Vibhanga

Vibhanga is a canonical term in Theravada Buddhism referring to the second book of the Abhidhamma Pitaka. The name means "division" or "analysis," signaling its function as a systematic examination of phenomena (dhammas) through detailed categories and subcategories.

The text provides a thorough analysis of dhammas that are introduced in the prior book, Dhammasangani, including both physical phenomena (rūpa dhammas) and mental phenomena (cetasikas). The Vibhanga assigns dhammas to classes and sub-classes, offers definitions, and explains how dhammas arise, persist, and cease in accord with conditionality (paticcasamuppada). It employs a framework of universal and particular characteristics and clarifies the relationships, functions, and moments of arising of various dhammas, as well as their interactions.

Purpose and use: The Vibhanga functions as a technical reference for Abhidhamma study, aiding monks and scholars in understanding the subtler aspects of mind and matter. It is typically studied with traditional commentaries and later scholarly works within the Theravada tradition.

Relationship to other texts: The Vibhanga follows the Dhammasangani within the Abhidhamma Pitaka and serves as a bridge to later treatises such as the Dhatukatha and Puggalapannatti. It is chiefly preserved in the Pali Canon in Theravada regions, with translations and expositions found in Sri Lankan, Burmese, Thai, and other Buddhist literatures.

Significance: As a foundational text for Theravada Abhidhamma philosophy and practice, the Vibhanga provides a precise, analytic vocabulary for dhammas and their conditioned nature. Its detailed taxonomy makes it more technical and less accessible than many sutra texts, but it remains central to Abhidhamma study and practice.