Abhidharma
(Skt.; Pāli, Abhidhamma). Term meaning ‘higher doctrine’ and denoting the scholastic analysis of religious teachings. The earliest Abhidharma material was composed over several centuries beginning around 300 bce and formed the substance of the various collections of canonical scholastic treatises (
Abhidharma
Piṭaka) of the different early schools. Influential later non-canonical compendia of Abhidharma teachings include the
Abhidharma-kośa
of
Vasubandhu
and the
Abhidharma-samuccaya
of
Asȧga
. The contents of the Abhidharma do not form a systematic ...