Majjhima Nikāya
“Exploring the Word of the Buddha”
Taught by Bhikkhu Bodhi
January 2003 to the present
at Bodhi Monastery, 67 Lawrence Road, Lafayette NJ 07848 USA
Book used:The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha translated by Bhikkhu Ñāṇamoli and Bhikkhu Bodhi
Click here to view the syllabus of this course.
This course delves into the direct teachings of the Buddha himself as preserved in some of the oldest records of his discourses. As the themes of the Buddha’s discourses are mutually implicative and closely interwoven, it will not take long for the earnest student to acquire a clear sense of the fundamental framework of the teachings. The student is given a detailed overview of all the major teachings of Early Buddhism, including:
- Life of the Buddha
- Fundamental Ethics
- Meditation and Mind-training
- Nature of True Wisdom
NOTE: All of the MN Series audio files have been re-edited for better sound quality, and the series is available on CDs and DVDs.
Introduction
On 2003.01.07
An introduction to the organization of the Pali Canon and to some of the background conditions in India from which the Suttas arose.
I. The Buddha’s Enlightenment
On 2003.01.14
MN 26: Ariyapariyesanā Sutta — The Noble Search (through paragraph 18)
On 2003.01.21
MN 4: Bhayabherava Sutta — Fear and Dread
Realization of the three knowledges
On 2003.01.28
MN 4: Bhayabherava Sutta — Fear and Dread
(continued)
On 2003.02.04
MN 36: Mahāsaccaka Sutta — The Greater Discourse to Saccaka
The discovery of the middle way
On 2003.02.11
MN 36: Mahāsaccaka Sutta — The Greater Discourse to Saccaka (continued through paragraph 44)
MN 26: Ariyapariyesanā Sutta — The Noble Search
(return to MN 26 from paragraph 18 through paragraph 30)
II. Approaching the Dhamma
1. Making wise choices
On 2003.02.25
AN 3:65: Kālāma Sutta — To the Kālāmas
handout: Sutta text
On 2003.03.04
MN 60: Apaṇṇaka Sutta — The Incontrovertible Teachings
table: Wrong Views
On 2003.03.11
MN 60: Apaṇṇaka Sutta — The Incontrovertible Teachings
(continued)
2. Test the Buddha himself
On 2003.03.18
MN 47: Vimaṃsaka Sutta — The Inquirer
3. Faith, practice, and attainment
On 2003.03.25
MN 95: Cankī Sutta — With Cankī
On 2003.04.01
MN 95: Cankī Sutta —With Cankī
(continued)
III. The Ethical Life
1. Four ways of life
On 2003.04.08
MN 46: Mahādhammasamādāna Sutta — The Greater Discourse on Ways of Undertaking Things
On 2003.04.15
MN 46: Mahādhammasamādāna Sutta —The Greater Discourse on Ways of Undertaking Things
(continued)
2. Karma and its results
On 2003.04.22
MN 57: Kukkuravatika Sutta — The Dog-Duty Ascetic
The lawfulness of karma
On 2003.04.30
MN 135: Cūḷakammavibhanga Sutta — The Shorter Exposition of Action
table: The Law of Karma
3. The path to a higher rebirth
On 2003.05.06
MN 41: Sāleyyaka Sutta — The Brahmins of Sālā
4. Right speech and patience
On 2003.05.13
MN 61: Ambalaṭṭhikārāhulovāda Sutta — Advice to Rāhula at Ambalaṭṭhikā
On 2003.05.27
MN 21: Kakacūpama Sutta — The Simile of the Saw
IV. Deepening One’s Perspectives on the World
1. The faults of the worldly life
On 2003.06.03
MN 13: Mahādukkhakkhanda Sutta — The Greater Discourse on the Mass of Suffering
2. The shortcomings in sensual pleasures
On 2003.06.10
MN 54: Potaliya Sutta — To Potaliya
On 2003.06.17
MN 75: Māgandiya Sutta — To Māgandiya
Sensual pleasure are burning
On 2003.07.08
MN 75: Māgandiya Sutta —To Māgandiya
(continued)
3. The misery of saṃsāra
On 2003.07.15
SN 15: Anamataggasaṃyutta Sutta — Connected Discourses on Without Discoverable Beginning
Beginningless saṃsāra
handout: Selected suttas
4. Raṭṭhapāla and the call to renunciation
On 2003.07.30
MN 82: Raṭṭhapāla Sutta — On Raṭṭhapāla
V. The Path to Liberation
1. The purpose of the spiritual life
On 2003.08.05
MN 63: Cūḷamālunkya sutta —The Shorter Discourse to Mālunkyāputta
Avoid vain speculation
On 2004.01.20
MN 29: Mahāsāropama Sutta — The Greater Discourse on the Simile of the Heartwood
On 2004.02.10
MN 29: Mahāsāropama Sutta —The Greater Discourse on the Simile of the Heartwood
(concluded)
MN 27: Cūḷahatthipadopama Sutta — The Shorter Discourse on the Simile of the Elephant’s Footprint
The gradual training
2. The gradual training
On 2004.02.17
MN 27: Cūḷahatthipadopama Sutta —The Shorter Discourse on the Simile of the Elephant’s Footprint
(continued)
table: The Ten Qualities of the Buddha
On 2004.02.24
MN 27: Cūḷahatthipadopama Sutta —The Shorter Discourse on the Simile of the Elephant’s Footprint
(continued)
table: The Four Jhanas and Their Factors
On 2004.03.02
MN 27: Cūḷahatthipadopama Sutta —The Shorter Discourse on the Simile of the Elephant’s Footprint
(continued)
table: Defilements, Antidotes, and Abandonment
On 2004.03.09
MN 27: Cūḷahatthipadopama Sutta —The Shorter Discourse on the Simile of the Elephant’s Footprint
(continued)
On 2004.03.23
MN 27: Cūḷahatthipadopama Sutta —The Shorter Discourse on the Simile of the Elephant’s Footprint
(continued)
On 2004.03.30
MN 27: Cūḷahatthipadopama Sutta —The Shorter Discourse on the Simile of the Elephant’s Footprint
(continued)
MN 39: Mahā-Assapura Sutta — What makes one a monk?
