Introduction
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| Venerable Buddhaghosa work |
Origin and Growth of Commentaries
According to Indian tradition a commentary means reading new meanings back into old texts according to one’s own education and outlook. It explains the words and judgments of others as accurately and faithfully as possible and this remark apply to all commentaries, Sanskrit as well as Pāli. The commentary or bhāşya, as it called in Sanskrit, implies, of course, an implication of a condensed utterance or expressions which is rich in meaning and significance as the great Sanskrit poet, Māgha, says in his famous Kāvya, but at the same time there is always an element of originally as the definition given by Bharata in his lexicography shows
“Those who are versed in the Bhāşya call that a Bhāşya wherein the meaning of a condensed saying (sutra) is presented in words that follow the text and where, moreover, the own words of the commentator himself are given We shall see in the account that we give below of the development of the commentary literature among the Buddhists that this method of giving their own words guided the great authors of the comments, although it was always adopted by way of expansion of an authoritative text.
Before proceeding to discuss the question as to the origin of the Buddhist commentaries, we are confronted with the fact that the need for an accurate interpretation of the Buddha’s words which formed the guiding principle of life and action of the members of the Sangha was felt from the very first, even while the master was living. All available evidence pints to the fact that within a few years of the Buddha’s Enlightenment, Buddhist headquarters were established in places adjoining many important towns and cities of the time, viz: Benares, Rājagaha, Vesālī, Nālandā, Pāvā, Ujjenī, Kampā, Uttara, Madhurā, Ulumpā, Sāvatthī and so on. At each of these places there sprang up a community of bhikkhus under the leadership and guidance of one or other of the famous disciples of the Buddha such as Mahākassapa, Mahākaccayana, Mahākuttita, Sāriputta, and Moggallāna. Among these various leaders of bhikkhus some ranked foremost in doctrine, some in discipline, some in analytical exposition, some in ascetic practices, some in story telling, some in preaching, some in philosophy, some in poetry and so on. Among the Buddha’s disciples and followers there were who came of Brahmin families and who had mastered the Vedas and the whole of the Vedic literature. It ma be naturally asked, “What were these profoundly learned and thoughtful bhikkhus doing all the time? The Buddha’s and Jaina’s texts tell us that the itinerant teachers of the time wandered about in the country engaging themselves wherever they stopped in serous discussions on matters related to religion, philosophy, ethics, morals and polity. Discussions about the interpretation of the abstruse utterances of the great teachers were frequent and the raison dětre of the development of the Buddhist literature, particularly of the commentaries, is to be traced in this discussions.
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| Venerable Budhaghosa |
The Pāli Commentaries
The Pāli Commentaries are to be dated from the first half of the fifth century A.C. According to the Mahāvamsa, Buddhaghosa came to Ceylon in the time of the king Mahānāma. Buddhaghosa is the only Commentator known to the Mahāvamsa and it says all the commentaries are attributed to him. This is undoubtedly an exaggerated account of his achievements. Buddhaghosa was no doubt the greatest commentator and the author of the most important commentaries, but there were others too, who continue the task of translating the Sinhala commentaries begun by him. The commentaries written by are as follows:
1. Visuddhimagga
2. Samantapāsādikā on vinaya pitaka
3. Pātimokkha Kankhāvitaraņi
4. Dīghanikāya Sumańgalavilāsinī
5. Majjhimanikāya Papañcasūdani
6. Samyuttanikāya Sāratthappakāsini
7. Ańguttaranikā Manorathapūrani
8. Khuddakanikāya
9. Khuddakapāţha ParamatthajotikāAttributed to Buddhaghosa
10. Dhammapada Dhammapadaţţhakathā Attributed to Buddhaghosa
11. Jātaka Jātakaţţhakathā Attributed to Buddhaghosa
Dhammasańgani Atthasālinī Buddhaghos
Vibhańga Sammohavinodanī Buddhaghos
Kathāvatthu
Puggalapaññatti
Pañcappakaranatthakathā Buddhaghosa
Dhātukathā
Yamaka
Paţţhāna
The Life Story of Buddhaghos
The name of Buddhaghosa stands out pre-eminent as one of the greatest commentators and exegetists in the world of Pāli literature. He was one of those Indian celebrities who devoted himself heart fully in writing down the commentaries (aţţhakathā) and sub-commentaries (aţţakathā-tīka) on the available Buddhist texts for the convenience of the future generation in order to study the Buddha’s teachings.
