Treasury of Abhidharma

Vasubandhu

Abhidharmakosha (Tib. ngön pa dzö) The Treasury of Abhidharma and Auto-Commentary on the Treasury of Abhidharma. These works were composed by Vasubandhu, one of the 'Six Ornaments', the greatest Buddhist authorities of Ancient India. Abhidharmakosha is a complete and systematic account of the Abhidharma, and is the peak of scholarship in the Fundamental Vehicle.

Outline

The text is divided into eight topics:

1. The dhatus
   
2. The faculties
   
3. The world
   
4. Karma
   
5. 'Subtle developers' (i.e. negative emotions)
   
6. The path and the individual
   
7. Wisdom
   
8. Meditative Equipoise

Translations

• Abhidharmakosabhasyam of Vasubandhu, translated by Leo M. Pruden, Asian Humanities Press, Berkeley 1990 (Translated into English from the French translation of Louis de la Vallé Poussin)

Commentaries

Tibetan Commentaries

The following are among the best known Tibetan commentaries on the Abhidharmakosha:

• Chim Jampé Yang, Ornament of Abhidharma
• Rongtön Sheja Kunrig, 'Thoroughly Illuminating What Can be Known (shes bya rab gsal)
• Mipham Rinpoche, rin po che'i do shal blo gsal dgyes pa'i mgul rgyan
• Jamyang Loter Wangpo, A Lamp Illuminating Vasubandhu's Intention
• Khenpo Shenga, A Mirror for What Can be Known (shes bya'i me long)