ABSTRACT
Of the several members of the Buddhist order who have borne the name ‘Buddhaghosa’ the one who flourished towards the latter half of the fifth century CE is the most renowned and influential. The reputation of this Buddhaghosa rests on his detailed and comprehensive synthesis of the doctrines enshrined in the classics of the Pali Canon, the body of literature that defines Theravada Buddhism.1 His commentaries on these classics are copious, treating not only of the broad scope of Buddhist doctrine but also of a wide range of social customs, folklore, and literary, commercial, cultural and philosophical matters. His best-known work, the Visuddhimagga (The Path of Purification), has been described as ‘a compendium of all Buddhism in three books’.2 It comprises a comprehensive work of reference and analysis, and a complete manual of meditational practice.
