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The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha: A Translation of the Majjhima Nikaya
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This book offers a complete translation of the Majjhima Nikaya, or Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha, one of the major collections of texts in the Pali Canon, the authorized scriptures of Theravada Buddhism. This collection--among the oldest records of the historical Buddha's original teachings--consists of 152 suttas or discourses of middle length, distinguished as s
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Hardcover, 1424 pages
Published
November 9th 1995
by Wisdom Publications
(first published March 25th 1995)
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NOTE: the following review applies to the 1995 edition. Two editions since have come out, the most recent in 2005. Some comments here likely do not apply to the most recent edition. If you purchase the book, try to ensure you are getting the most recent version.
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For my review of this translation I decided to take a different tack. Since I am not a Pali scholar I am not qualified to critique Bhikkhu Bodhi's (or Ven. Ñanamoli's) translation, so I thought I would turn to someone who is-nam ...more
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For my review of this translation I decided to take a different tack. Since I am not a Pali scholar I am not qualified to critique Bhikkhu Bodhi's (or Ven. Ñanamoli's) translation, so I thought I would turn to someone who is-nam ...more
I see no point in finishing all of the suttas right now. I have read 110 out of 152. Reading directly from the Pāli Canon is somewhat essential, in my opinion, if you want a clear understanding of Theravada Buddhism, yet I can not recommend anyone who does not practice the Buddha's teachings to read the Majjhima Nikaya. You are pretty much required to study the Pāli Canon to be able to understand all of it.
And since I do not practice Buddhism, except agree with a some of its core teachings, I'm ...more
And since I do not practice Buddhism, except agree with a some of its core teachings, I'm ...more
This is not a book to read like a novel. It is more like the bible. It took me 20 years to get through it. The man who gave it to me has since died and the world has moved on but the truths discovered by the Buddha live on. Those truths are repeated in various forms and parables and stories over and over. It is amazing how quickly the variables multiply as the Buddha enumerate states of being, ways of perceiving the world, emotions, senses, reactions, types of beings and stages of development: "
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The Middle Length Discourses in this translation aren't quite as accessible as the Long Discourses (Digha Nikaya) translated by Maurice Walshe, but they are certainly accessible enough. I found myself turning to the notes more often for explanations of phrases that sounded a little awkward, but had no trouble finding my way through the text. (Finding my way through the practice is another thing.) Indispensable for the study of early Buddhism.
When You walk into a bookstore, there are many, many books on Buddhism. However, surprisingly, you rarely get anything which was spoken directly by the Buddha. These are 'Middle or Medium length Discourses' of words purportedly spoken by the Buddha. Most are pretty accessible. The translation is good and includes more than ample explanatory notes that the interested reader can use to further elucidate points of the text that are not initially clear. I don't know why one does not have access much
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When I am walking on the path discovered by Buddha, the Majjhima Nikaya is like the home I can go back every time I got lost.
(In Spanish below)
What can I say about this wonderful book? A collection of 152 middle-length discourses by the Buddha and one of the core texts in the Pali Canon (and thus being the core not only of Theravada Buddhism, but also of all Mahayana schools), in which many topics are discussed, but most of them being about the development of mental quiescence and insight in order to attain arahantship, liberation from the cycle of rebirth and all suffering. The Buddha dialogues with a fascinating arr ...more
What can I say about this wonderful book? A collection of 152 middle-length discourses by the Buddha and one of the core texts in the Pali Canon (and thus being the core not only of Theravada Buddhism, but also of all Mahayana schools), in which many topics are discussed, but most of them being about the development of mental quiescence and insight in order to attain arahantship, liberation from the cycle of rebirth and all suffering. The Buddha dialogues with a fascinating arr ...more
Notes toward an eventual review.
#77 Mahāsakuludāyisutta struck me as particularly interesting in that the "Eight Bases for Transcendence" along with the descriptions of the practices for the four dhyanas and insight meditation, as presented here, appear to provide a possible scriptural basis for some of the later tantric practices which some claim were never taught by the historical Buddha. It also may be notable that the wanderer to whom the discourse is addressed, identified initially as Saku ...more
#77 Mahāsakuludāyisutta struck me as particularly interesting in that the "Eight Bases for Transcendence" along with the descriptions of the practices for the four dhyanas and insight meditation, as presented here, appear to provide a possible scriptural basis for some of the later tantric practices which some claim were never taught by the historical Buddha. It also may be notable that the wanderer to whom the discourse is addressed, identified initially as Saku ...more
I thought this book was very insightful. Might be helpful to know a bit about the foundations of the Buddha's teachings, a good outline may be found at: http://www.buddhaweb.org/, then read the Introduction in the book. Not all stories may apply or mean anything at first, but keep referring back to the foundations and see how they are "woven" in the stories.
điiiiiz, mozak mi je puding nakon ovog
It's a must-have if one is seriously interested in the teachings of the Buddha, and it's not too big a volume for beginners.
The greatest spiritual teachings collected into a single volume. Truly profound and timeless. A must read for all genuine seekers.
The best book in the world.
probably the best translation out there for Majjhima Nikaya of Sutta Pitaka :)
An excellent resource
Absolute must have !!
swiss army-knife of Buddhism.
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“Here bhikkhus, some misguided men learn the Dhamma–discourses, stanzas, expositions, verses, exclamations, sayings, birth stories, marvels, and answers to questions–but having learned the Dhamma, they do not examine the meaning of those teachings with wisdom. Not examining the meaning of those teachings with wisdom, they do not gain a reflective acceptance of them. Instead they learn the Dhamma only for the sake of criticising others and for winning in debates, and they do not experience the good for the sake of which they learned the Dhamma.”
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“So too, friend, purification of virtue is for the sake of reaching purification of mind; purification of mind is for the sake of reaching purification of view; purification of view is for the sake of reaching purification by overcoming doubt; purification by overcoming doubt is for the sake of reaching purification by knowledge and vision of what is the path and what is not the path; purification by knowledge and vision of what is the path and what is not the path is for the sake of reaching purification by knowledge and vision of the way; purification by knowledge and vision of the way is for the sake of reaching purification by knowledge and vision; purification by knowledge and vision is for the sake of reaching final Nibbāna [Nirvana] without clinging. It is for the sake of final Nibbāna without clinging that the holy life is lived under the Blessed One.”
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