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The Connected Discourses of the Buddha: A Translation of the Samyutta Nikaya

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The Samyutta Nikaya -- Connected Discourses of the Buddha -- is an integral work of the Pali Canon of Buddhism, the Scripture of Theravada Buddhism. This work is also considered canonical by later schools of Buddhism. The Connected Discourses is a lengthy, difficult work which focuses on philosophical teachings and on meditation practice. It was probably written for advanced students unlike its companion volumes, the Mid-Length Discourses, (Majhima Nikaya) and the Long-Length Discourses (Digha Nikaya) also available in translation from Wisdom Publications.

This work has been lucidly and beautifully translated by the American scholar-monk Bhikkhu Bodhi who also edited the Majhima. Students of Buddhism are forever in his debt. The Connected Discourses consists of five separate, lengthy books, each of which, except for the first book, concentrates on a specific aspect of the Buddha's teachings. All the teachings in the book center upon understanding of the four noble truths. Each book is arranged in chapters with the suttas generally, but not always, presented in groups of ten. The suttas are generally short and dense and lack the quality of story-telling found in the Long and Middle Discourses. Bikkhu Bodhi has laboriously translated the text and prepared a general introduction to the entire book and an introduction to each of the five parts. There are extensive footnotes, some of which are for the specialist and some of which are for the general reader, which draw in many cases upon the ancient commentaries to the text, together with a concordance and a bibliography. It is an inspiration to have this volume available for study.

There are many famous discourses in this collection, and I will try to mention some briefly. The first book of the Connected Discourses consists of verses spoken by an interlocutor of the Buddha, frequently a deva or other supernatural being, and the Buddha himself. These cover a range of subjects. Probably the best-known Sutta in this part is the Sutta of Rahitassa, 2:26, in which the Buddha teaches that the end of the world can never be reached by walking but can only be understood through reflection on "this fathom-high carcass endowed with perception and mind." Bikkhu Bodhi comments on this sutta that it "may well be the most profound proposition in the history of human thought."

The second book of the Connected Discourses deals in detail with the difficult doctrine of Dependent Origination which is basic to understanding the four noble truths and to the doctrines of non-self and impermanence. Sutta 12:23, sometimes titled "Transcendental Dependent Origination", is an important part of this collection which adds a component to the doctrine not found elsewhere in the texts. It applies the teachings of Dependent Origination to the pursuit of enlightenment itself rather than only to the explanation of why people ordinarily remain emeshed in a web of delusion and ignorance. This is a profound and important teaching.

The third book of the Connected Discourses includes teachings on the five aggregates (form, feeling, perceptions, volitional formations, consciousness) which are the components of sentient existence. Buddha persents an understanding of the aggregates as necessary to an understanding of the path of liberation. One of the three earliest "cardinal discourses of the Buddha" delivered just after his enlightement is included in this book, at 22:59 which includes the Buddha's first exposition of the doctrine of nonself.

The fourth book deals with the nature of the six sense bases (sight, hearing, taste, touch, smell, consciousness) which are the means through which people understand physical reality. This book includes another of the three cardinal discourses, the famous fire sermon, 35:28, which shows how people are emeshed in sense and need reflection and the Buddha's teachings for awakening.

The final book is the longest of the collection and discusses the path to liberation. It culminates in a discussion of the four noble truths and also includes lengthy treatments of meditation the seven factors of enlightenment, the role of faith in Buddhism, and practices for laymen. This book includes the earliest of the Buddha's teachings delivered to his five original disciples, 56:11, in which the Buddha explained the four noble truths and turned the wheel of Dhamma to make the principles of enlightenment known to the world.

This is an inexhaustible and difficult collection that requires patience and reflection to read. It probably is not suitable for the beginning student of Buddhism because of its spare, philosophical character and because of its length and manner of exposition, which new readers will find hard to follow. The book is not for casual reading but will appeal to those wanting to deepen their understanding of Buddhism's basic teachings and to develop their own practice. As with the suttas as a whole, the book is less an exposition of doctrine than a means for reflection. It is a gift to have these teachings available in English in Bhikku Bodhi's translation and guide.

Robin Friedman

The content of this collection is remarkable. It loses one star for presentation. The binding of this one volume edition is seriously inferior to that of my copies of the Majhima Nikaya and the Digha Nikaya in this excellent series. Over 2000 pages (unstitched) are crammed onto a glue spine. Its life seems likely to be short. If you're after a reference copy, I'd try and petition the publishers to restore the 2 volume version. If you're ready to embrace impermanence, this one may be for you.

This book is a translation of one of the major collections of the Pali Canon, what is usually considered to be the oldest Buddhist literature. While this should probably not be the first thing you should read about Buddhism, if you begin to make a serious study, this collection will be invaluable.
This is the real thing, a voice from 2500 years ago. We are lucky to live in an age with a scholar like Bhikkhu Bodhi, who will go through the amazing effort that a translation like this entails.

of a book this is, and thus more than a book.
Thus it is beyond any attempt at a "review," as such.

This along with the other "companion" volumes (The Long, The Middle-length, The Numerical)deserve to eventually find themselves on the bookshelves of most people who have more than a passing interest in Buddhism.

When someone has done this kind of work that spans over 2,000 pages, it would be ungracious to whine about the quality of the translation. I myself am simply awed by the quality that comes through in this edition.

What the Buddha said is one thing, what one (usually Ananda) has heard him say is another. And the wobbly wedding cake of an edifice that has come to be known as Buddhism is yet another.
This collection is as close to an English reading person is going to get to what THE MAN really said. And much of what he said is rational, straight-forward, and free of jargon. (What a surprise!)

