A CRITICAL EDITION OF PABCAGATIDIPANI

Abstract

Pabcagatidipani or "Illustration of the Five Realms of Existence" is a piece of verse called Patthayavattachanda, which is divided into five kandas (sections) and consists of 114 verses. This text was translated from Sadgatikarika, a well known Buddhist Sanskrit verse, describing the rebirth of creatures in five realms: narakas (hells), petas (ghosts), tiracchanas (animals), manussas (human) and saggas (heavens).

According to an inscription found in Myanmar, the composer of Pabcagatidipani was Saddhammaghosa. However, it appears that this text was not written but instead translated by him, presumably during the reign of King Aniruddha in the Pagan Period.

This critical version has been edited by using five copies of Pabcagatidipani manuscripts from the Bangkok National Library as the main document, and compared with copies of Pabcagatidipanitika, two copies of Mahavipaka or "the second version commentary of Pabcagatidipani" and Sadgatikarika (Prof. Mus edited.).

From the study, it is suggested that three periods of development can be distinguished in the Pali version. Originally, it was translated into Pali and named Chagatidipani or "Illustration of the Six Realms of Existence". Later, in the second development, the concept of Kalabjakasura (a kind of monster) was included in Peta's realm and Vepacitti-asura (a fallen angel) was also integrated into the realm of heaven. These were apparently influenced by Kathavtthupakarana of Moggaliputtatissa; hence, the name was changed to "Paiicagatidipani". In the last development, the filth verse which is similar to Jinalavkalatika was added. As a result, the copies of Paiicagatidipani manuscripts from the Bangkok National Library would have been composed in the last period of development.