This book contains the integral Dutch translation of the third volume of the Anguttara-Nikaya, ‘The Numerical Discourses of the Buddha’.
The Anguttara-Nikaya is traditionally seen as the fourth set (nikaya) in the Sutta-Pitaka, after the Digha-Nikaya, the Majjhima-Nikaya and the Samyutta-Nikaya. The Sutta-Pitaka is the ‘basket’ of discourses (sutta’s) attributed to the historical Buddha and his main disciples.
The Sutta-Pitaka is part of the Pali-Canon together with the Vinaya-Pitaka (the ‘basket’ of the monastic rules) and the Abhidhamma-Pitaka (the ‘basket’ with detailed scholastic presentations of doctrinal material). Together they form the body of sacred texts of Theravada Buddhism. The Pali-Canon or Tipitaka (‘three baskets’) contain the oldest extant scriptures of the Buddhist tradition.
The entire Anguttara-Nikaya consists of 11 books in which 8122 suttas are arranged according to their numerical content. These eleven books contain teachings that cover an increasing number of topics.
This volume contains the suttas that consistantly deal with five and six items, such as the five reasonable criticisms that a monk or nun will face if he or she turns his or her back on the path of learning and returns to the lower life; and the six consequences for the spiritual development of being able to control the senses or not. In order to bring some order to the large number of suttas, a ‘thematic guide’ has been added, in which thirteen themes are distinguished that can be considered the framework in which the individual suttas are embedded.
