The Vimānavatthu (Vimāna-; abbreviated as "Vv") is a TheravadaBuddhist scripture, the sixth book of the Khuddaka Nikaya in the Pali Canon. Its name in Pali means "Stories of the Vimana," usually translated as 'heavenly abodes' or 'divine mansions'.[1] The Vimanavatthu is an anthology of 83 short stories written in verse, divided into seven chapters or vagga. Each story describes the life and deeds of a character who has attained residence in a heavenly mansion, the "Vimana", due to their meritorious deeds.[1]
Each of the stories in the Vimanavatthu follows the same pattern, using the frame of the Buddha's disciple Mahamoggallana asking a deva the reason for their current residence in a divine abode. The deva then relates the good deeds in their previous birth that lead to their rebirth in the divine realm.[1]
The text is generally regarded by scholars as a relatively late addition to the Pali Canon, possibly one of the last texts added to the Khuddaka Nikaya before the Canon was closed.[1] Selected texts or stories from the Vimanavatthu may be earlier, a few being composed in the archaic Arya metre and others possibly reflecting reworkings of older stories, including borrowings from the Jataka collections.[1] Its contents closely resemble a section of the Mahavastu, as well as a fragmentary Sarvastivada text from the Ksudrakagama called the Vimānāvadāna, suggesting an origin in an older collection of stories.[1]
Narratives based on the Vimanavatthu and the Petavatthu, a similar text, were expanded into narratives in the commentary tradition and became a popular source of material for sermons.[2] The collection as a whole was probably directed at lay Buddhists, and present a relatively simply view of karma where good deeds are rewarded by promising rebirth.[1] However, many of the devas lament that they did not do even better and become fully enlightened.
Translationsedit
"Stories of the mansions", tr Jean Kennedy, in Minor Anthologies of the Pali Canon, volume IV, 1st edn, 1942
In Vimana Stories, tr Peter Masefield, 1989, Pali Text Society, Bristol; translation of the commentary, with the verses embedded; the PTS's preferred translation
^Skilling, Peter. "Scriptural Authenticity and the Śrāvaka Schools: An Essay towards an Indian Perspective." The Eastern Buddhist, vol. 41, no. 2, 2010, pp. 1–47. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/44362554. Accessed 25 Feb. 2020.
External linksedit
"Vimāna," entry in the Pali Text Society's Pali-English Dictionary (1921-25)
Selected suttas from the Vimanavatthu (from Access to Insight)
Complete English translation of Vimana Vatthu by Ven. Gnanananda Thero
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vimānavatthu, vimāna, abbreviated, theravada, buddhist, scripture, sixth, book, khuddaka, nikaya, pali, canon, name, pali, means, stories, vimana, usually, translated, heavenly, abodes, divine, mansions, vimanavatthu, anthology, short, stories, written, verse,. The Vimanavatthu Vimana abbreviated as Vv is a Theravada Buddhist scripture the sixth book of the Khuddaka Nikaya in the Pali Canon Its name in Pali means Stories of the Vimana usually translated as heavenly abodes or divine mansions 1 The Vimanavatthu is an anthology of 83 short stories written in verse divided into seven chapters or vagga Each story describes the life and deeds of a character who has attained residence in a heavenly mansion the Vimana due to their meritorious deeds 1 Contents 1 Overview 2 Translations 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksOverview editEach of the stories in the Vimanavatthu follows the same pattern using the frame of the Buddha s disciple Mahamoggallana asking a deva the reason for their current residence in a divine abode The deva then relates the good deeds in their previous birth that lead to their rebirth in the divine realm 1 The text is generally regarded by scholars as a relatively late addition to the Pali Canon possibly one of the last texts added to the Khuddaka Nikaya before the Canon was closed 1 Selected texts or stories from the Vimanavatthu may be earlier a few being composed in the archaic Arya metre and others possibly reflecting reworkings of older stories including borrowings from the Jataka collections 1 Its contents closely resemble a section of the Mahavastu as well as a fragmentary Sarvastivada text from the Ksudrakagama called the Vimanavadana suggesting an origin in an older collection of stories 1 Narratives based on the Vimanavatthu and the Petavatthu a similar text were expanded into narratives in the commentary tradition and became a popular source of material for sermons 2 The collection as a whole was probably directed at lay Buddhists and present a relatively simply view of karma where good deeds are rewarded by promising rebirth 1 However many of the devas lament that they did not do even better and become fully enlightened Translations edit Stories of the mansions tr Jean Kennedy in Minor Anthologies of the Pali Canon volume IV 1st edn 1942 Stories of the mansions tr I B Horner in Minor Anthologies IV 2nd edn 1974 Pali Text Society 1 Bristol In Vimana Stories tr Peter Masefield 1989 Pali Text Society Bristol translation of the commentary with the verses embedded the PTS s preferred translationSee also editPetavatthuReferences edit a b c d e f g Norman Kenneth Roy 1983 Pali Literature Wiesbaden Otto Harrassowitz pp 70 71 ISBN 3 447 02285 X Skilling Peter Scriptural Authenticity and the Sravaka Schools An Essay towards an Indian Perspective The Eastern Buddhist vol 41 no 2 2010 pp 1 47 JSTOR www jstor org stable 44362554 Accessed 25 Feb 2020 External links edit Vimana entry in the Pali Text Society s Pali English Dictionary 1921 25 Selected suttas from the Vimanavatthu from Access to Insight Complete English translation of Vimana Vatthu by Ven Gnanananda Thero nbsp This Buddhist text related article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte nbsp This Theravada related article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Vimanavatthu amp oldid 1135269686, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