Buddhaghosa was born in a Brahmin family in a certain village called ghosa or ghosagāma which not far from the great Bo-Tree at Bodhi-gaya of Magadha in India. He was born in northern India in the 5th century A.D. according to the Myanmarese tradition. His father, whose name was Kesi, was Brahmin chaplain and his mother’s name was Kesinī. Kesi had very good friend, a bhikkhus who was possessed of super natural powers. Once he predicted that his friend’s wife Kesinī would give birth to a noble son and informed Kesi. Kesi was overjoyed and thanked his friend. A week later Kesinī gave birth to a son. The inhabitants uproared and the child was named Ghosa. Ghosa commenced his studies at the age of seven and within seven years acquired knowledge of the three Vedas. He was so expert in the Vedas that once he, when his father came across a knotty point in the Veda, solved the difficulty and wrote down the signification of the passage. When his father Kesi came to know he uttered the following:
“Though young, you have shown yourself as one who is wise. He who has such a son is exalted. He is the best of men. May you be happy like an immortal? You be my father I shall be your son.”
One day Kesi’s friend, the thera came as was his habit to obtain food, one of the Brahmin attendant took him into the house and offered Ghosa’s seat to him. This made Ghosa might angry. At the end of the meal Ghosa said:
“Bold-headed sir, do you know the Vedas or are you acquainted with any other mantas?.” And then rehearse the three Vedas. At this Ghosa becoming ashamed said “I wish to know your manta. Repeat it”. Thereupon the thera gave sketch of the Abhidhamma Pitaka. But Ghosa was perplexed and asked “What is this manta?”. The Thera said that it was the Buddha’s manta. On hearing this Ghosa exclaimed “Buddha’s manta is priceless, Buddha’s manta preaches me. Going to the Buddha manta all suffering disappears”. He then requested his parents for permission to become a monk. His request was granted and accordingly he was ordained by the Thera. He was so intelligent that in one months time in monkhood he attained proficiency in the three Pitakas and displayed such learning that he came to known as ‘Buddhaghosa’ or ‘Ghosa’ the sage. When he was staying with Revata, his teacher he wrote the Nānodaya or the awakening of the knowledge and started write a Patittaţţha-Kathā (a concise commentary) on the tipitaka. The Saddhamma Sangha says “The Rev. Thera Revata seeing him thus engage spoke to him thus, “Oh Buddhaghosa! In Jambudīpa, there is only text of the three Pitakas. The commentaries (Aţţhakathās) and the opinions of the teacher (ācaryavāda) don’t exist here. The aţţhakathās have been recited in three convocations made by Sāriputta and others and translated into Sinhalese by Mahinda. They exist in Ceylon. Go there and rendered all into Magadhi”Thus from this account it is known that no commentary was available in India at the time of Buddhaghosa. Sri Lanka was mentioned as the only place where the commentaries were kept. The preceptor then told him to go to Sri Lanka to render “the teachings of the lord into the Magadhi language from the language of Ceylon”. He then started for Ceylon and on his way to Ceylon he met Buddhadatta who was returning to Jambudīpa from Ceylon. After reaching Sri Lanka Buddhaghosa met Sangharājā Mahāthera of the Mahāvihāra at Anurādhapura. He then told him his purpose of coming to Sri Lanka. Thus he learned the language of Sri Lanka (Sinhala) and translated all the necessary commentaries of the Tipitaka. After finishing his great task Buddhaghosa took leave of the priests to return India. As he was embarking with some merchants certain Sinhala priests said “This thera no doubt only knows the Pitakas. He is not acquainted with the Sanskrit writings”. Buddhaghosa quickly came to know about this. As soon as Buddhaghosa heard this he at once addressed the chief of the congregation of the Sinhalese monks thus “Rev. Sir. Tomorrow, on the Sobbath-day, I shall give addressed in Sanskrit; let the four fold assembly gather together in the yard of the great shrine”. Early in the morning he in the midst of the congregation ascended the pulpit to display his knowledge of Sanskrit and uttered some stanzas in Sanskrit. Then he got from the pulpit and saluted the congregation of monks. Since then the monks had no doubt as to his knowledge of Sanskrit. Thereafter he started for India with the merchants. On arriving at his destination he took leave of his friends the merchants. On returning from Ceylon, Buddhaghosa first of all, went to his preceptor in Jambudīpa and informed him that he had written the pariyatti. Paying his respect to his spiritual guide he went home to his parents who gave him delicious food to take.
