, illwill and brooding, by
attaining Anagami; sloth, torpor, and restlessness by Arahatta.
9.Anusaya, derived from anu +
√ si, to lie, to
sleep, are those that lie dormant in oneself until an oppor-
tune moment arises for them to come to the surface as they
have not been eradicated. All passions are Anusayas; but
these seven are the strongest. Every worldling, who has
reached the topmost jhana plane, when born amongst
mankind, may give vent to these evil tendencies as they
are latent in him.

10.Samyojana—from sam +
√ yuj, to yoke, to
bind, are those which bind beings to the round of exist-
ence. By means of the four Paths (Magga) they are eradi-
cated by degrees. See Ch. 1.
11.Kilesas are those which defile or torment the
mind.
In the categories of evil the term kama is sometimes
applied to kama-sphere, and bhava to both råpa and aråpa
spheres. Lobha is implied by both kamatanha and bhava-
tanha. Attachment to råpa and aråpa-spheres is bhavatanha.
The three terms—silabbataparamasa (indulgence in rites
and ceremonies), idamsaccabhinivesa (‘The dogmatic belief
that this alone is truth’) and attavadåpadana (‘soul-theory’)
connote ditthi (false view or error). Both kamasava and
bhavasava connote lobha. Strictly speaking, there are only
three asavas, oghas, yogas, and ganthas. Similarly there
are only two upadanas by way of lobha and ditthi.
When the two pairs—thina-middha and uddhaccakuk-
kucca—are treated as four mental states, Nivaranas amount
to eight. When kamaraga and bhavaraga are grouped in
craving, anusayas amount to six. The ten samyojanas,
according to Suttanta, are reduced to seven when kama-
raga, råparaga, aråparaga are included in lobha, and ditthi
and silabbataparamasa in ditthi. The ten samyojanas are
treated as eight when kamaraga and bhavaraga are in-
cluded in lobha, and ditthi and silabbataparamasa in ditthi.
Kilesas are precisely ten. Thus, it will be seen, that the

14 immoral mental states appear in different proportions in
the nine categories of evil. Lobha is common to all.