Abstract

In the Chinese text of the *Vimuttimagga, namely the Ji?tu? dào lùn, the word ji? is used as a technical abhidhamma term. It is used to refer to an initial cognitive activity through the five material sense organs. In the published English translation, the term is not understood clearly. There are similarities and differences between the two terms, ji? and visayappavatti. They are linked to similar doctrinal structures and technical terminology, especially the concept of bhava?ga, which is a distinctive doctrine of Sri Lankan Therav?da. On the other hand, visayappavatti implies an initial cognitive activity by any of the six sense organs, while the term ji? refers to an initial cognitive activity only through the five material sense organs. A comparative study of the two terms proposes the following implications. Firstly, the text *Vimuttimagga is related to Sri Lankan P?li abhidhamma because the orientation of the two terms is more than similar. Secondly, the text represents an early phase of the extant P?li abhidhamma because the term ji? is less mature terminology than the term visayappavatti.