But naturally, as the Suttas were recorded much later after B's death, the text bears all the traits of the mnemonic techniques that were necessary for committing them memory. In other words, there is a lot of repetition in a way that is not unlike the meters used in Homer's Illiad, for example.

While the format and size makes this appear as if one ought to be familiar with Buddhism first, I would argue the other way around. It's a mountain of a book: ain't no sense in trying to climb it in a day. Or even in a month.

Even a short hike here and there will always be rewarding for those who have a taste and sensibility for ancient poetry, and imagination that will transport them to a time and place when these teachings were given.
In a culture, at a time, when mythical thinking and conception of phenomena were as binding as gravity, Siddhartha's feat of rationality is nothing less than astounding.

This translation reads swift and is free of pointless archaisms. Yet it retains the aroma of the Monsoons and the sylvan majesty of the Groves.

Go to the mountain or let it come to you:
Stand up next to it and chop it down with the edge of your hand.

This book is part of a three piece series published by Wisdom Books - The Long, Middle Length, and Connected Discourses of the Buddha. The Buddha's words here are presented to us in the closest possible way as he would have spoke them during his life and times. This book also shows us that not only did the Buddha say all of these wonderful things, but that he "practiced what he preached." The Pali expert Bhikku Bodhi illuminates us the reader with his commentary in the introduction and notes throughout, in order to help us understand better the rich breadth of knowledge found in the Nikayas.

If we were to set this book apart in contrast to the long and middle discourses, this one here contains some of the most profound discourses in the Pali Cannon. The Buddha offers us within the confines of this text far-reaching peeks into the disposition of our very being.

"To hold a copy of "The Connected Discourses of the Buddha" is like holding a treasure in your hands." - Eastern Horizon.

"'The Connected Discourses' point the way to enlightenment. This book serves as one of the finest resources available for insight into the human condition. The Buddha addresses issues such as body/mind, daily life realities, suffering and joy, awareness and meditation. This book offers a wealth of benefits to anyone interested in the true heart of the Buddha's teachings." - Christopher Titmuss

I wanted to update everyone on the comments about the binding. As the production manager I made a decision in 2006 to switch from adhesive casebound to smythsewn casebound (I did not work for Wisdom on the previous printings). We did a printing in 2006 and again in 2009. I have checked both samples from each of the print runs and they are both smythsewn casebound. There are 3 reviews that mention this and they are all from 2007 or earlier. So I believe now that all current books in circulation should be smythsewn casebound. But there is always that one store that has an old copy. So check the printing impression on the copyright page. It should end with 09 for the year and 06 for the printing. As this was techincally printed in 2008 and it was the 5th printing.

While much more wieldy as a two volume set, this single volume edition remains an essential edition to any Buddhist library. From the five aggregates to the eightfold path, the Samyutta Nikaya covers some of the most important topics in the Buddhist canon. Bhikkku Bodhi's translation is accessible and his omissions of some of the more repetitive passages welcome. In addition, Bhikkhu Bodhi's annotations are comprehensive and add much to the text itself. Whether one's interests are academic or spiritual (or both!), this translation comes highly recommended.

This translation is a masterpiece of our time. An Epic translation unmatched in scholarship or praise. It is a volume that any student of early Buddhism, scholar and lay-person alike will cherish and refer back to time and again. Little criticism can be found in the scholarship of the translation, and for those who are curious, thorough notes are given at the ends of chapters, but I am forced to subtract a star just for the fact that one wishes that a work of this scope would be published in a superior binding than what is found in the current edition. The binding is unfortunately glued instead of sewn, and it can be expected that this is not a book that will last to be passed down to kin. I would like to see a publication of superior quality someday.

this volume is huuuuuuuuuuge! it's so nice to read page after page of the original words of the buddha! this has a great section on meditation and mindfulness! so many cool stories and dialogues between the buddha and ancient kings where he schools them on life. not to mention him schooling brahmins on things which is very intense because at that time their word was THE word when it came to religion.
it also has many dialogues between the buddha and mara the creator of illusion that traps us in samsara. it's beautiful to read the actions and words of the buddha and his followers and quite refreshing if you've ever been reading about zen monks beating their students with canes to teach them buddhism and thought to yourself "what the heck???" if they don't hurt other people, animals or even bugs why are they beating their students??? or read illogical stories and lessons from zen or chan traditions that left you scratching your head. the buddha and his followers behave the way you would hope and expect; peaceful, succinct, serene, purely non-violent, and their teachings are clear and easily understood. get it, love it!

how many books have you read on buddhism??? there are many good ones but they are all by people who have read and are explaining to you the teachings of the buddha. this book IS the teachings of the buddha! it is a section from the pali canon which is the oldest surviving collection of the words of the buddha. this is his direct teachings, not someone's interpretations of them. it's the real thing.

This is NOT an introduction to the pali scriptures - for that, check out
Bikkhu Bodhi's "In the Buddha's Words"! But if you are already familiar
with the style of the suttas, and you know you want to dig deeper, here
you've got one of the most important of the nikayas for the serious
student, including numerous discourses on the most fundamental aspects
of the teaching, such as dependent origination, the five aggregates,
mindfulness, etc. etc. etc. Together with the chapterwise introductions
and extensive annotation by Bikkhu Bodhi, who is remarkably learned and
obviously himself a dilligent practicioner of these matters, this is an
absolute gem for those who mean it.