Path of Freedom [Vimuttimagga]

Introductionposition as the central authority of orthodox Pali Buddhism in Ceylon. Indeedthat threat grew into open rivalry and even enmity between these two institutions,culminating in King Mahasena's (277-304) giving protection toSanghamitta, "a Cola monk, follower of Vetullavada", and driving away themonks of the Mahavihara from Anuradhapura for nine years. Then, Mahasena,repenting of his deeds, restored the Mahavihara to its former positionand burnt the Vetulyan books. But by then Sanghamitta had got the Lohapasadadestroyed, and he and his friend, the minister Sona, were killed by alabourer on the orders of the queen when they attempted to destroy theThuparama. The efforts of the Mahavihara monks since the beginning of thedispute with those of the Abhayagiri in the first century A.c. were solely directedto the establishment, says the Venerable Nanamoli Thera, of "Pali as the languagefor the study and discussion of Buddhist teachings, and the founding ofa school of Pali literary composition" (Intro, p. xiv). He then goes on to say,"It is not known what was the first original Pali composition in this period;but the Dipavamsa (dealing with historical evidence) belongs here (for it endswith Mahasena's reign and is quoted in the Samantapdsddikd), and quitepossibly the Vimuttimagga (dealing with practice—see below) was anotherearly attempt by the Great Monastery in this period (4th cent.) to reassertits supremacy through original Pali literary composition: there will havebeen others too. Of course, much of this is very conjectural" (Intro, p. xiv).It will be noted here that the Venerable Nanamoli Thera does not place theVimuttimagga during the reign of King Vasabha, but in the 4th century.Still it does not contradict the fact that the Venerable Buddhaghosa Therahad access to the Vimuttimagga of the Venerable Upatissa Thera when hewrote the Visuddhimagga.If the suggestion that the Vimuttimagga "was another early attempt bythe Great Monastery in this period to reassert its supremacy through Palicomposition" is acceptable, it would then not be difficult to suppose that theVenerable Buddhaghosa Thera, with what knowledge^he had already acquiredof the Dhamma in India—(for he had written the Ndnodaya, the Atthasdlinland had begun "to compose a commentary to the Paritta", Cv. Ch. xxxvn,225-26—), was able to write the Visuddhimagga, perhaps with the assistance ofthe Mahavihara Theras. This work is more comprehensive than the Vimuttimaggaand in every sense more scholarly, with a wealth of material drawnfrom every imaginable source and interspersed with numerous Ceylon stories.Thus, not only did it provide instruction for those needing it in the practiceof the Dhamma, but it was also capable of holding its own as a work ofliterary composition.Two things seem to have played an important part in making availablefor later generations, even up to the present day, a work of such excellence asis the Visuddhimagga. They are: (1) The desperate need of the Mahaviharafor a work which would prove its claim to be the centre of Buddhist learningin Ceylon; (2) the equally urgent need of the Venerable Buddhaghosa Therato prove his ability as a worthy scholar in the eyes of the Theras of the Mahavihara.Without this recognition he could not have obtained from them thecommentaries and the expositions of the teachers (dcariyavdda) for translationinto Pali as required by his teacher in India, the Venerable Revata MahaThera, and for which express purpose he came to Ceylon (Cv. Ch. xxxvn,227-32). That this dual need was supplied to the complete satisfaction ofboth parties is amply borne out by the recorded history of the centuries thatfollowed.XLIV