The Buddha's discourses

[Buddha Within]

Hello friends,

I've had an interest in Buddhism for some years and wish to attain peace in my life so I'm going to make a dedicated effort to the Dhamma, and I know the Buddha said it was good to have spiritual friends so here I am.

I want to read the discourses of the Buddha in their logical order but don't know where to begin. I've got Bhikkhu Bodhi's Long, Middle and Connected Discourses of the Buddha and a copy of the Dhammapada. Do these cover everything or are there other resources I need?

Thank you in advance.

[mikenz66]

Welcome Buddha Within.

This thread may be helpful: viewtopic.php?f=24&t=148

I found Bhikkhu Bodhi's collection, In the Buddha's Words
http://www.wisdompubs.org/Pages/display ... n=&image=1
a useful way of understanding the structure and organisation of the suttas.

His extensive talks on the Majjhima Nikaya
http://bodhimonastery.org/a-systematic- ... ikaya.html
Sutta Nipata
http://bodhimonastery.org/sutta-nipata.html
and on the suttas included in "In the Buddhas words"
http://www.dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=2392
are very good.

See also:
Befriending the Suttas
Tips on Reading the Pali Discourses
by John T. Bullitt
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/auth ... nding.html


Mike

[Ron-The-Elder]

My suggestion would be to begin with The Four Noble Truths, which include the Noble Eight Fold Path. This is Buddha's central message to all beings and forms the foundation for his justification for being of assistance to all beings within the samsaric realms. You can research this through the writings of Bhikkhu Bodhi, or you may begin here:

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/study/truths.html

The Four Noble Truths
A Study Guide
by
Thanissaro Bhikkhu

This is a great forum for learning. Take full advantage of the years of knowledge accumulated by this online sangha. May your efforts lead you to unbinding and release.

Ron _/\_

[Buddha Within]

Thank you and kind regards. I didn't realize I had a copy of In The Buddha's Words. I'll start there.

[Buddha Within]

I've got Ajahn Sumedho's translation of the Four Noble Truths printed out. I'll read that as well. Thanks!

[retrofuturist]

Greetings,

I want to read the discourses of the Buddha in their logical order but don't know where to begin. I've got Bhikkhu Bodhi's Long, Middle and Connected Discourses of the Buddha and a copy of the Dhammapada.

If that's what I had in front of me, I'd start with the Dhammapada, and finish with the Long (Digha). Whether you went SN or MN first seems a case of "six of one, half dozen the other".

Do these cover everything or are there other resources I need?

If you read those diligently, I'd say you'd have a very good grasp of what the Buddha taught. By the time you've read them all, Bhikkhu Bodhi's full translation of the Anguttara Nikaya might be available... and I'd suggest that might be the next move.

Metta,
Retro.

[Sam Vara]

Hi retro,

Whether you went SN or MN first seems a case of "six of one, half dozen the other".

I am currently reading my way through the SN, and (by a strange coincidence) Bhikkhu Bodhi's MN just arrived in the post about five minutes ago. I read most of the MN in an older translation by I.B. Horner, and am looking forward to completing the SN and getting stuck into the new MN.

If dipping in and out or following preferences, then they are, as you say, similar in terms of readability. But if reading straight through, my advice would be to start with the MN, on the grounds that it is easy to get bogged down in some of the longer repetitive Vaggas in the SN. At least with the MN you know you are never more than a couple of pages away from a new topic.

[Bakmoon]

Hello friends,

I've had an interest in Buddhism for some years and wish to attain peace in my life so I'm going to make a dedicated effort to the Dhamma, and I know the Buddha said it was good to have spiritual friends so here I am.

I want to read the discourses of the Buddha in their logical order but don't know where to begin. I've got Bhikkhu Bodhi's Long, Middle and Connected Discourses of the Buddha and a copy of the Dhammapada. Do these cover everything or are there other resources I need?

Thank you in advance.

Good Job on getting the resources! I would advise that you start with the Dhammapada, then move on the the middle length discourses, and then to the long, and saving the connected for last.

One thing I would advise is to not spend too much time on a Sutta that you don't quite get. If after two or three readings, you don't understand, it's probably because understanding it requires knowledge you haven't come across yet.

I would recommend taking notes or keeping a journal to record the things you learn so that you retain things better. That's how I do it anyways.