The Abhidhamma Piṭaka is a systematic analysis of mind and matter. Where the suttas teach in everyday language to particular listeners, the Abhidhamma describes experience in precise, impersonal terms, moment by moment.
The seven books
- Dhammasaṅgaṇī — enumeration of phenomena
- Vibhaṅga — the book of analysis
- Dhātukathā — discussion of elements
- Puggalapaññatti — description of individuals
- Kathāvatthu — points of controversy
- Yamaka — the book of pairs
- Paṭṭhāna — the book of conditional relations
The four ultimate realities
Later Theravāda summaries such as the Abhidhammattha Saṅgaha organise the Abhidhamma around four ultimate realities: consciousness (citta), mental factors (cetasika), matter (rūpa) and Nibbāna. Seeing experience this way helps loosen the idea of a permanent, independent self.
The Abhidhamma is traditionally studied after some grounding in the suttas and meditation practice.