What is your favourite Nikāya?

by **Stephen K** » Mon Feb 15, 2010 8:57 am

by **retrofuturist** » Mon Feb 15, 2010 9:13 am

Greetings Stefan,

I've got an odd feeling we've done this poll before - but maybe it was at E-Sangha, and I'm losing track of time!

Anyway, for me it's, in order...

1. Samyutta
2. Majjhima
3. Anguttara
4. Khuddaka (more dodgy stuff than the Digha but also more precious treasures too)
5. Digha

Metta,
Retro.

by **acinteyyo** » Mon Feb 15, 2010 9:17 am

I took the Majjhima but for me it's a little bit like retro said, but with a different order:
1. Majjhima
2. Samyutta
3. Digha
4. Angutarra
5. Khuddaka
best wishes, acinteyyo

by **Cittasanto** » Mon Feb 15, 2010 12:18 pm

This is the order for me, I don't think I have a favourite, as such, but certainly a preference.
1. Majjhima
2. Samyutta
3. Khuddaka
3. Digha
4. Angutarra

DN & SN are joint third, simply because The Khunddaka has so many great parts, and AN is only last because I havn't read it all so not fair to compare its contents to the rest properly, until I have, although I do enjoy many of the suttas within it.

by **Kare** » Mon Feb 15, 2010 1:15 pm

I feel this question is a little like asking: Which one of your two feet is best for walking?

by **bodom** » Mon Feb 15, 2010 2:28 pm

Its impossible for me to pick a favorite. Each Nikaya has something of its own to offer.

:anjali:

by **David N. Snyder** » Mon Feb 15, 2010 3:33 pm

No fair? Only one vote (mine) so far for Anguttara Nikaya?! :computerproblem:

Some of you may not have had access to the whole translation yet! :reading:

When you do, you will see:

Anguttara Nikaya rules!! :tongue:

Just kidding, they are all good, but if I had to choose I would go with:

1. Anguttara Nikaya
2. Samyutta Nikaya
3. Majjhima Nikaya
4. Digha Nikaya
5. Khuddaka Nikaya

Since they are all good, perhaps another way to word it might be: "If you were stranded on a desert island, but could only have one Nikaya with you to read and study, which one would it be?"

by **IanAnd** » Mon Feb 15, 2010 6:50 pm

David N. Snyder wrote:No fair? Only one vote (mine) so far for Anguttara Nikaya?!

Some of you may not have had access to the whole translation yet! When you do, you will see:

Anguttara Nikaya rules!!

Agreed. Although I do not yet have a translation of the full Anguttara Nikaya. Still waiting for Bhikkhu Bodhi to finish with his translation. I'm with you, though, I appreciate the two older volumes, the Anguttara and the Samyutta Nikayas.

David N. Snyder wrote:...they are all good, but if I had to choose I would go with:

1. Anguttara Nikaya
2. Samyutta Nikaya
3. Majjhima Nikaya
4. Digha Nikaya
5. Khuddaka Nikaya

Choosing an order is really unfair, because there are important discourses in each volume.

This is how I would rate them. Although as I say it is an unfair rating as each has information necessary for knowledge and understanding of the Dhamma.
1. Anguttara, Samyutta, and Majjhima Nikayas
2. Digha and Khuddaka Nikayas

by **catmoon** » Tue Feb 16, 2010 8:53 pm

What's a nikaya?

by **Cittasanto** » Tue Feb 16, 2010 9:39 pm

catmoon wrote:What's a nikaya?

Nikaya means collection, group or sect, depending on what it is referring to, the Theravada tradition has many nikaya sects in each country, but generally when Nikaya is used it is referring to the collection of discourses (suttas) as you can see above in the posts.

by **Dan74** » Tue Feb 16, 2010 9:41 pm

catmoon wrote:What's a nikaya?

Only kidding! Nikayas are collections of Pali suttas.

_/|\_

by **catmoon** » Wed Feb 17, 2010 9:39 am

Rats. I was kinda hoping a nikaya was something edible.

by **Cittasanto** » Wed Feb 17, 2010 5:34 pm

catmoon wrote:Rats. I was kinda hoping a nikaya was something edible.

slap

by **whynotme** » Fri Sep 21, 2012 6:51 am

David N. Snyder wrote:Since they are all good, perhaps another way to word it might be: "If you were stranded on a desert island, but could only have one Nikaya with you to read and study, which one would it be?"

I will public a new one, just put it all in one book and name it total nikaya and then bring it with me, lol

Regards

My Page · by **plwk** » Fri Sep 21, 2012 9:12 am

Looks like the OP forgot Maha Nikaya, Dhamma Nikaya, Siyam Nikaya... :tongue:

by **maitreya31** » Fri Dec 28, 2012 1:45 pm

I got all the wisdom excellent nikayas translations . My favorite nikaya is the majjhima nikaya . The content and the length of the sutras is perfect in my opinion . The most balanced book to study the dharma . I will write my favorite nikayas in order and the rating. 1. The majjhima nikaya ( 5 stars ) 2 . The Anguttara nikaya ( 5 stars ) I like this nikaya very much too . Definitely the best nikaya for nonmonastic people . 3 . The samyutta nikaya ( 5 stars ) this nikaya have all the core teachings discussed in detail . Very important . 4 . Digha nikaya ( 3 stars ) . This nikaya is meh to me . I don't like it very much . The sutras are too long and are not very interesting in my opinion .

by **LonesomeYogurt** » Fri Dec 28, 2012 4:10 pm

I agree that the Majjhima is by far the most balanced Nikaya in terms of length and content, but I have a soft spot for the Samyutta myself. The Anguttara's structure has always been hard for me to get a handle on, but I've found some great stuff in it. Otherwise, I'm not a huge fan of the Digha either; it seems to be the most proselytizing or otherwise "missionary-style" of all the Nikayas.

Of course, as the old Zen story goes, there is no Nikaya that is not the best :smile:

by **David N. Snyder** » Fri Dec 28, 2012 4:56 pm

maitreya31 wrote:
The Anguttara nikaya ( 5 stars ) I like this nikaya very much too . Definitely the best nikaya for nonmonastic people .

I merged your topic with the already existing one. Be sure to vote in the poll here too. What is your opinion/rating of the Khuddaka Nikaya?

by **maitreya31** » Sat Dec 29, 2012 1:38 pm

David N. Snyder wrote:
maitreya31 wrote:
The Anguttara nikaya ( 5 stars ) I like this nikaya very much too . Definitely the best nikaya for nonmonastic people .

I merged your topic with the already existing one. Be sure to vote in the poll here too. What is your opinion/rating of the Khuddaka Nikaya?

I never read this nikaya . It's very good ? Where I can buy the book ?

by **Cittasanto** » Sat Dec 29, 2012 4:18 pm

maitreya31 wrote:
David N. Snyder wrote:
maitreya31 wrote:
The Anguttara nikaya ( 5 stars ) I like this nikaya very much too . Definitely the best nikaya for nonmonastic people .

I merged your topic with the already existing one. Be sure to vote in the poll here too. What is your opinion/rating of the Khuddaka Nikaya?

I never read this nikaya . It's very good ? Where I can buy the book ?

It has up to 18 Books more than being one collection like the other Nikaya. It includes the Thera/Therigatha, Jataka, Sutta Nipata, Itivutaka, Udana and Dhammapada to name a few.
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/index.html