The Meanings and Types of Paññatti Based on the Puggalapaññattiaṭṭhakathā

Abstract

According to the Puggalapaññattiaṭṭhakathā, paññatti means exposition and establishment, showing a dhamma restricted by a certain category by giving a name and establishing the dhamma as the thing which has the name. This is nāmapaññatti, the paññatti by the meaning that it designates something (paññāpanaṭṭhena paññatti). The six paññattis in Pāli, khandhapaññatti, etc., and from the Aṭṭhakathā like vijjamānapaññatti, etc. belong in this category. On the other hand, upādāpaññatti according to an opinion of Ācariya is paññatti by the meaning that it is designated, only avijjamānapaññatti belonging in this category. These two paññattis that have different characters and roles from each other are fixed as two kinds of paññatti in the Abhidhammāvatāra and Abhidhammatthasaṅgaha. While the object of the paññatti which is designated (paññāpiyattā paññatti) is only a thing which does not exist, the paññatti which designates (paññāpanato paññatti) is applied not only to things that exist but also to those that do not exist. Thus these two kinds of paññatti are not in a correspondent relation in which indicates meaning (attha) and name (nāma) in designating a dhamma.