Kathavatthu

Kathavatthu is a Buddhist scripture, part of the Abhidhamma Pitaka, the third basket of the Theravada Buddhist canon. It is traditionally attributed to the Venerable Moggaliputta Tissa, who is said to have compiled it in the 3rd century BCE during the reign of Emperor Ashoka. The text is structured as a series of dialogues, presenting a comprehensive list of controversial or debated points of Buddhist doctrine. These are framed as questions and answers, with a persona assumed to raise a particular view, and then another persona (often representing a more orthodox Theravada perspective) to refute it.

The primary purpose of Kathavatthu is to clarify and defend the core teachings of the Theravada school against various heterodox views that had emerged within the early Buddhist sangha. It addresses a wide range of topics, including the nature of the self (atta), the attainment of enlightenment, the existence of past and future lives, and the characteristics of Buddhist practice. The dialogues serve to establish definitive interpretations of scripture, reinforcing the doctrinal boundaries of the Theravada tradition.

The content of Kathavatthu is presented in a systematic manner, categorizing the debated points into several books and chapters. Each point is meticulously analyzed, with arguments drawn from the Sutta Pitaka and other Abhidhamma texts. The scripture is considered a crucial source for understanding the historical development of Buddhist thought and the diverse philosophical currents within early Buddhism. Its analytical and dialectical approach has made it a significant text for scholastic study within the Theravada tradition.