Grammatical Analysis
Puggalapaññatti: [f.] Designation of Individuals. Formed by puggala (person, individual) + paññatti (designation, concept, making known).
Orthodox Definition
The Puggalapaññatti is the fourth book of the Abhidhamma Piṭaka. Ironically, it is a book about “people” within a philosophical basket that explicitly denies the ultimate existence of people.
The Abhidhamma acknowledges that while “persons” are not ultimate realities (paramattha-sacca), they are necessary conventional concepts (sammuti-sacca). Therefore, this book catalogues and defines human beings based entirely on their ethical and spiritual qualities.
Borrowing heavily from the structure of the Aṅguttara Nikāya, it classifies individuals numerically. It defines what constitutes a “worldling” (puthujjana), a “stream-enterer,” an “angry person,” a “person who helps others but not themselves,” and the “fully liberated Arahat.” It serves as a bridge, showing how conventional human typologies map onto ultimate mental realities.
Textual References
- Canonical: Puggalapaññatti – Opening by defining the six types of concepts (paññatti), proving that a “person” is a concept derived from ultimate realities that do exist.
- Commentary: Puggalapaññatti-aṭṭhakathā – Clarifying the psychological backgrounds of the personality types.