What to get

A discussion on all aspects of Theravāda Buddhism
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Bakmoon
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What to get

Post by Bakmoon »

I plan on buying (finally!) a hard copy of the Majjhima nikaya. I would also like to get another of the Nikayas, but I don't know which. At the moment I am leaning towards the Samyutta Nikaya, but would like to get some other input. Does anyone else have any reccomendations of which of the Nikayas I should buy next?
The non-doing of any evil,
The performance of what's skillful,
The cleansing of one's own mind:
This is the Buddhas' teaching.
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DAWN
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Re: What to get

Post by DAWN »

Me, personally, i have DN, MN, SN and AN in hard copy. I can not give an advice of choice because i dont yet read all, but i think you can buy them all.

Also, as i remember, there is no KN in hard copy.
Sabbe dhamma anatta
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daverupa
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Re: What to get

Post by daverupa »

The MN is fantastic; in fact, if that's one you're going to get anyway, you might consider making it a focus, and getting your hands on Analayo's A Comparative Study of the Majjhima-nikāya to read alongside. This, plus a number of in-depth studies of certain MN suttas, combine to make deep study of the MN a fantastic foundation.

There are some good nuggets in the DN (DN 1 and DN 2 in particular), but more often than not I feel as though I'm reading Buddhist 'Just So Stories', which isn't my cup of tea.

On the other side, the KN offers some brilliant pieces, such as the Sutta Nupata and the Itivuttaka, the Udana and the Thera-theri-gatha; but these can be collected individually, and various translations can be easily and usefully compared.

As to the SN and the AN, either one is a great second Nikaya. I chose to get the SN first simply because Bhikkhu Bodhi's AN hadn't been published yet, but I'd probably have gotten it first anyway since, more often than not, it's the one I found myself wanting to find suttas in which weren't yet online.

I'd probably say that left-brained folk should hit up the SN, and right-brained folk should hit up the AN - it's a quick 'n' dirty heuristic, and therefore flawed, but in general I think this approach will mean one ends up with the Nikaya most suitable to one's inclinations, which can make learning a little easier.
  • "And how is it, bhikkhus, that by protecting oneself one protects others? By the pursuit, development, and cultivation of the four establishments of mindfulness. It is in such a way that by protecting oneself one protects others.

    "And how is it, bhikkhus, that by protecting others one protects oneself? By patience, harmlessness, goodwill, and sympathy. It is in such a way that by protecting others one protects oneself.

- Sedaka Sutta [SN 47.19]
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LonesomeYogurt
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Re: What to get

Post by LonesomeYogurt »

I'd really encourage going for the Samyutta over the Anguttara; the structure of the latter alone can be very vexing.
Gain and loss, status and disgrace,
censure and praise, pleasure and pain:
these conditions among human beings are inconstant,
impermanent, subject to change.

Knowing this, the wise person, mindful,
ponders these changing conditions.
Desirable things don’t charm the mind,
undesirable ones bring no resistance.

His welcoming and rebelling are scattered,
gone to their end,
do not exist.
- Lokavipatti Sutta

Stuff I write about things.
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mikenz66
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Re: What to get

Post by mikenz66 »

LonesomeYogurt wrote:I'd really encourage going for the Samyutta over the Anguttara; the structure of the latter alone can be very vexing.
This is true, but Bhikkhu Bodhi's Thematic Guide http://www.wisdompubs.org/Pages/display ... n=&image=1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; is very helpful.

The ordering of the SN is also a little random, and the comments from Bhikkhu Bodhi that I reproduced here: http://www.dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.ph ... 345#p88300" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; and am following in the Study Group, is also quite helpful.

However, once you have worked through Bhikkhu Bodhi's In the Buddha's Words
http://www.wisdompubs.org/Pages/display ... n=&image=1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.ph ... 392#p33319" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
(which is quite heavily weighted on the SN)
and/or
the MN, using Bhikkhu Bodhi's excellent talks here:
http://bodhimonastery.org/a-systematic- ... ikaya.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
and the many other talks on the MN that are available, e.g. at:
http://www.dhammaloka.org.au/component/ ... study.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

then reading Suttas at random is less of an issue, since you'll have seen all of the major issues discussed in some form or other.

