Abhidhamma Studies: Buddhist Explorations of Consciousness and Time

I read this book in two days. I read it with a highlighter in hand, and let me say, there was plenty of content that was significant enough to mark.This book offers enough information to be of help to the academic who is looking to begin Abhidhammic studies, and to the practitioner who is looking for a clear way to navigate and reconcile the diverse ways in which Buddhist teachings are described in various texts.When reading Buddhist literature, I found it challenging that subjects such as the famous Anatta doctrine would be discussed, yet the one discussing it would refer to the student as an individual. It seemed contradictory to me. This book explains such issues in more conventional or soteriological texts, as well as using language that is consistent with Buddhist thought. In other words, there is no discussion of a self. There is only discussion of factors. There is no discussion a person or agent, but of the factor of intention or volition.Another great achievement of this book is that it highlights both the analytic and synthetic components of this philosophy. The Abhidhamma, although it begins with an analysis and division of conscious states into their respective atomistic compartments, it simultaneously demonstrates that these compartments are only half of the reality. The compartments or "psychic [psychological] atoms" are not unchanging qualities just because they cannot be reduced further. Rather, they are defined by their relations to other present qualities, and in fact one quality, in the presence of other qualities, has a changed nature and goes by a different name. For example, the factor of mental one-pointedness is a factor of meditative absorption insofar as it is present during experiences of absorption. However, it also goes by the name of "Faculty of concentration" when it is functioning as an over-powering/exerting force against mental fog or incessant thinking.In this way, the Dhammas are not platonic or fundamental, but relational. Yet, they also are irreducible as they are not composed of anything but themselves. So they are defined as much by themselves as they are by their relations, and cannot be considered completely relativistic to the point of meaninglessness, but also cannot be considered fundamental to the point of static, eternal meaning; their meanings change depending on their relationship to other aspects of consciousness in any one conscious moment.The reading of this book causes the experience of the factor of interest and enthusiasm, which will act as a cause for further study.Read this book if you are interested in understanding Buddhist psychology in a way that, for many, would be impossible by studying the other baskets of the pali canon or any other sutras.

This is not an easy read; it takes good focus and a pot of strong green tea to take in. Given that, however, one cannot help but be struck by how insightful Nyanaponika Thera is and how logical and clear-headed his approach, his arguments, and conclusions about the Abhidhamma.Although I’ve owned the Abhidhammattha Sangaha—a Comprehensive Manual of Abhidhamma for several years, the few times I’ve opened it I have shied away within minutes from its meticulous and intricate approach to the mind and its phenomena. In fact, I would venture to say that without such a primer as Nyanaponika Thera’s excellent work, my copy of the Comprehensive manual would probably remain forever unread.I am not saying that it is now at the top of my reading list, but what I am saying is that Nyanaponika Thera’s introduction and heartfelt apology for the Abhidhamma has made me view it as much more than simply a curiosity for the intellectually overstimulated.Nyanaponika details his reason why the Abhidhamma in fact is, and why rightly so, an important part of the Pali Canon, and he does this admirably. His language is clear and precise and it is hard to fault his reasoning.If you have wondered about the Abhidhamma but, like me, felt a bit intimidated by it, I highly recommend this book.

The problem is the physical book itself. It is poorly made and falls apart page by page when used for actual study. It was worth it to me to buy a second copy, but that should have been unnecessary if the publisher and printer were doing their jobs and quality control. Nevertheless, if one is serious about an introduction to the "Third Jewel" this is a valuable and fortunate work to find and use. Perhaps the authors will find a publisher who will make a book that can withstand ordinary use.

The Abhidhamma is a survey of the realms of consciousness together with those concommittents that precede and accompany consciousnes. This book offers a view of that landscape of consciousness in a voice different from Bhikku Bodhi's translation of "a Compendium Manual of Abhidhamma", giving a greater sensibility for this truth than I began with. It also helps illuminate the Suttas. As there is no self, much of the mechanics of my idiosyncratic persona I attributed to selfhood can be extrapolated through understanding this compendium of thought. Well worth the price and the time to read it.

The book flies very high on the contents of the third basket of the Canon by only focusing on the description and categorization of the main mental dhammas but still presents many obstacles to anyone just familiar with the plain discourses of the Buddha. Still there is something very fascinating on finding oneself dull while reading of one's own mind!Someone might also find interesting the heavy effort put by the author to ground the contents of the Abidhamma to the other parts of the Canon to prove its authenticity but, probably, non-scholars would have liked the effort to be been spent better otherwise.

Simon and Schuster's Kindle version of this excellent book has been deliberatefdly crippled by the publisher.. By default, books in the Kindle format support text to speech which means that they are accessible to readers like myself who are visually ipaire. Simon and Schuster deliberatel adds code to their Kindle ooks so that purchasers who are reliant on text to speech can't access their books.I purchased this Kindle book before I realized that it was another Simon and Schuster finger in the eye. I would love to read this book but I am forced to return it. Yet another example of this publisher's corporate greed and paranois..Amazon should provide a way to separately rank a book's content and its Kindle edition. If Simon and Schuster had not crippled this Kindle version I would give it 5 stars.

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La prima parte spiega in modo chiaro il fenomeno della coscienza e, per quanto mi riguarda, ha risposto a molte domande che mi facevo sull'argomento. La seconda parte è più ostica, ma completa idealmente il libro. Da leggere

I want to study Abhidhamma but find the original full text quite daunting (more than 1000 pages), so I looked for information on internet where to begin with; got this book came recommended.Clear short summary with explanation, I brought this book along for my last meditation retreat. This book helps me understanding the teaching, the practice and was a source for interesting discussion with the teacher.

Scholarly book. Not meant for casual readers.

It's great teaching of Buddha