NAMO TASSA BHAGAVATO
ARAHATO SAMMASAMBUDDHASSA
INTRODUCTION TO
VIDUDDHIMAGG
A
VISUDDHIMAGGA
THE PATH OF
PURIFICATION
• What is Visuddhimagga?
• Who was the author of Visuddhimagga?
• Where was he from?
• When did he compile it?
• Where did he compile it?
• Why did he compile it? For what purpose did he compile it?
• How did he compile it?
• Who have translated Visuddhimagga into English?
What is Visuddhimagga?
• A kind of commentary
• The essence of the Buddha’s teachings or an excellent
compendium of the Buddha’s teachings
Visuddhimagga
Visuddhi
Purification (Nibbana)
Magga
The Path (Magga)
Visuddhimagga (Visuddhiya maggo Visuddhimaggo)
The path, the means of approach to the purification
(Nibbana).
Who was the author of Visuddhimagga?
• Venerable Buddhaghosa Thera was the author of
Visuddbimagga .
Where was Venerable Buddhaghosa from?
• There were different controversies about the concept of his
birth place.
• Myanmar (According to some Myanmar Scholars)
• Near Buddhagaya In India (According to Mahavansa)
• South part of India (According to Anguttaranikaya atthakatha’s
conclusion and Vinayaatthakatha and Visuddhimagga’s
conclusion.
When did venerable compile
Visuddhimagga?
• In Sasana years of 973 that is during ten
centuries after the demise of the Buddha.
Where did Venerable Buddhaghosa compile
Visuddhimagga?
• Mahavihara monastery, Anuradhapura in Srilanka.
How did he compile it?
• In accordance with the teaching method of
Mahaviharavasi Theras (Gantharambha-Visuddhimagga)
• Having followed and depended on old commentaries (five
nikayas)
• Compiled it with Pali language
Why did Venerable Buddhaghosa compile
Visuddhimagga?
For what purpose did he compile it?
• Due to being request of Venearable Samghapala Thera
(Mahavansa)
• In order to comprehend the right way of meditation
practices for those who want to get liberation from the
round of birth and death (Samsara) Visuddhimagga (p.10)
Who have translated Visuddhimagga into
English?
• Bhikkhu Nanamoli (the path of purification)
• U Pe Mg Tim Vol. I, (the path of purity)
• It was translated into English by Bhikkhu Nanamoli in 1956, 1964,
1979, 1999, 2010 and U Pe Mg Tin in 1922
• It was translated into Myanmar by Mahasi Sayadaw in 1962
• Visuddhimagga atthakatha new nissaya (Shwe seti mu) Vol.
I,II,III,IV,V
• Visuddhimagga atthakatha nissaya (Moe Hthi mu) Vol.I,II,III,IV,V
• Visuddhimagga atthakatha nissaya from Ditthi Visudddhi Niddesa to
Pannabhavana Niddesa written by Mula Mingon Sayadaw U Narada
• Visuddhimagga Mahatika (Paramatthamajjutha) Vol.I,II written by
Dhammapala Thera
• Visuddhimagga Mahatika Nissaya by Mahasi Sayadaw
23 chapters in Visuddhimagga
1. Sila Niddeasa
2. Dhutinga Niddesa
3. Kamatthanuggaha Niddesa
4. Pathavikasina Niddesa
5. Sesakasina Niddesa
6. Asubhakamatthana Niddesa
7. Chaanussati Niddesa
8. Anussatikamtthana Niddesa
9. Brahmavihara Niddesa
10. Aruppa Niddesa
11. Samadhi Niddesa
12. Iddhividha Niddesa
13. Abhinana Niddesa
14. Khanddha Niddesa
15. Ayatana Niddesa
16. Indriya Niddesa
17. Pannabhumi Niddesa
18. Ditthivisuddhi Niddesa
19. Kankhavitaranavisuddhi Niddesa
20. Maggamagganadassanavisuddhi Niddesa
21. Patipadanadassanavisuddihi Niddesa
22. Nanadassavisuddhi Niddesa
23. Pannabhavananisansa Niddesa
• 1-2
• It describes different kinds of Sila (virtue) and 13 kinds of Dhutinga
(ascetic practices) in detail. (Sila Visuddhi)
• 3-11
• It includes 40 kinds of Meditation subjects in detail. (Citta
Visuddhi)
• 12-13
• It states the benefits of concentration and different kinds of
• 14-17
• It explains the nature of aggregates (khanda), sense base (ayatana),
elements (dhatu), faculty (indriya), truth (sacca), dependent
origination (paticcasamuppda) that are fundamental of insight
knowledge.
