Help | Home » Tipitaka » Sutta Pitaka » Context of the Anguttara Nikaya

Anguttara Nikaya

The "Further-factored" Discourses

(selected suttas)

Find a sutta by name | Download this anthology
Read about the various sutta numbering schemes

The Anguttara Nikaya, the fourth division of the Sutta Pitaka, consists of suttas arranged in eleven sections (nipatas) according to numerical content. For example, the first nipata -- the "Book of the Ones" -- contains suttas concerning a single topic; the second nipata -- the "Book of the Twos" -- contains suttas concerning pairs of things (e.g., a sutta about tranquillity and insight; another about the two people one can never adequately repay (one's parents); another about two kinds of happiness; etc.); the third nipata contains suttas concerning three things (e.g., a sutta on the three kinds of praiseworthy acts; another about three kinds of offense), and so on.

At first glance this may seem to be a rather fussy and pedantic classification scheme, but in fact it often proves quite useful. For example, if you dimly recall having heard something about the five subjects worthy of daily contemplation, and you'd like to track down the original passage in the Canon, you might begin your search in the "Book of the Fives" in the Anguttara. (The Index by Number can also be helpful in tracking down passages from the Anguttara Nikaya.)

An anthology of selected suttas from the Anguttara Nikaya, translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu, is also available in Microsoft Word 6 (Macintosh/Windows) format. See the Theravada Text Archives page for more information.

The braces {} that follow the sutta descriptions contain the corresponding volume and page numbers in the PTS romanized Pali edition of the Anguttara Nikaya.


Contents

I. Book of the Ones
II. Book of the Twos
III. Book of the Threes
IV. Book of the Fours
V. Book of the Fives
VI. Book of the Sixes
VII. Book of the Sevens
VIII. Book of the Eights
IX. Book of the Nines
X. Book of the Tens
XI. Book of the Elevens

I - Book of the Ones [go to top]


II - Book of the Twos [go to top]


III - Book of the Threes [go to top]


IV - Book of the Fours [go to top]


V - Book of the Fives [go to top]


VI - Book of the Sixes [go to top]


VII - Book of the Sevens [go to top]


VIII - Book of the Eights [go to top]


IX - Book of the Nines [go to top]


X - Book of the Tens [go to top]


XI - Book of the Elevens [go to top]


Revised: Tue 16 April 2002
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/anguttara/index.html