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The Analytical Psychology of the Abhidharma

by Sangharakshita

The Abhidharma systems classified the mind and world in terms of real, irreducible elements. Sangharakshita explains the Theravada school's analysis of mind and the Sarvastivada school's list of mental concomitants.

Talk given in 1967.

This talk is part of the series Aspects of Buddhist Psychology.

Tracks (click play to listen)

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	1.	The interest in psychology and Buddhism;-what is Buddhism? (11:30)
	2.	What is the Abhidharma? (7:24)
	3.	The three things the Abhidharma achieved (3:40)
	4.	The two major traditions in the Abhidharma: Theravadan and Sarvastivadin; the Tripitaka; Buddhagosa and Vasubandhu; 'pluralistic realism' (6:00)
	5.	The meaning of 'dharma'; compounded and uncompounded dharmas (samskrta- and asamskrta-) (3:22)
	6.	The five skandhas ('aggregates'); the fourfold classification of conditioned dharmas (6:16)
	7.	Description of the four groups; three kinds of mind and mental states (chitta) in the Theravadan Abhidharma (7:29)
	8.	Mental states classified according to the plane (loka) on which they occur (5:27)
	9.	The Sarvastivadin treatment of mental functions (chaitasaka); ten mental functions common to all ethically good mental states (5:02)
	10.	The bearing of the Abhidharma on the spiritual life (3:05)