Dhammasaṅgaṇī

The Dhammasangani (-saṅgaṇi or -ī) is a Buddhist scripture, part of the Pali Canon of Theravada Buddhism, where it is included in the Abhidhamma Pitaka.

The book begins with a matika (Pali for "matrix"), which is a list of classifications of dhammas, variously translated as ideas, phenomena, states, patterns etc. There are 22 3-fold classifications, followed by 100 2-fold ones according to the abhidhamma method and 42 according to the sutta method.

Format

The main body of the book is in four parts, as follows.

• The first part deals with states of mind, listing and defining factors present in them.
• The second deals with material phenomena, classifying them numerically, by ones, twos etc.
• The third part applies the material in the first two to explaining the classifications in the matika.
• The fourth does likewise, but in a different and sometimes more detailed way, and omitting the sutta method 2-fold classifications. This fourth part is mostly omitted from the old translation, only a few extracts being included. The new translation is complete.

Rhys Davids (1900) divisions of the text are as follows:

Book I. The Genesis of Thoughts (cittuppaada- ka.n.da.m)	Part I. Good States of Consciousness	Ch. I. The Eight Main Types of Thought relating to the Sensuous Universe (kaamaavacara-a.t.tha-mahaacittaani) Ch. II. Good in relation to the Universe of Form (ruupaavacara-kusala.m) Ch. III. Good in relation to the Universe of the Formless (aruupaavacara-kusala.m) Ch. IV. Degrees of Efficacy in Good relating to the Three Realms Ch. V. Thought engaged upon the Higher Ideal (lokuttaram citta.m)
	Part II. Bad States of Consciousness	Ch. VI. The Twelve Bad Thoughts (dvaadasa akusalacittaani)
	Part III. Indeterminate States of Consciousness	Ch. I. On Effect, or Result (vipaako): A. Good Karma. B. Bad Karma Ch. II. Action-thoughts (kiriyaa)
Book II. Form (ruupa- ka.n.da.m)	[No parts]	Ch. I. Exposition of Form under Single Concepts (ekaka-niddeso) Ch. II. Categories of Form under Dual Aspects — positive and negative Ch. III. Categories of Form under Triple Aspects Ch. IV. Categories of Form under Fourfold Aspects Ch. V. Category of Form under a Fivefold Aspect Ch. VI. Category of Form under a Sixfold Aspect Ch. VII. Category of Form under a Sevenfold Aspect Ch. VIII. Category of Form under a Eightfold Aspect Ch. IX. Category of Form under a Ninefold Aspect Ch. X. Category of Form under a Tenfold Aspect Ch. XI. Category of Form under an Elevenfold Aspect
Book III. The Division Entitled 'Elimination' (nikkhepa- ka.n.da.m)	Part I. [No title]	Ch. I. The Group of Triplets (tika.m) Ch. II. The Group on Cause (hetu-gocchaka.m) Ch. III. The Short Intermediate Set of Pairs (cuulantara-duka.m) Ch. IV. The Intoxicant Group (aasava-gocchaka.m) Ch. V. The Group of the Fetters (sa~n~nojana-gocchaka.m) Ch. VI. The Group of the Ties (gantha-gocchaka.m) Ch. VII. The Group of the Floods (ogha-gocchaka.m) Ch. VIII. The Group of the Bonds (yoga-gocchaka.m) Ch. IX. The Group of the Hindrances (niivarana-gocchaka.m) Ch. X. The Group on Contagion (paraamaasa-gocchaka.m) Ch. XI. The Great Intermediate Set of Pairs (mahantara-duka.m) Ch. XII. The Group on Grasping (upaadaana-gocchaka.m) Ch. XIII. The Group on the Corruptions (kilesa-gocchaka.m) Ch. XIV. The Supplementary Set of Pairs (pi.t.thiduka.m)
	Part II. The Suttanta Pairs of Terms (suttantika-duka.m)	[No chapter titles]

Translations

Several English translations are available,including:

• The Dhammasangani, edited by Edward Müller, 1885, published for the Pali Text Society, by H. Frowde in London
• A Buddhist Manual of Psychological Ethics, tr C. A. F. Rhys Davids, Royal Asiatic Society, 1900; reprinted with corrections, Pali Text Society, Bristol
• Tr U Kyaw Khine, Department for the Promotion and Propagation of the Sasana, Rangoon, ?1996; reprinted by Sri Satguru Pubns, Delhi, 2 volumes

See also

• Atthasālinī

External links

• Readable online version of the Dhammasangani (HTML).