Some are of opinion that after having completed his work in Ceylon came to Burma to propagate the Buddhist faith. The Burmese ascribed the new era in their religion to the time when the great exegetics reached their country from Ceylon. He said to have brought over from that Island to Burma, a copy of Kaccāyana’s Pāli Grammar which he translated into Burmese. He is credited with having written a commentary upon it. A volume of parables in Burmese language is also attributed to him. We are of opinion that although the chronicles of Ceylon and the inscriptions of the 5th century A.D. erected at Burma, are silent on this point, yet his works, example the Aţţhasālinī, the Visuddhimagga, etc were well known to the Burmese and held in highest esteem by them from a very early time. Even now Buddhaghosa is so much adored and worshipped by the Burmese that he appears actually to have live among them.
When he became a aware that the time for his departure from this world was nigh he took leave of his preceptor, approached the Bo-tree, recited two stanzas in praise of it and departed this life. After his death a funeral, bed of sandalwood was prepared by all Gods and men, samana and Brahmans, on which to burn his death body. After his death body has been cremated, Brahmins and other persons took the relics burned them in secret spots near the Bo-tree and created stupas over them.
The story in the Buddhaghosuppatti also says that after his death he was born in a gold mention in the Tusita heaven, to return to this world of men on the coming of Metteyya, the future Buddha and to become the treasurer of Dhamma (Dhammabandagarika) in his order. Buddhaghosa was a great commentator who will be eternally rendered in the world of Pāli literature.
The Works of Buddhaghosa
The Mahāvamsa tells us that before Buddhaghosa left India for Ceylon under the instructions of his spiritual preceptor, the sage Revata Thera, he had already produced the Nānodaya and the Atthasālinī. The Nānodaya (Skt. Jñānodaya), as its name, “arising of knowledge” implies, is a philosophical treatise, about the exact nature of the contents of which we know nothing as yet, as it does not appear to have been preserve; nor is any description of this early work of Buddhaghosa to be made with anywhere in Pāli literature. The preservation of it was not perhaps considered necessary as his later and more inform work; the Visuddhimagga, had most probably incorporated everything of a permanent value that was in it and thereby supplanted it.
The Ceylonese chronicle further tells us that Buddhaghosa wrote also the Atthasālinī or commentary on the Dhammasańgani before his departure for the southern island and the Sāsanavamsa supports this statement.
1. The Visuddhimagga
The first work of Buddhaghosa in Sri Lanka was the Visuddhimagga, the part of purity. The Mahāvamsa or the great Ceylonese chronicle states that after “summing up the three Pitakas together with the commentary”. He wrote it in brief. It is known as a concise but complete encyclopedia of Buddhism and Buddhist teachings. M. Winternitz discusses the visuddhimagga. He says Buddhaghosa regards the Visuddhimagga as a preparation for his commentarial labour. It is considered to be the only book in which the whole of the Buddhist system is well depicted. It does not contribute anything to the Pitakas, but it aims at a systematic arrangement of their contents. It is not a commentary on any text, nut claims to be a compendium of the whole Buddhist system, conduct, meditation, contemplation the element of being, the senses, the truth, the chain of causation and the rest. The author himself explains the title of the work, when he says: Visuddhi here means the Nirvāna which is wholly and thoroughly purified and freed from dirt of every deception and the part which leads to this purification is called Visuddhimagga”. It was written at the request of Thera Sańghapāla in the reign of king Mahānāma who reign at Anurādhapura in the beginning of the 5th century A.D. in Sri Lanka. In actual fact the Visuddhimagga is Encyclopedia of Buddhism, a good abstract of Buddhist doctrine and metaphysics and vast treasure house of Buddhist lore. It has earned an eternal fame for its author.
2. The Samantapāsādikā
It was written by Buddhaghosa which is a commentary on Vinaya. It is a voluminous commentary on the five texts of the Vinaya. It was written at the request of the Thera by the name Buddhasiri. In a preface of this work Buddhaghosa mentions that this was his firs commentary on the canonical text. He apologizes for undertaking to write, first of all, a commentary on the Vinaya Pitaka contrary to the usual order of Dhamma and Vinaya. He also says that in accordance with the first Buddhist council (Pañcasatikā), where Vinaya was the first to rehearse and not the Dhamma, that he is writing the first commentary on Vinaya. He says that vinaya is the foundation of the Buddhist faith. The work itself supplies us with sufficient material with which to write a social, political, moral, religious and philosophical history of ancient India. The rules of morality are well explained in it. The Samantapāsādikā was followed by commentaries on the four Nikāyas in succession which preceded the commentaries on the seven books of the Abhidhamma Pitaka.