• 18
• It states defining of mentality (nama) and materiality (rupa)
(Ditthi Visuddhi).
• 19
• It states means of discerning the cause and condition of mentality
(nama) and materiality (rupa) (kankhavitarana Visuddhi).
• 20
• It describes Sammasananana (contempaltion mentality (nama) and
materiality (rupa) by three characteristics: Anica, Dukkha, and
Anatta and Imperfections of Insight and Purification by knowledge
and vision of what is the path and what is not path
(Maggamagganana Visuddhi)
• 21
• It states Purification by knowledge and vision of the way
(Patipadananadassana Visuddhi) and eight kinds of knowledge (nana):
Knowledge of contemplation of rise and fall (Udayabbaya nupassana
nanam), Knowledge of contemplation of dissolution
(Bhanganupssanananam), Knowledge of appearance as terror
(Bhayatupatthanananam), Knowledge of contemplation of danger
(Adinavonupassanananam), Knowledge of contemplation ofdispassion
(Nibbidanupassanananam), Knowledge of desire for deliverance
(Muncitukamyatananam), Knowledge of contemplation of reflection
(Patisankhanupassanananam) and Knowledge of Equality about formation
(Sankharupekkhananam).
• 22
• It describes purification by knowledge and vision (Nanadassana
Visuddhi). It includes four kinds of knowledge: the knowledge of
the path of stream entry (Satapattimagganana), the knowledge of
the path of Once-return (Sakadagamimagganana), the knowledge of
the path of Non-reurn (Anagamimagganana), the knowledge of the
path of Arahatship (Arahattamagganana) and defilements etc to be
abandoned by the knowledges.
• 23
• It explains about Fruition attainment (Phalasamapatti) and
attainment of cessations (Nirodhasamapatti) Nibbana that are the
benefits developing understanding (Pannabhavananisamsa).
Seven Purifications in Visuddhimagga
1. Purification of Virtue (Sila Visuddhi)
2. Purification of Mind (Citta Visuddhi)
3. Purification of view (Ditthi Visuddhi)
4. Purification by overcoming doubt (Kankha vitaran Visuddhi)
5. Purification by knowledge and vision of what is the path and what is not path
(Maggamagganana Visuddhi)
6. Purification by knowledge and vision of the way (Patipadananadassana Visuddhi)
7. Purification by knowledge and vision (Nanadassana Visuddhi)
(Rathavinita sutta, Majjhima Nikaya)
Soil (Bhumi), Roots (Mula) and Trunk (Sarira)
in
Visuddhimagga
• Soil (Bhumi)
• The things classed as aggregates, bases, element, faculties, truths dependent
origination, etc.,
• Roots (Mula)
• The first two Visuddhis (Purifications)
• Trunk (Sarira)
• The last five Visuddhis (Purifications)
• One who wants to follow and practice seven kinds of
Visuddhis,
1. Fortify his knowledge by learning and questioning
about those things that are soil
2. Has to perfect the two purifications that are the
roots
3. Then, he can develop the five purifications that are
the trunk
• SILA NIDDESA
Three Main
Chapters
• SAMADHI NIDDESA In
Visuddhimagga
• PANNABHUMI NIDDESA
• The practical aspect of the Noble threefold training: the
training of morality (Sila), the training of concentration
(Samadhi) and the training of Wisdom that represent the
Noble Eightfold Path are described in Visuddhimagga.
• All in it are relevant instructions of the Buddha.
Noble Eightfold Path
• Sila 1. Right speech, 2. Right action, 3. Right livelihood
• Samadhi1. Right effort, 2. Right mindfulness, 3. Right
concentration
• Panna 1. Right understanding, 2. Right thought
Three layers of Defilements in the mind of worldlings
(Puthujjanas)
• Anusaya kilesas (Latent defilements)
The defilements are latent in mind, they are ready to occur in the mind when
the sense objects appear in sense door.
• Pariyutthana kilesas (Moderate defilements)
They are the defilements that have arisen in the mind and kept agitating the
mind.
• Vitikkama kilesas (Violent defilements)
They are violent defilement, they are ready to commit immoral actions
• Example of destroying a big tree
-----------------------------------------------
• A big tree has branches, trunk, and roots.
• Cut off the branches,
• Get rid of trunk, and
• Dig out the roots and burn them
• Morality (sila)
• To eliminate violent defilements
• Concentration (Samadhi)
• To eliminate moderate defilements
• Panna (Wisdom)
• To eradicate all latent defilements
Thank you
