INTRODUCTION

1 THE TERM ATTHAKATHA: ITS MEANINGS AND IMPLICATIONS

The term atthakatha is in Pali, with its equivalents being commentary in
English, bhasya
1
in Sanskrit and ygVdawmfudkzGifhaomusrf;
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in
Myanmar. The aim ! this "ha#ter is t study the meanings and im#li"atins ! this
term, as e$#lained by the Pali s"hlars.
1. The term atthakatha is a "m#und wrd !rmed ! attha %meaning& '
katha %talk, dis"urse& ' a %#arti"le&( by mr#hlgi"al rules, the dental ttha in
attha "hanges int the alvelar ttha in atthakatha. The meaning ! atthakatha
is, there!re, the dis"urse by whi"h the meaning ! smething is e$#lained.
)

2. *ne Tika %sub+"mmentary& e$#lains that atthakatha re!ers t a #ie"e !
dis"urse that e$#lains the meaning ! smething in terms ! etymlgi"al and
grammati"al derivatins with re!eren"e t the ba"kgrund, "auses and stries behind
it.
,
The ther synnymus terms !r atthakatha are given hereunder with their
meanings.
%a& Pakinnaka-desana %Mis"ellaneus-.ssrted Tea"hings&( The /uddha
delivered a lt ! dis"urses in whi"h 0e e$#lained the meanings r the attributes !
assrted sub1e"ts. These Mis"ellaneus Tea"hings ! the /uddha 0imsel! are
atthakatha.
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%b& Acariya-vada %Tea"hers 3n"e#tins&( /y acariya-vada are meant the
Elders "n"e#tins ! and 1udgements u#n d"trinal "n"e#ts, whi"h are nt dire"tly
in"luded in the 3ann but are in a""rdan"e with this 3ann in meaning %attha&,
methds %naya& and rder %anuloma&. These Tea"hers 3n"e#tins are "alled
atthakatha.
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%"& Acariya-vamsa %*nes handed dwn by the Tea"hers lineage&( The term
re!ers t the "mmentaries being handed dwn !rm generatin t generatin by a
lineage ! the Elders riginating !rm the .rahants wh had #arti"i#ated in the
/uddhist 3un"ils.
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1
6.7./.,8
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[kwfpdef? OD;? 24
)
Ti+#i+dhan, )94+)95
:.T.;.14, M.T.;.14+15
,

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%d& Anubyanjana %Se"ndary <esur"es&( The Se"ndary <esur"es are nt
in"luded in the Pali 3ann but they give 1udgements n sme "ases and e$#lanatins
!r sme dis"urses. These Se"ndary <esur"es are derived !rm e$#li"ating the
3ann r inquiring !rm the tea"hers as t its te$t r meaning.
1

%e& Palimuttaka-vinicchaya %=ree >udgements&( The term "n!ines itsel! t
1udgements u#n d"trinal "n"e#ts, whi"h are !ree r nt dire"tly in"luded in the
3ann but are in a""rdan"e with this 3ann in meaning %attha&, methds %naya& and
rder %anuloma&.
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%!& Anubhava %&(
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