Description
ABOUT THE BOOK
In an age defined by the rapid evolution of machine intelligence, Professor C.B. Varma presents a bold and original synthesis of classical Buddhist thought and contemporary Artificial Intelligence. Illustrated Abhidhamma: Buddhist Inputs for Artificial Intelligence brings the 2,600-year-old Abhidhammic Science of Mind into a rigorous dialogue with the conceptual and architectural foundations of modern AI.
The work is divided into two complementary parts. The first part, Illustrated Abhidhamma, offers one of the most comprehensive visual expositions of the Abhidhamma available in English. Through hundreds of carefully designed diagrams, illustrations, flowcharts, and visual schemas, it systematically depicts the 121 types of consciousness (citta), the 52 mental factors (cetasikas), the 24 conditional relations (paccayas) expounded in the Paṭṭhāna, and the process of perception (citta-vīthi). These visual representations translate the intricate analytical framework of the Abhidhamma into an accessible, intellectually coherent map of the mind.
The second part explores the remarkable compatibility between Abhidhammic principles and the conceptual foundations of Artificial Intelligence. Drawing upon the structural precision of the Paṭṭhāna and its algorithms of conditionality, the book demonstrates how the dynamic interactions of citta, cetasikas, and paññatti (conceptual designation) serve as functional analogues for cognitive architecture, symbolic representation, intelligent information processing, and algorithmic causality. Rather than offering a superficial comparison, the work establishes a systematic dialogue between two sophisticated models of intelligence.
Crucially, the book argues that humanity stands at a technological crossroads. As AI systems evolve from decision-support tools into autonomous agents, today’s subservient AI threatens to become sovereign AI tomorrow—exercising authority beyond meaningful human oversight. Against this backdrop, the author proposes that the ethically grounded, causally conditioned, and psychologically balanced architecture of the Abhidhamma offers a blueprint for Ethical Artificial Intelligence. By embedding moral cognition within computational systems, the book envisions an AI that remains dedicated to human welfare.
Beyond its contribution to AI studies, the book serves as an intellectual bridge between modern science and the 2,600-year-old Buddhist Science of Mind. As a pedagogical resource, its visual models allow students and researchers to grasp complex cognitive frameworks with unprecedented clarity. By uniting traditional monastic scholarship with computer science, psychology, and philosophy, Illustrated Abhidhamma opens new pathways for dialogue between ancient wisdom and modern technology—contributing to a more humane, responsible, and ethically grounded society.
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.