Visuddhi Magga: 1 definition

Introduction:

Visuddhi Magga means something in Buddhism, Pali. If you want to know the exact meaning, history, etymology or English translation of this term then check out the descriptions on this page. Add your comment or reference to a book if you want to contribute to this summary article.

In Buddhism

Theravada (major branch of Buddhism)

[«previous next»] — Visuddhi Magga in Theravada glossary
Source: Pali Kanon: Pali Proper Names

An encyclopedia of the Buddhas teaching, written by Buddhaghosa at the request of Sanghapala Thera. It is said (Cv.xxxvii.236) that when Buddhaghosa arrived at the Mahavihara and asked permission to translate the Singhalese Commentaries into Pali, the monks, to test him, gave him two stanzas (quoted at the beginning of the book) on which they asked him to write a thesis. As soon as he had finished this, the devas hid the copy, and the same thing happened after it was rewritten. He then rewrote it a third time, and when it was being read in the assembly of monks, the two previous copies suddenly reappeared and were found to agree in every detail with the new one.

For a description of the book, see Law, Hist. of Pali Lit., ii.399f. A Commentary on the work exists, called the Paramatthamanjusa by Dhammapala (P.L.C. 113; Svd.1231), and a Visuddhimaggaganthipadattha was written by Saradassi, a monk of Ava. (Sas.116; Bode, op. cit., 56).

context information

Theravāda is a major branch of Buddhism having the the Pali canon (tipitaka) as their canonical literature, which includes the vinaya-pitaka (monastic rules), the sutta-pitaka (Buddhist sermons) and the abhidhamma-pitaka (philosophy and psychology).

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