Any recomendations for a good book on the Five Aggregates

[8fold]

In brief, The Five Aggregates ---I don't understand them.

Can anyone recommend a good book on this topic?

Thank you.

[rowboat]

I'd recommend Mathieu Boisvert's The Five Aggregates: Understanding Theravada Psychology and Soteriology: http://www.amazon.com/Five-Aggregates-U ... 0889202575

[bodom]

The Five Aggregates: A Study Guide
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/study/khandha.html

- Bodom

[vinasp]

Hi 8fold,

None of the books which I read made any sense.

Nyanatiloka in his Buddhist Dictionary in the
entry on Khandha says:

"Some writers on Buddhism who have not understood
that the five khandha are just classificatory
groupings, have conceived them as compact entities
( heaps, bundles ), while actually, as stated above,
the groups never exist as such." page 98

If it is just a fivefold classification framework, then
there is really nothing to understand.

The real mystery is what is being classified into these
five groups, or what is a dhamma.

Regards, Vincent.

[daverupa]

Identity and experience: the constitution of the human being according to early Buddhism & Early Buddhism: a new approach : the I of the beholder, both by Sue Hamilton.

[BKh]

Don't forget the 22nd saṁyutta in the Samyutta Nikaya. Some suttas are here:
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .html#sn22

The complete collection is in The Connected Discourses of the Buddha, Bhikkhu Bodhi Trans.

You might want to consider just reading one or two each day, and then when you get to the end, start at the beginning again. Several times.

[santa100]

A schematic of them might help if you're a visual person..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:PancaKhandha

[8fold]

Thank you, everyone.

[Nyana]

Identity and experience: the constitution of the human being according to early Buddhism by Sue Hamilton.

This study is probably the most thorough survey of sutta passages, etc., pertaining to the five aggregates.

[8fold]

Identity and experience: the constitution of the human being according to early Buddhism ---- $145 !!!

....guess I gotta work on my attachment to money!

[Nyana]

Identity and experience: the constitution of the human being according to early Buddhism ---- $145 !!!

It's a decent book but hardly worth that price IMO. If you can get a cheaper used copy or borrow a copy through an inter-library loan, then that would be the way to go.

[daverupa]

Perhaps ask a local college or university to order it for their library.

[danieLion]

Identity and experience: the constitution of the human being according to early Buddhism ---- $145 !!!

It's a decent book but hardly worth that price IMO. If you can get a cheaper used copy or borrow a copy through an inter-library loan, then that would be the way to go.

Like Nana and daverupa say, it's worth whatever you've got to do get a copy (most states/provinces allow photocopying for personal use).
good-will
Daniel

[danieLion]

Yes, Sue H's book is the one to get.
good-will

[ancientbuddhism]

I just added this to our Early Buddhism Resources page:

Identity and Experience: The Constitution of the Human Being According to Early Buddhism By Sue Hamilton