Vimuttimagga

Theravāda
Countries
	Sri Lanka Nepal India Cambodia Laos Burma Thailand Bangladesh
Texts
	Pali Canon Commentaries Subcommentaries
History
	Pre-sectarian Buddhism Early schools Sthavira Asoka Third Council Vibhajjavada Mahinda Sanghamitta Dipavamsa Mahavamsa Buddhaghosa
Doctrine
	Saṃsāra Nibbāna Middle Way Noble Eightfold Path Four Noble Truths Enlightenment Stages Precepts Three Jewels Outline of Buddhism

The Vimuttimagga ("Path of Freedom") is a Theravada Buddhist practice manual, traditionally attributed to the Arahant Upatissa (c. 1st or 2nd century). It was translated into Chinese in the sixth century as the 'Cie-to-tdo-lun' (解脫道論) by Sanghapala. The original text (Possibly Pali or Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit) is no longer extant, but the work has survived in Chinese. The book was probably written in India and then later brought to Sri Lanka. The Vimuttimagga recommends various meditation practices such as Anapanasati, Kasina meditation and Buddhanussati - recollection of the virtues of the Buddha. The Vimuttimagga bears a striking similarity to the Visuddhimagga by Buddhagosa, and it is highly probable that it had an influence on Buddhagosa. While the Visuddhimagga is much longer work, both texts only differ on minor points. For example, Upatissa gives four categories of Śīla while Buddhagosa gives five. Upatissa gives four ways of cultivating Anapanasati, while Buddhagosa gives eight.

See also

• Buddhaghosa
• Visuddhimagga
• Samatha
• Vipassana

Notes

English translations

• THE PATH OF FREEDOM (Vimuttimagga) of ARAHANT UPATISSA Translated from the Chinese by Rev. N. R. M. EHARA, SOMA THERA, KHEMINDA THERA. BUDDHIST PUBLICATION SOCIETY. KANDY, CEYLON

References

• Vimuttimagga & Visuddhimagga - A Comparative Study by PV Bapat