Buddhaghosa draft

Buddhaghosa 01. Buddhaghosa Thera. The greatest of Commentators on the Tipiṭaka. He was a Brahmin. The Sās. (p. 29) says his father was a Purohita, named Kesa, his mother being Kesī. Gv.66 says his father was the Purohita of King Saṅgāma. He was born in a village near Buddhagayā and became proficient in the Vedas and allied branches of knowledge. One day he met a monk, named Revata, and on being defeated by him in controversy, entered the Saṅgha to learn the Buddha’s teachings. Because his speech was profound, like that of the Buddha, and because his words spread throughout the world (like those of the Buddha), he came to be called Buddhaghosa.

While dwelling with Revata, he wrote the Ñāṇodaya and the Atthasālinī, and also began to write a Parittaṭṭhakathā (a concise commentary) on the Tipiṭaka. In order to complete his task, he came over to Ceylon at the suggestion of Revata and studied the Sinhalese Commentaries at the Mahā Vihāra, under Saṅghapāla (Sās.p.29, says he was sent to Ceylon as punishment for thinking himself wiser than his teachers). When his studies were ended he wrote the Visuddhimagga, and having thereby won the approval of the Elders of the Mahā Vihāra, he rendered the Sinhalese Commentaries into Pāli. During this period he lived in the Ganthākaravihāra, and on the accomplishment of his task he returned to Jambudīpa. (Burmese tradition says he obtained his copy of the Tipiṭaka and the Commentaries from the Ālokavihāra, but see PLC.83, n.1.4).

Besides the above mentioned works of Buddhaghosa, we have also the Samantapāsādikā and the Kaṅkhāvitaraṇī on the Vinayapiṭaka; the Sumaṅgalavilāsinī, the Papañcasūdanī, the Sāraṭṭhappakāsinī and the Manorathapūraṇī on the Suttapiṭaka. He is also said to have compiled Commentaries on the Khuddakapāṭha and the Suttanipāta (called the Paramatthajotikā) and on the Dhammapada. He also wrote a series of Commentaries on the Abhidhammapiṭaka (the Atthasālinī, the Sammohavinodanī and the Pañcappakaraṇaṭṭhakathā). Some ascribe to him the Jātaka Commentary. For further particulars relating to Buddhaghosa, see Law’s Life and Work of Buddhaghosa and PLC.79 ff. The account of his life given here is taken from Cv.xxxvii.215ff. For a list of works ascribed to Buddhaghosa see Gv., pp.59 and 68.

Buddhaghosa 02. Called Cūḷa Buddhaghosa to distinguish him from the greater. He was a native of Ceylon (Gv.67), and two works are ascribed to him (Gv.63) – the Jātattagīnidāna and the Sotattagīnidāna. The former probably refers to the Jātaka Commentary (PLC.126). It was at his request that Buddhaghosa (1) wrote his Commentaries to the Abhidhamma. Gv.68.