‘Visuddhimagga' or 'The Path of Purity', is among the most important scholarly works of Theravada Buddhism and, indeed, of the whole Buddhist tradition. It contains a survey of the main teachings of the historical Buddha, while also preserving some of the earliest commentaries on the Pali Canon.
Written by the scholar monk Buddhaghosa in the 5th century CE, it is divided into three distinct sections, Part 1: Of Virtue, Part 2: Of Concentration, Part 3: Of Understanding. The author's achievement can be seen by the fact that it has remained a comprehensive and trustworthy guide to the Buddhist path down to the present day.
The Pali Canon, the oldest source we have for the Buddha's teachings in his own words, was only written down in Pali in the first century BCE following centuries of purely oral transmission.
When Buddhaghosa came to the 'Great Monastery', Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka from his native India, he was tasked with bringing order to what was by then a vast collection of teachings and commentaries on the Canon that had accrued over the nine centuries separating him from the time of the Buddha. Among his Herculean efforts was this monumental work, 'Visuddhimagga', also translated as “The Path of Purification.”
By focusing on ethical practice (Virtue), meditation techniques ('Concentration') and insight (Understanding), the work follows the 'Threefold Path' as taught by the Buddha. Having said that, it is not a basic introduction to the Buddha's Dhamma, for Buddhaghosa broadened his scope by incorporating numerous quotations and ideas from later commentaries on the Buddhavacana (the voice of the Buddha).
Written in the tradition of the Abhidamma, there is considerable detail requiring the listener's close attention. And yet there are times when Buddhaghosa, through stories and metaphors, goes straight to the heart of a particular issue. It is a text to come back to many times for elucidation and enjoyment.
