Abhidhamma Books & Courses

by Hla Min

Updated : July 2025

U Silananda

• Chief Resident Monk of Dhammananda Vihara
• First Rector of IMBTU
• Taught Abhidhamma courses in Burmese and English.
• The course in Burmese is available in CD and MP3 tapes.
• The course is English is available as a 3-volume book.

Abhidhamma Course (in Burmese)

• Sayadaw U Silananda gave a course at Dhammananda Vihara (then in Daly City) over several weekends.
• Saya U Tin Maung Nyunt (M60) completed the course.

• Some devotees converted the 26 tapes into MP3 format.
• Ko Jeffrey (from Fremont) loaded them onto an MP3 player, and offered them as dhamma dana to students taking Abhidhamma courses.

Handbook of Abhidhamma Studies

• Three Volumes by Venerable Sayadaw U Silananda
• Transcription by Sarah E Marks

Dr. Nandamalabhivamsa

• He succeeded U Silanandabhivamsa as Rector of IMBTU
• He taught Abhidhamma in Myanmar and beyond.
• Fundamental Abhidhamma Part I was first taught in 1997 at Maryland, USA. The book was edited by Dr. Khin Maung U (First in Burma in the Matric exam of 1963). The second edition was published by the Center of Buddhist Studies (CBS), Sagaing Hills in 2005.
• Fundamental Abhidhamma Part II was published by the Center of Buddhist Studies (CBS), Sagaing Hills in 2007.

Fundamental Abhidhamma

Part I

• By Dr. Nandamalabhivamsa
• First edition : June 1997
• Editor : Dr. Khin Maung U
• Myanmar-Buddhist Meditation Society, Baltimore, Maryland, USA

• Second, extended edition : January 2005
• revised : November 2005
• Center for Buddhist Studies (CBS), Sagaing Hills, Sagaing, Myanmar

Contents

The History of Abhidhamma

(1) Why is it called Abhidhamma?
(2) Who is the author?
…
(8) The role of Abhidhammattha sangaha
(9) The role of Vibhavani
(10) Ledi Sayadaw
(11) Paramatthadipani, the critic of Vibhavani

The Fundamental of Abhidhamma

Chapter 1 : Citta
Chapter 2 : Cetasika
Chapter 3 : Rup (Matter)
Chapter 4 : Pikinnaka (Miscellaneous)
Chapter 5 : Vithi : Mental Process

Fundamental Abhidhamma

Part II

• By Dr. Nandamalabhivamsa
• Version Dec 2007
• Center for Buddhist Studies (CBS)
• Mahadubodhayon Monastery, Sagaing Hills, Sagaing, Myanmar

Contents

• Chapter 5 : Vithi
  Mental Process
• Chapter 6 : Vithimutta
  Passive Mental Process
• Chapter 7 : Paccayasangaha
  Compendium of Causality
• Chapter 8 : Kammatthana Sangaha
  Meditation Subject

Kusalakari Monastery

• Ashin Garudhamma teaches two courses at the monastery in Spady, Fremont.
• One is Pali.
• The other is Abdhidhamma.

Abhidamma Newsletter (1999)

• Sayadaw U Silanandabhivamsa was Patron of Dhammachakka Meditation Center, Berkeley, C.A.
• Abdhidhamma Newsletter was published by the Abhidhamma Study Group of DMC.

Abhidhamma Newsletter
Volume 1 Number 3 (April 1999)
Adviser: Venerable U Silananda
Editor: Maung Tin-Wa (Ph.D.)
Editorial Board: James Cameron, U Aye Cho, Aung Khin (M.D.).
Marc F. Lierberman (M.D.), Yan Naing Lwin (Ph.D.),
Sarah E, Marks, Tin Than Myint (M.D.), Bach Dong Nhut,
U Han Nyo, Phil Rohrer, Larry Rosenberg,
Anna Spievogel (M.D., Ph.D.), Tin Myo Than (M.D.),
Hla N. Tin (Ph.D.), Rita Adelman
Graphic Designer: Scott Jordan
Transcribing and Word Processing: Pat McMahon
Published by the Abhidhamma Study Group of Dhammachakka Meditation Center, Berkeley, C.A.