Verified
Grammatical Analysis
Niddesa: [m.] Exposition; description; analytic explanation. Derived from niddisati (to point out, to explain, to define).
Orthodox Definition
The Niddesa is the eleventh book of the Khuddaka Nikāya. It is entirely unique within the Sutta-piṭaka because it is not a primary discourse by the Buddha, but rather a canonical, highly formal commentary on another canonical text.
Orthodox tradition attributes the authorship of the Niddesa exclusively to Venerable Sāriputta, the Buddha’s chief disciple foremost in wisdom. Sāriputta provides a word-by-word, exhaustive analytical breakdown of the two oldest and most difficult chapters of the Suttanipāta (The Aṭṭhakavagga and the Pārāyanavagga).
Because Sāriputta uses early Abhidhamma-style lists and exact synonyms to explain the Buddha’s cryptic poetry, the Niddesa acts as the primary historical bridge between the conventional style of the Suttas and the ultimate structural analysis of the Abhidhamma.
Quote
Tassa dve vaggā aṭṭhakavaggo pārāyanavaggo khaggavisāṇasuttañca, ekekasmiṃ vagge soḷasa soḷasa katvā khaggavisāṇasuttañcāti tettiṃsa suttāni kāmasuttādikhaggavisāṇasuttapariyosānāni.
Its two sections are the Aṭṭhakavagga, the Pārāyanavagga, and the Khaggavisāṇasutta; having sixteen suttas in each section, and with the addition of the Khaggavisāṇasutta, there are thirty-three suttas in total, beginning with the Kāmasutta and ending with the Khaggavisāṇasutta.Evaṃ anekadhā vavatthāpitassa imassa mahāniddesassa anupubbapadatthavaṇṇanaṃ karissāmi.
Thus, I shall undertake the sequential explanation of the meaning of the words of this Great Niddesa, which has been classified in many ways.Ayañhi mahāniddeso pāṭhato atthato ca uddisantena niddisantena ca sakkaccaṃ uddisitabbo niddisitabbo ca, uggaṇhantenāpi sakkaccaṃ uggaṇhitabbo dhāretabbo ca.
Indeed, this Great Niddesa should be diligently expounded and explained, both in its text and meaning, by one who expounds and explains it; and it should be diligently learned and memorized by one who learns it.Taṃ kissa hetu?
What is the reason for that?Gambhīrattā imassa mahāniddesassa lokahitāya loke ciraṭṭhitatthanti.
Because of the profundity of this Great Niddesa, for the welfare of the world and for its long-lasting existence in the world.— Mahāniddesa-aṭṭhakathā
Textual References
- Canonical: Divided into two books: Mahāniddesa (The Great Exposition, commenting on the Aṭṭhakavagga) and Cūḷaniddesa (The Minor Exposition, commenting on the Pārāyanavagga and the Khaggavisāṇa Sutta).
- Commentary: Saddhammapajjotikā – Upasena’s sub-commentary clarifying Sāriputta’s ancient explanations.