:anjali:
Mike
Bakmoon
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Re: What to get

Post by Bakmoon »

mikenz66 wrote:
LonesomeYogurt wrote:I'd really encourage going for the Samyutta over the Anguttara; the structure of the latter alone can be very vexing.
This is true, but Bhikkhu Bodhi's Thematic Guide http://www.wisdompubs.org/Pages/display ... n=&image=1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; is very helpful.

The ordering of the SN is also a little random, and the comments from Bhikkhu Bodhi that I reproduced here: http://www.dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.ph ... 345#p88300" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; and am following in the Study Group, is also quite helpful.

However, once you have worked through Bhikkhu Bodhi's In the Buddha's Words
http://www.wisdompubs.org/Pages/display ... n=&image=1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.ph ... 392#p33319" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
(which is quite heavily weighted on the SN)
and/or
the MN, using Bhikkhu Bodhi's excellent talks here:
http://bodhimonastery.org/a-systematic- ... ikaya.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
and the many other talks on the MN that are available, e.g. at:
http://www.dhammaloka.org.au/component/ ... study.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

then reading Suttas at random is less of an issue, since you'll have seen all of the major issues discussed in some form or other.

:anjali:
Mike
Wonderful reasources, Mikenz66! Thank you. By the way, which would you recommend?
The non-doing of any evil,
The performance of what's skillful,
The cleansing of one's own mind:
This is the Buddhas' teaching.
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mikenz66
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Re: What to get

Post by mikenz66 »

Hi, you mean after the MN? I'd still recommend "In the Buddha's Words", since it covers the whole Sutta Pitaka, has copious introductory notes, a set of lectures, is very cheap, and would be good to carry around while travelling.

Then as Dave says, there is a toss-up between AN and SN. Since In the Buddha's Words uses a lot of SN suttas maybe the AN would be a good choice. I'm really enjoying reading that in the order of Bhikkhu Bodhi's Thematic Guide.

Also, don't overlook picking up some of those little KN books: Dhammapada, Udana, Itivuttaka, and Sutta Nipata. Parts of the latter have been argued to be the oldest in the Canon. Unfortunately the available translations seem expensive, and not as good as, for example the Udana+Itivuttaka by Ireland. I believe John Peacock is working on a new translation, and there are some quite good translations of parts on line.

:anjali:
Mike
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Cittasanto
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Re: What to get

Post by Cittasanto »

Bakmoon wrote:I plan on buying (finally!) a hard copy of the Majjhima nikaya. I would also like to get another of the Nikayas, but I don't know which. At the moment I am leaning towards the Samyutta Nikaya, but would like to get some other input. Does anyone else have any reccomendations of which of the Nikayas I should buy next?
go with your leaning, the samyutta is a great company for the rest of the nikayas.
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He who knows only his own side of the case knows little of that. His reasons may be good, and no one may have been able to refute them.
But if he is equally unable to refute the reasons on the opposite side, if he does not so much as know what they are, he has no ground for preferring either opinion …
...
He must be able to hear them from persons who actually believe them … he must know them in their most plausible and persuasive form.
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James the Giant
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Re: What to get

Post by James the Giant »

Mum just gave me a hundred dollars for Christmas, so I could buy all four! But it seems a bit extravagant to buy all of them, especially when I already have Access To Insight on my Kindle.
Is there any tremendous advantage to having the Wisdom Publications editions, in addition to the free Access To Insight? I guess there might be some good introductions and commentary in the Wisdom Pubs ones?
Then,
saturated with joy,
you will put an end to suffering and stress.
SN 9.11
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tiltbillings
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Re: What to get

Post by tiltbillings »

James the Giant wrote: Is there any tremendous advantage to having the Wisdom Publications editions
They are over all much better translations and they have extensive footnotes with considerable information.
>> Do you see a man wise [enlightened/ariya] in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.<< -- Proverbs 26:12

This being is bound to samsara, kamma is his means for going beyond. -- SN I, 38.