3. The Kakhāvitaraņi
The Kakhāvitaraņi or the Matikaţţhakathā also was written by him. It is commentary on the portion of the Vinayapiţaka, namely the Pātimokkha. Some scholars think name Sona requested him to write it. It discusses certain rules of discipline (Vinaya) for the Buddhist monks. It was written in such a way that it was easy for monks and nuns to commit to memory. While commenting on the precepts of the Pātimokkha, he was incidentally brought in much new information throwing light on the later development of a monastic life of a Buddhist.
4. The Sumańgalavilāsinī
It is a commentary on the Dīghanikāya written by Buddhaghosa at the request of a Thera name Sańghatheradāţha or Dāţhanaga of the Sumańgala pirivena. It is an important commentary and it has its historical value. From the Sumańgalavilāsinī we get an account of sports and pastimes, geographical position of countries, effects of the life of a recluse in ancient days. The most essential points of Buddhism, the details of Arahantship are only describe in full, but also compared with the Brahman ideal on the one hand and with the ordinary morality of a good layman on the other. It is reach in historical information and folk-lore and it abounds in narratives which throw a flood of light on the social, political, religious and philosophical history f India at the time of the Buddha. It also gives us a glimpse of the erode learning of Buddhaghosa. Its language is not so confused as that of his other commentaries.
5. The Papañcasūdani
The Papañcasūdani is a commentary on the Majjhima Nikāya of the Suttapiţaka, written at the request of a Thera whose name was Buddhamitta. From it we get historical, geographical, ethical, moral and religious information. It deals with four suttanikkhepas, balabhojjańga, Dhammacakkha, the origin of all the dhammas, nibbāna, tathāgathā, abhisambuddhas, destruction of sin, false belief, siddhi, faith, four Puggalas, obstacles of the path leading to nibbāna, contact, old age, death, suffering, right recollection, mindfulness, pleasing sensation and emancipation.
6. The Saratthappakāsinī
It was written at the request of a Thera called Jotipāla by Buddhaghosa. It’s a commentary on the Samyutta Nikāya of the suttapiţaka. This first volume speaks of the commentary on the Sagāthavagga. Its second volume mentions meanings and explanations of the contents of the Nidānavagga, the khandhavagga and the Sālayatanavagga and the Mahāvagga.
7. The Manorathapūrańī
It is a commentary on the Ańguttara Nikāya written by Buddhaghosa at the request of a Thera named Bhaddanta. It discusses sloth and stupor, haughtiness, desire for sensual pleasures, friendliness, mental emancipation, suffering, right realization, functions of the mind, supreme knowledge, and thirty-two signs of a great man, pudgala, tathagatha and realization of the four Patisambhidas or analytical knowledge. The Manorathapurani contains about a hundred stories of theras and theris of the time of the Buddha.
8. Khuddakanikāyaţţhakathā
Buddhaghosa at his own accord wrote commentaries on three books of Khuddakanikaya. They are Khuddakapatha (known as Paramatthajotika), Suttanipata (also known as Paramattajotika), and dhammapada which is known as Dhammapadaţţhakathā.
9.The Dhammapadaţţhakathā
It is a commentary on the 423 stanzas of the Dhammapada. From its introductory verses we learn that the author at the request of a Thera named kumarakassapa translated the Dhammapadaţţhakathā from an original Sinhalese Aţţhakathā. Several scholars think that the Buddhaghosa was not the author of this work; for there was a difference between the Dhammapadaţţhakathā and Buddhaghosa’s other commentaries in language and style.
It is a work of immense bulk consisting not merely of the Aţţhakathā proper that is explanations of the words and expressions in the text, but also an immense mass of illustrative tales of the nature of the Jataka stories.
According to Buddhist tradition, Buddhaghosa is the author of the aţţhakathā and this is supported by the colophon of this work itself which attributes it to him. Mr. Burlingame lays the greatest stress upon the difference in language and style between the Dhammapadaţţhakathā and the other works of Buddhaghosa which is undoubtedly belong to him. But here we may suggest that the different that is observable, may be due to the difference in the subject matter of the various texts taken up for comment. The Dhammapadaţţhakathā, unlike the great nikāyas which consist of prose and Gāthās, is entirely made up of gāthas with the prose setting, which, in the nikāyas which supported in the text itself. Here, therefore, there was the necessity of bringing it into live with those canonical works.
