Who is the author of the Pañisambhidāmagga according to tradition?
Tradition attributes the Pañisambhidāmagga to Sariputta, a great disciple of the Buddha. This attribution appears in the Pali commentary known as Pais-a I 1,18.
Questions about Paṭisambhidāmagga
Short answers, pulled from the story.
When was the Pañisambhidāmagga written and by whom?
German Indology scholars suggest the text likely emerged around the second century CE. AK Warder proposed that some form might date back to the third century BCE based on its inclusion in the Dipavamsa list of rejected Mahasanghika texts.
What is the meaning of sabhava in the Suññakatha section of the Pañisambhidāmagga?
The Suññakatha section defines sabhava as the empty nature of the five aggregates. Born materiality is described as empty of sabhava while disappeared materiality is both changed and empty.
How many chapters does the Pañisambhidāmagga contain and how are they organized?
Three divisions called vagga compose the thirty chapters of the Pañisambhidāmagga. Each division contains ten chapters known as kathā for a total of thirty sections.
Who translated the Pañisambhidāmagga into English and when was it published?
A first translation by Bhikkhu Nanamili appeared posthumously after extensive editing and reworking. The published edition titled The Path of Discrimination emerged in 1982 through the Pali Text Society in Bristol.