“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?” HPatDH p.723
Bakmoon
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Re: What to get

Post by Bakmoon »

James the Giant wrote:Mum just gave me a hundred dollars for Christmas, so I could buy all four! But it seems a bit extravagant to buy all of them, especially when I already have Access To Insight on my Kindle.
Is there any tremendous advantage to having the Wisdom Publications editions, in addition to the free Access To Insight? I guess there might be some good introductions and commentary in the Wisdom Pubs ones?
Buying all four for a hundred dollars? Where would you buy from to do that? Going on amazon it looks like it will cost me that much for just the Majjhima Nikaya and the Samyutta Nikaya. If there is a cheaper place, I would love to buy the four.
The non-doing of any evil,
The performance of what's skillful,
The cleansing of one's own mind:
This is the Buddhas' teaching.
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James the Giant
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Re: What to get

Post by James the Giant »

Bakmoon wrote: Buying all four for a hundred dollars? Where would you buy from to do that? Going on amazon it looks like it will cost me that much for just the Majjhima Nikaya and the Samyutta Nikaya. If there is a cheaper place, I would love to buy the four.
Actually yes you are right, I can only get three for $100. All four will cost $135. I can chip in the extra $35 myself.
It's cheap because I don't buy paper books any more, I get ebooks. No paying for shipping. The ebook versions have no page numbers but they are still fully indexed and searchable. And as I will be travelling it is way more portable than four weighty tomes.
Then,
saturated with joy,
you will put an end to suffering and stress.
SN 9.11
Bakmoon
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Re: What to get

Post by Bakmoon »

James the Giant wrote:
Bakmoon wrote: Buying all four for a hundred dollars? Where would you buy from to do that? Going on amazon it looks like it will cost me that much for just the Majjhima Nikaya and the Samyutta Nikaya. If there is a cheaper place, I would love to buy the four.
Actually yes you are right, I can only get three for $100. All four will cost $135. I can chip in the extra $35 myself.
It's cheap because I don't buy paper books any more, I get ebooks. No paying for shipping. The ebook versions have no page numbers but they are still fully indexed and searchable. And as I will be travelling it is way more portable than four weighty tomes.
Oh. I don't have an E-reader. Plus, I prefer the hard copy books for some reason. I'll keep saving up til I can get the whole set then.
The non-doing of any evil,
The performance of what's skillful,
The cleansing of one's own mind:
This is the Buddhas' teaching.
RMHayes
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Re: What to get

Post by RMHayes »

Great to see you interested in reading the suttas! There are 152 of them in the MN, so if you read one a day it will take about 5-6 months to complete the book. One option might be to take another 5-6 months and read the whole thing again, one sutta a day. Saves money and in my experience will deepen your appreciation of the collection.

On the other hand, you could also join the Pali Text Society for 25 British pounds a year and they send out a free book every year (free postage) -- this year it's the Bhikkhu Bodhi translation of The Numerical Discourses. My copy of the Bodhi SN printed by the PTS is preferable to the Wisdom pubs edition since it is printed on thicker paper and is in two volumes, unlike the most recent version printed by Wisdom on translucent paper and crammed into one binding. Otherwise in terms of contents they are identical. My PTS copy of the MN is closer to the Wisdom edition in terms of paper quality, but still very slightly nicer.

http://www.palitext.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

James the Giant mentioned reading the suttas on a Kindle or using the Kindle app -- it certainly is great to be able to search the entire contents of a book in less than one second, and also to quickly find the sections one has bookmarked or highlighted. I have the 4 Nikayas in both paper and electronic editions. Hard to put one of those big books in your briefcase or pocket, but there's always room for my iphone no matter where I go!
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James the Giant
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Re: What to get

Post by James the Giant »

Humph, for Christmas I bought the MN on kindle, but I find it has no index. Or rather, the index is there, but there are no page numbers and no links in the index. I shall write a stiffly worded letter to Amazon complaining of this!
Then,
saturated with joy,
you will put an end to suffering and stress.
SN 9.11
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