Numbered Discourses: A sensible translation of the Aṅguttara Nikāya

The “Numbered” or “Numerical” Discourses are usually known as Aṅguttara Nikāya in Pali, abbreviated AN. However, the Pali tradition also knows the form Ekottara (“one-up” or “incremental”), and this is the form usually found in the northern collections. These collections organize texts in numbered sets, from one to eleven. Compared to the other nikāyas, they are more oriented to the lay community. The Ekottarikāgama (EA) in Chinese is a highly unusual text, which features a range of variations within itself when it comes even to basic doctrines. It shares considerably less in common with the Pali Aṅguttara than the other collections do with their counterparts. In addition, there is a partial Ekottarikāgama in Chinese, as well as a variety of individual discourses and fragments in Chinese and Sanskrit.

This translation of Aṅguttara Nikāya was updated on March 6th, 2023