The Kathāvatthu (“Points of Controversy”) is one of the most significant intellectual treasures of the Abhidhamma Pitaka. It was composed by Venerable Moggaliputta Tissa Thera during the reign of Emperor Asoka and served as a vital instrument for safeguarding the Buddha’s teachings and monastic discipline (Dhamma-Vinaya).
The primary purpose of the text is to employ rigorous logic and systematic reasoning to challenge doctrinal views that diverged from orthodox Theravāda principles. In particular, it seeks to affirm the doctrine of anattā (non-self) and the conditional arising and cessation of phenomena according to the law of causality.
One of the most distinctive features of the Kathāvatthu is its powerful use of dialectical inquiry and analytical debate, structured through a method of questions and answers. This approach was designed to refute misconceptions concerning the existence of a permanent self and erroneous interpretations regarding the status and attainments of arahants. As such, the text became a foundational work in Buddhist scholarship and methodology, helping to establish the intellectual framework that enabled Theravāda Buddhism to develop and spread with remarkable stability across centuries.
This analysis demonstrates that the Kathāvatthu is far more than a mere polemical treatise. Rather, it stands as a monument of Buddhist wisdom, reflecting the skillful use of reason, language, and critical inquiry to preserve the authenticity and purity of the Buddha’s teachings for future generations.
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