About this site

This site retells the Abhidhamma — often seen as difficult and meant only for specialists — in language anyone can follow, with no background in Pāli required. It was first written in Thai; this English version follows the same lessons.

What is the Abhidhamma?

The Abhidhamma Piṭaka is one of the three “baskets” of the Pāli Canon. It describes ultimate realities alone — consciousness (citta), mental factors (cetasika), matter (rūpa) and Nibbāna — in seven books: Dhammasaṅgaṇī, Vibhaṅga, Dhātukathā, Puggalapaññatti, Kathāvatthu, Yamaka and Paṭṭhāna.

How to read

The lessons go from the basics to the deeper material, so it is best to read them in order from Lesson 1. Each lesson has:

• The teaching — a summary from the texts
• In depth — detailed explanation with diagrams
• In plain words — the same idea through everyday examples
• Try sorting — a short quiz you answer by tapping, with explanations
• Notice it in daily life — small exercises to see these realities in your own mind
• Key terms, Key points and Check yourself (tap a question to see the answer)

Please note

The content is a summary and interpretation for beginners. Many of the classifications (such as 89 types of consciousness, 52 mental factors and the 17-moment cognitive process) follow the Abhidhammattha Saṅgaha of Ācariya Anuruddha, a later manual that summarises the Abhidhamma Piṭaka and is the standard Abhidhamma curriculum in Thailand and elsewhere; it is not itself part of the Canon.

For further study in English, good places to start are:

• Access to Insight and SuttaCentral — translations of the Pāli Canon
• A Comprehensive Manual of Abhidhamma, ed. Bhikkhu Bodhi — a translation of the Abhidhammattha Saṅgaha with detailed explanation

If you find a mistake or have a suggestion, it is always welcome.