Deed and Retribution in Indian Buddhism: The Concept of Karma in the Abhidharmakosa and its Commentaries

业力的概念在所有佛教传统中都起着至关重要的作用。然而，在早期佛经中，对因果报应功能的解释却很少见。只有后来属于阿比达摩(关于存在的构成要素的教导)传统的著作才更详细地阐明身体、语言和精神活动是如何登记和成熟为业力结果的。在这种情况下，不同类型的业力被识别出来，并考虑到行为背后的意图，以确定其道德品质，即是否有功德。此外，还阐述了抵消恶行报应的不同做法，并解释了特定行为产生的感受。一个特别不寻常的类别(至少从当代的角度来看)是在一种特殊形式的被称为无信息的微妙物质的假设中发现的，它解释了在冥想状态下获得的业力的成熟，或者是其他人-S本人所做的事情的成熟。本研究项目的主要来源是一份8/9世纪的梵文手稿，直到最近才被找到，被认为是西藏保存的最古老的梵文手稿之一。这是被认为是Sthiramati(6美分)的一篇文章的唯一样本。是对阿比达摩沙的评论，题为真理，阿比达摩的金库评论(塔瓦萨阿比达玛戈萨提卡)。作为印度和西藏阿比达摩传统的核心著作之一的《阿比达玛戈萨》最精致的注解，对于佛教思想史的考察具有非常重要的意义。为了适应阿比达玛科萨语料库的重要性，大部分内容被翻译成藏语、汉语、维吾尔语、蒙古语和托恰利亚语，这为中亚和东亚在印度以外发展起来的丰富的评论传统提供了基础和起点。对于当代佛学家来说，《阿比达玛戈萨》及其注释也是对佛教概念进行定义和解释的主要来源。本研究项目致力于《释经-S注释》的第四章，即关于业力概念的章节。除了评论版和带注释的英文翻译外，它还将包括详细的历史和哲学分析。

The concept of karma (Sanskrit karman, deed) plays a critical role in all Buddhist traditions. However, explanations of the functioning of the retribution of deeds are rare in early Buddhist sutras. Only later works belonging to the Abhidharma ([teachings] on the constituents of existence) tradition explicate in more detail how bodily, verbal and mental activities are registered and mature into a karmic result. In this context different types of karma are identified, and the intention underlying the deeds is considered so as to determine their moral quality, that is, whether they are meritorious or not. Furthermore, different practices are set forth that counteract the retribution of bad deeds, and feelings resulting from specific acts are explained. A particularly unusual category (at least from a contemporary perspective) is to be found in the postulation of a particular form of subtle matter called non-information, which accounts for the ripening of karma acquired in meditative states or of deeds committed by somebody else on one-s own behalf.The main source of the present research project is a 8th/9th-century Sanskrit manuscript that only recently has become accessible and is presumed to be among the oldest Sanskrit manuscripts kept in Tibet. It is the sole exemplar of a text attributed to Sthiramati (6th cent.) and is a commentary on the Abhidharmakosa, entitled The Truth, a Commentary on the Treasury of the Abhidharma (Tattvartha Abhidharmakosatika). As the most elaborate commentary on the Abhidharmakosa, which is one of the key works of the Indian and Tibetan Abhidharma tradition, it is of extraordinary importance for the investigation of the history of Buddhist thought. Befitting the importance of the Abhidharmakosa corpus, large parts were translated into Tibetan, Chinese, Uyghur, Mongolian and Tocharian, and it came to provide the basis and starting point for the rich commentarial traditions that developed beyond India in Central and East Asia. Also for contemporary Buddhologists the Abhidharmakosa with its commentaries is the principal source for definitions and explanations of Buddhist concepts.The present research project is dedicated to the fourth chapter of Sthiramati-s commentary, namely the chapter dealing with the concept of karma. In addition to a critical edition and annotated English translation, it will include a detailed historical and philosophical analysis.