What is your favourite Nikāya?

A discussion on all aspects of Theravāda Buddhism

What is your favourite Nikāya?

Dīgha Nikāya
1
5%
Majjhima Nikāya
7
32%
Saṃyutta Nikāya
8
36%
Aṅguttara Nikāya
5
23%
Khuddaka Nikāya
1
5%
 
Total votes: 22

Lombardi4
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What is your favourite Nikāya?

Post by Lombardi4 »

What is your favourite Nikāya?
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retrofuturist
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Re: What is your favourite Nikāya?

Post by retrofuturist »

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. :)
"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."
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acinteyyo
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Re: What is your favourite Nikāya?

Post by acinteyyo »

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
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Cittasanto
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Re: What is your favourite Nikāya?

Post by Cittasanto »

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.
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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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Kare
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Re: What is your favourite Nikāya?

Post by Kare »

I feel this question is a little like asking: Which one of your two feet is best for walking? :)
Mettāya,
Kåre
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bodom
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Re: What is your favourite Nikāya?

Post by bodom »

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

:anjali:
Liberation is the inevitable fruit of the path and is bound to blossom forth when there is steady and persistent practice. The only requirements for reaching the final goal are two: to start and to continue. If these requirements are met there is no doubt the goal will be attained. This is the Dhamma, the undeviating law.

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DNS
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Re: What is your favourite Nikāya?

Post by DNS »

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?"
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IanAnd
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Re: What is your favourite Nikāya?

Post by IanAnd »

David N. Snyder wrote: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:
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
"The gift of truth exceeds all other gifts" — Dhammapada, v. 354 Craving XXIV
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catmoon
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Re: What is your favourite Nikāya?

Post by catmoon »

What's a nikaya?
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Cittasanto
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Re: What is your favourite Nikāya?

Post by Cittasanto »

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.
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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.
John Stuart Mill
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Dan74
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Re: What is your favourite Nikāya?

Post by Dan74 »

catmoon wrote:What's a nikaya?
:ban:

Only kidding! Nikayas are collections of Pali suttas.

_/|\_
_/|\_
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catmoon
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Re: What is your favourite Nikāya?

Post by catmoon »

Rats. I was kinda hoping a nikaya was something edible.
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Cittasanto
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Re: What is your favourite Nikāya?

Post by Cittasanto »

catmoon wrote:Rats. I was kinda hoping a nikaya was something edible.
slap
Blog, Suttas, Aj Chah, Facebook.

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.
John Stuart Mill
whynotme
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Re: What is your favourite Nikāya?

Post by whynotme »

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
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plwk
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Re: What is your favourite Nikāya?

Post by plwk »

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