Samyutta Nikaya
From Wikipitaka - The Completing Tipitaka
The Samyutta Nikaya ("Collection of Clustered Discourses") is the third of the five nikayas (collections) in the Sutta Pitaka. This collection is arranged in a special order by subject matter. Each group deals with a specific doctrine or personality.
[edit] Vaggas
Samyutta Nikaya consists of 7,762 discourses, classified into 56 samyuttas (groups):
1. Sagatha-Vagga.
This volume is a collection of verses mostly uttered by the Buddha and in response to different personalities, e.g. deities, Mara the Evil One, nuns, brahmins, King of Kosala, etc. This section is classied mainly according to the individuals and places concerned into 11 samyuttas.
2. Nidana-Vagga.
Half of this volume deals with causes and conditions, i.e. the law of the Dependent Origination. The rest deals with the elements, the penetration of Dhamma, the round of rebirths, material gain, etc. this section is classified into 10 samyuttas.
3. Khandha-Vagga.
This volume deals with the various aspects of the five aggregates and miscellaneous subjects including concentration, together with some false views. This section is classified into 13 samyuttas.
4. Salayatana-Vagga.
Almost half of this volume deals with the six sense-bases in accordance with the Three Characteristics. The rest deals with the five precepts, ways of practice leading to the unconditioned, extremist views, etc. This section is classified into 10 samyuttas.
5. Maha-Vagga.
This volume covers the 37 virtues partaking of enlightenment, which are rearranged, starting with the Noble Eightfold Path (including other virtues prior to the Path) the seven enlightenment factors, the four based of mindfulness, the five controlling faculties, the four right efforts, the five powers, the four paths of accomplishment, including other related topics, e.g. the five hindrances, the ten fetters, the Four Noble Truths, the absorptions, along with the attributes of Stream Entrants and the meritorious consequences of the fruition of Stream Entry. This section is classified into 12 samyuttas.
[edit] Samyukta Agama
Parallel to the Samyutta Nikaya in Pali is the Samyukta Agama of the Sarvastivada school, preserved in the Chinese Buddhist Canon. This was translated from Sanskrit into Chinese by Gunabhadra in 435-445 CE. It contains approximately 1362 discourses, most of which have close counterparts in the Pali canon.
