Majjhimanikaya

The Majjhima nikaya is the second great collection of Buddha’s teachings, they are neither long discourses nor they are short but they are middle length therefore it was named µajjhimanikAya. It has one hundred fifty-two discourses. There are three PaNNasas and fifteen Vaggas (chapter). Each PaNNasa contains five chapters (Vaggas). These Vaggas’ names are given in different criteria such as according to the first discourse (e.g. µUlapariyayavagga), the nature of main characters of the Vagga (e.g. Bhikkhuvagga or ®Ajavagga), according to the contents of the Vagga (e.g. Opammavagga, VibhaGgavagga) and the main characteristics of the Vagga (e.g. ßuJJatavagga).

        The first PaNNasa deals with fifty discourses in the five Vaggas, the second paNNasa consists of fifty discourses and five Vaggas too and the last fifty-two discourses are compiled in the last five Vaggas under the last paNNasa. The discourses in this nikAya throw much light in the social ideas and institutions of those days, and also provide general information on the economic and the political life. The PaNNasas are given below with the Vaggas and number of discourses included.

1. µūlapaNNasa       

1.  µUlapariyavagga       - 10 discourses

2.  ßIhanadavagga           - 10 discourses

3.  Opammavagga           - 10 discourses

4.  µahAyamakavagga    - 10 discourses

5.  CulAyamakavagga      - 10 discourses

                       

2. µajjhimapaNNasa   

1.   Gahapativagga       - 10 discourse

2.  Bhikkhuvagga         - 10 discourses

3.  Baribbājakavagga   - 10 discourses

4.  ®Ajavagga                - 10 discourses

5.  BrAhmaNavagga           - 10 discourses

3. üparipaNNasa         -

1.  ∂evadahavagga       - 10 discourses

2.  ånupadavagga        - 10 discourses

3.  ßuJJatavagga          - 10 discourses

4.   VibhaGgavagga        - 12 discourses

5.  ßalAyatanavagga     - 10 discourses