What is your favourite Nikāya?
What's your favorite nikaya and why ?
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 .
Last edited by Nikaya35 on Sat Dec 29, 2012 1:36 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: What's your favorite nikaya and why ?
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
Of course, as the old Zen story goes, there is no Nikaya that is not the best
Gain and loss, status and disgrace,
censure and praise, pleasure and pain:
these conditions among human beings are inconstant,
impermanent, subject to change.
Knowing this, the wise person, mindful,
ponders these changing conditions.
Desirable things don’t charm the mind,
undesirable ones bring no resistance.
His welcoming and rebelling are scattered,
gone to their end,
do not exist.
- Lokavipatti Sutta
Stuff I write about things.
censure and praise, pleasure and pain:
these conditions among human beings are inconstant,
impermanent, subject to change.
Knowing this, the wise person, mindful,
ponders these changing conditions.
Desirable things don’t charm the mind,
undesirable ones bring no resistance.
His welcoming and rebelling are scattered,
gone to their end,
do not exist.
- Lokavipatti Sutta
Stuff I write about things.
- DNS
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Re: What is your favourite Nikāya?
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?
Re: What is your favourite Nikāya?
I never read this nikaya . It's very good ? Where I can buy the book ?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?
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Re: What is your favourite Nikāya?
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.maitreya31 wrote:I never read this nikaya . It's very good ? Where I can buy the book ?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?
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/index.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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
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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Re: What is your favourite Nikāya?
In that case, I'd have to pick the Majjhima Nikaya. It has most of the suttas I refer to regularly for practice and contemplation: the Sabbasava Sutta (MN 2), the Sammaditthi Sutta (MN 9), and the Satipatthana Sutta (MN 10) just to name a few. But there are some great teachings in the other nikayas as well. I especially appreciate the Sigalovada Sutta (DN 31) for lay instructions, and the Maha-parinibbana Sutta (DN 16) is very moving and inspiring.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?"
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Re: What is your favourite Nikāya?
I'm really curious. How does it rule? What distinguishes it from the other nikayas? I'm thinking about buying a hardcopy.David N. Snyder wrote:Anguttara Nikaya rules!!
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Re: What is your favourite Nikāya?
I believe it has more suttas than any other Nikaya, if I am not mistaken.
It has more suttas for the layperson than any other Nikaya.
It is full of lists which summarize the teachings.
The core teachings are all in the Anguttara Nikaya including 4 Noble Truths, 8-fold path, Brahma Viharas; the famous Kalama Sutta and 6 qualities of the Dhamma.
http://www.dhammawiki.com/index.php?tit ... ara_Nikaya
It has more suttas for the layperson than any other Nikaya.
It is full of lists which summarize the teachings.
The core teachings are all in the Anguttara Nikaya including 4 Noble Truths, 8-fold path, Brahma Viharas; the famous Kalama Sutta and 6 qualities of the Dhamma.
http://www.dhammawiki.com/index.php?tit ... ara_Nikaya
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Re: What is your favourite Nikāya?
You're right. The Anguttara Nikaya has 8,122 suttas, more than any other nikaya, 161 of which directly or indirectly address lay people.David N. Snyder wrote:I believe it has more suttas than any other Nikaya, if I am not mistaken.
It has more suttas for the layperson than any other Nikaya.
It is full of lists which summarize the teachings.
The core teachings are all in the Anguttara Nikaya including 4 Noble Truths, 8-fold path, Brahma Viharas; the famous Kalama Sutta and 6 qualities of the Dhamma.
http://www.dhammawiki.com/index.php?tit ... ara_Nikaya
Thank you.