Dhammapala
Encyclopedia
Dhammapala was the name of at least two great Theravada
Buddhist
commentators. One who lived at the Badara Tittha Vihara, near the east coast of India
, just a little south of where Chennai
now stands, wrote the commentaries
on seven of the shorter canonical books, consisting almost entirely of verses, and also the commentary on the Netti
, perhaps the oldest Pali
work outside the canon. Extracts from the latter work, and the whole of three out of the seven others, have been published in Pali by the Pali Text Society
. These works show great learning, exegetical skill and sound judgment. But as to the meaning of words, or to discussions of the ethical import of his texts, very little can be gathered from his writings of value for the social history of his time. For the right interpretation of the difficult texts on which he comments, they are indispensable.
Though in all probability a Tamil
by birth, he declares, in the opening lines of those of his works that have been edited, that he followed the tradition of the Great Minister (Maha Vihara) at Anuradhapura
in Sri Lanka
, and the works themselves confirm this in every respect.
Another writer, probably also called Dhammapala, since he was supposed by the 12th century to be the same, though scholars do not accept this, wrote subcommentaries on the commentaries on the Digha, Majjhima and Samyutta Nikayas.
A third Dhammapala wrote Saccasankhepa, a handbook of abhidhamma.
Theravada
Theravada ; literally, "the Teaching of the Elders" or "the Ancient Teaching", is the oldest surviving Buddhist school. It was founded in India...
Buddhist
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
commentators. One who lived at the Badara Tittha Vihara, near the east coast of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, just a little south of where Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
now stands, wrote the commentaries
Atthakatha
Atthakatha refers to Pali-language Theravadin Buddhist commentaries to the canonical Theravadin Tipitaka. These commentaries give the traditional interpretations of the scriptures. The major commentaries were based on earlier ones, now lost, in Old Sinhalese, which were written down at the same...
on seven of the shorter canonical books, consisting almost entirely of verses, and also the commentary on the Netti
Netti
Netti may refer to*The Nettipakarana, a Buddhist scripture*Aeschynomene aspera, a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae...
, perhaps the oldest Pali
Pali language
Pāli is a Middle Indo-Aryan language of the Indian subcontinent. It is best known as the language of many of the earliest extant Buddhist scriptures, as collected in the Pāi Canon or Tipitaka, and as the liturgical language of Theravada Buddhism.-Etymology of the name:The word Pali itself...
work outside the canon. Extracts from the latter work, and the whole of three out of the seven others, have been published in Pali by the Pali Text Society
Pali Text Society
The Pali Text Society was founded in 1881 by T.W. Rhys Davids "to foster and promote the study of Pali texts".Pali is the language in which the texts of the Theravada school of Buddhism is preserved...
. These works show great learning, exegetical skill and sound judgment. But as to the meaning of words, or to discussions of the ethical import of his texts, very little can be gathered from his writings of value for the social history of his time. For the right interpretation of the difficult texts on which he comments, they are indispensable.
Though in all probability a Tamil
Tamil people
Tamil people , also called Tamils or Tamilians, are an ethnic group native to Tamil Nadu, India and the north-eastern region of Sri Lanka. Historic and post 15th century emigrant communities are also found across the world, notably Malaysia, Singapore, Mauritius, South Africa, Australia, Canada,...
by birth, he declares, in the opening lines of those of his works that have been edited, that he followed the tradition of the Great Minister (Maha Vihara) at Anuradhapura
Anuradhapura
Anuradhapura, , is one of the ancient capitals of Sri Lanka, famous for its well-preserved ruins of ancient Lankan civilization.The city, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, lies 205 km north of the current capital Colombo in Sri Lanka's North Central Province, on the banks of the historic...
in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
, and the works themselves confirm this in every respect.
Another writer, probably also called Dhammapala, since he was supposed by the 12th century to be the same, though scholars do not accept this, wrote subcommentaries on the commentaries on the Digha, Majjhima and Samyutta Nikayas.
A third Dhammapala wrote Saccasankhepa, a handbook of abhidhamma.
Sources
- Edmund Hardy in Zeitschrift der deutschen morgenlandischen Gesdllschaft (1898), pp. 97 foll.
- Netti-ppakaranam: The guide, according to Kaccana Thera (ed. E. Hardy, London, Pali Text SocietyPali Text SocietyThe Pali Text Society was founded in 1881 by T.W. Rhys Davids "to foster and promote the study of Pali texts".Pali is the language in which the texts of the Theravada school of Buddhism is preserved...
, 1902, ISBN B0000CLJ95), especially the Introduction, passim - Theri Gatha Commentary, Peta Vatthu Commentary, and Vimna Vutthu Commentary, all three published by the Pali Text Society.
- K.R. Norman, Pali Literature, Otto Harrassowitz, Wiesbaden, 1983
- Oskar von Hinüber, Handbook of Pali Literature, Walter de Gruyter, Berlin, 1996