Abhidharma 論藏 / 阿毘達摩

Vasubandhu, author of the Treasury of Abhidharma

Abhidharma (Skt.; Tib. ཆོས་མངོན་པ་, མངོན་པ་, chö ngönpa; Wyl. chos mngon pa) — the third of the three pitakas, or collections (literally ‘baskets’), into which the Buddhist teachings are divided. This pitaka, which is associated with the training in wisdom (Skt. prajñā), defines many of the topics mentioned in the sutras, and arranges them in classifications, such as the five skandhas, twelve ayatanas and eighteen dhatus, thereby providing tools for generating a precise understanding of all experience.

Major Texts

• Asanga, Compendium of Abhidharma
• Vasubandhu, Treasury of Abhidharma

Subdivisions

• Upper Abhidharma of the Mahayana
• Lower Abhidharma of the Shravakayana

Alternative Translations

• higher knowledge
• inner science
• special knowledge