Commentaries on the Abhidhamma.
At the request of another Thera of the same name (Buddhaghosa), Buddhaghosa wrote the commentaries on the seven texts of the Abhidhammapiţaka.
The Atthasalini is a commentary on the Dhammasańgani of the Abhidhammapiţaka by the Buddhaghosa.
The Sammohavinodani is commentary on the vibhańgappakarańa, the second book of the Abhidhammapiţaka, written by the same author. It is said that that Sammohavinodani and the visuddhimagga in many places refer to the same subjects.
The Dhātukathappakaaţţhakathā is a commentary on the Dhatukathā (talk of element). It has fourteen sections and discusses five khandhas, twelve āyatanas (sphere), sixteen dhātus (elements), etc.
The Puggalapaññatti-Aţţhakathā was written by Buddhaghosa which is a commentary on the on the Puggalapaññatti.
The Kathavatthu-Aţţhakathā was written by Buddhaghosa which is a commentary on the Kathāvatthuppakarana. It discusses dukkham and dukkhasamudayaŋ which are two truths. But they are mundane, i.e. belonging to the world of rebirth and discusses many things, thus.
The Yamakappakarana-aţţhakathā is a commentary on the Yamakappakarana of abhidhammapitaka, written by Buddhaghosa.
The Paţţhānappakarana-aţţhakathā is a commentary on the Paţţhāna, the last book of the Abhidhammapiţaka.Buddhaghosa wrote it at the request of the Thera named Cullabuddhaghosa.
Besides these commentaries, it is recorded in the Sāsanavamsa, Buddhaghosa wrote “Piţakattayalakkhanagandha” and a Sanskrit work, “Padyacūdāmani” attributed to Buddhaghosa, has recently been published by order f the government of Madras. It has been edited by Mr. Kuppuswāmi Sāstrī and another. It is a Mahākāvya in Sanskrit on the life of the Buddha. There is nothing in the book itself to show who the author was except only a few words usual of modesty in the second and third stanzas of the first canto. The colophon at the end of the cantos describes the work as written by Buddhaghosacariya or simply Buddhaghosa. Mr. S. Kuppuswāmi Sāstrī, the editor of the work, has identified this Buddhaghosa with the great commentator.
The great commentator processed, no doubt, a wide knowledge of Sanskrit literature, but there is no indication anywhere, in the accounts of his life as given in the Mahāvamsa or the later works like the Sasanavamsa, etc that he attempted to write anything in Sanskrit. He was devoted to the Pāli literature of which he was a past master, and it is not probable that he would go out of his way to compose a long poetic work in Sanskrit.
A critical survey of Buddhaghosa’s works suggests to the inquisitive of students, many far reaching questions of which very few have indeed been hither to examine of answer. His life, his social, religious and political views, his reminiscences of Ceylon, his relation with Buddhadatta, his special contributions to the Buddhist thought, etc, all these can be gathered from his works. Buddhaghosa’s works reveal the development of his own mind and are explanatory of his earlier thoughts. They bear testimony of his profound knowledge and vast erudition. Many a scholar observes the value of his works such as Mrs. Rhys Davids, R.C. Childers, James Gray, etc and they spoke high of his great knowledge.
Thanks are due to the labours of the late Professor T.W. Rhys Davids and Mrs. Rhys Davids, the founders of the Pāli Text Society (PTS); surrey and its other works for publishing some of the important works namely the Visuddhimagga, the portion of the Sumangalavilāsinī, the Atthasalini, the Puggalapaññatti commentary, the Dhammapada commentary, The Kathavatthu commentary and the Paţţhāna commentary. We are gladly to find that they have undertaken to print a few other books of the great commentator, namely the Manorathapurani, The Sammohavinodani, The Saratthappakāsinī, The Samantapasadika and the remaining portions of the Sumangalavilāsinī. These, no doubt, are and will be the permanent works of the society and from them the worlds will know more about Buddhism.
Conclusion
In the forgoing pages, we have made an attempt to present brief accounts of the lives and the works of the great Buddhist Pāli Commentator. The works of Buddhaghosa are the most important Pāli commentaries as we have seen above. They are rich in materials for constructing secular and religious history of ancient India. He also throw a flood of life on the philosophical, psychological and metaphysical aspects of the period with which they deal. A large verity of information is available from these commentaries and hence their importance is very great.
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