The twelfth "book" of the Khuddaka Nikāya. It really belongs to the literature of the Abhidhamma type, and describes how analytical knowledge can be acquired by an arahant. It presents a systematic exposition of certain important topics of Buddhism. It is possible that, before the development of the extant Abhidhamma Pitaka, it passed as one of the Abhidhamma treatises.
The book consists of three Vaggas:
and each Vagga contains ten topics (kathā).
The treatment of the various topics is essentially scholastic in character, and whole passages are taken verbatim from the Vinaya and from various collections of the Sutta Pitaka, while a general acquaintance with the early Buddhist legends is assumed. (Published by the P.T.S. There is an index in J.R.A.S., 1908).
A commentary exists, written by Mahānāma, a Thera of Ceylon, and called Saddhammappakāsinī.