An Analysis of Individual-Types from the Abhidhamma (Puggalapaññatti)

This book provides an effective guide to especially Buddhist practitioners for gauging their daily progress as to path cultivation. It begins with a schedule, enumerating conventional Abhidhamma groups of the 5 aggregates, 12 bases, 18 elements, Truth, 22 faculties, follows by the exposition of individual-types by units, twofold, threefold, up to descriptions under tenfold. Nearly all of its designations are identical parallels drawn from the ten Nipatas of the Anguttara Nikāya with only some minor variations and omissions. Other designations are also found, sometimes as fragmentary descriptions, sometimes with different meanings, in the various suttas of the Nikāyas. For the benefit of the readers, I have referenced these relevant suttas in the schedule, and I have also given necessary exposition to these referenced suttas in the subsequent Chapters. This book analyses 390 types of individual, or more specifically, types of monks and nuns, although some of the designations do overlap. These are unequivocal norms of measurements drawn up as a yardstick for providing advice to the declining monastics as well as a good manual for advancing progress of the assiduous monastics.