On 2004.04.06
MN 27: Cūḷahatthipadopama Sutta —The Shorter Discourse on the Simile of the Elephant’s Footprint
(concluded)
3. What makes one a monk?
On 2004.05.09
MN 40: Cūḷa-Assapura Sutta — The Shorter Discourse at Assapura
4. The benefits of virtue
On 2004.05.18
MN 6: Ākankheyya Sutta — If a Bhikkhu Should Wish
On 2004.05.25
MN 6: Ākankheyya Sutta —If a Bhikkhu Should Wish
(continued)
4. Purifying the mind
On 2004.06.01
MN 19: Dvedhāvitakka — Two Classes of Thoughts
On 2004.06.08
MN 20: Vitakkasaṇṭhāna — The Removal of Distracting Thoughts
On 2004.06.15
table: Sixteen Mental Defilements
MN 7: Vatthūpama Sutta — The Simile of the Cloth
On 2004.06.22
MN 7: Vatthūpama Sutta —The Simile of the Cloth
(continued)
On 2004.08.10
MN 8: Sallekha Sutta — Effacement
Erasing defilements
On 2004.08.17
MN 8: Sallekha Sutta — Effacement
Erasing defilements
(continued)
On 2004.08.24
MN 8: Sallekha Sutta —Effacement
Erasing defilements
(continued)
4. Eliminating the taints
On 2004.08.31
MN 2: Sabbāsava Sutta — All the Taints
table: Fetters, Latent Tendencies, and Influxes
On 2004.09.07
MN 2: Sabbāsava Sutta —All the Taints
(continued)
On 2004.09.14
MN 2: Sabbāsava Sutta —All the Taints
(continued)
On 2004.09.21
MN 2: Sabbāsava Sutta —All the Taints
(continued)
VI. The Practice in Detail
1. The Noble Eightfold Path
On 2004.09.28
MN 117: Mahācattārīsaka Sutta — The Greater Forty
On 2004.10.05
MN 117: Mahācattārīsaka Sutta — The Greater Forty
(continued)
On 2004.10.12
MN 117: Mahācattārīsaka Sutta — The Greater Forty
(continued)
2. The way of mindfulness
On 2004.10.19
MN 10: Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta — The Foundations of Mindfulness
table: The Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta
On 2004.10.26
MN 10: Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta — The Foundations of Mindfulness
(continued)
On 2004.11.09
MN 10: Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta — The Foundations of Mindfulness
(continued)
On 2004.11.16
MN 10: Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta — The Foundations of Mindfulness
(continued)
On 2004.11.23
MN 10: Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta — The Foundations of Mindfulness
(continued)
On 2004.11.30
MN 10: Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta — The Foundations of Mindfulness
(continued)
On 2004.12.14
MN 10: Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta — The Foundations of Mindfulness
(continued)
table: The Five Hindrances
On 2005.01.04
MN 10: Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta — The Foundations of Mindfulness
(continued)
table: The Five Aggregates
On 2005.01.18
MN 10: Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta — The Foundations of Mindfulness
(continued)
On 2005.01.25
MN 10: Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta — The Foundations of Mindfulness
(continued)
table: The Seven Enlightenment Factors
3. Mindfulness of breathing
On 2005.04.05
MN 118: Ānāpānasati Sutta — Mindfulness of Breathing
On 2005.04.12
MN 118: Ānāpānasati Sutta — Mindfulness of Breathing
(continued)
On 2005.04.19
MN 118: Ānāpānasati Sutta — Mindfulness of Breathing
(continued)
On 2005.04.26
MN 118: Ānāpānasati Sutta — Mindfulness of Breathing
(continued)
4. The aids to enlightenment, etc.
On 2005.05.03
MN 77: Mahāsakuludāyi Sutta — The Greater Discourse to Sakuludayin
On 2005.05.10
MN 77: Mahāsakuludāyi Sutta — The Greater Discourse to Sakuludāyin
(continued)
On 2005.05.17
MN 77: Mahāsakuludāyi Sutta — The Greater Discourse to Sakuludāyin
(continued)
On 2005.05.24
MN 77: Mahāsakuludāyi Sutta — The Greater Discourse to Sakuludāyin
(continued)
On 2005.05.31
MN 77: Mahāsakuludāyi Sutta — The Greater Discourse to Sakuludāyin
(continued)
On 2005.06.21
MN 77: Mahāsakuludāyi Sutta — The Greater Discourse to Sakuludāyin
(continued)
VII. The Cultivation of Wisdom
1. Right view
On 2005.08.09
MN 9: Sammādiṭṭhi Sutta — Right View
On 2005.08.16
MN 9: Sammādiṭṭhi Sutta — Right View
(continued)
On 2005.08.23
MN 9: Sammādiṭṭhi Sutta — Right View
(continued)
On 2005.08.30
MN 9: Sammādiṭṭhi Sutta — Right View
(continued)
On 2005.09.06
MN 9: Sammādiṭṭhi Sutta — Right View
(continued)
On 2005.09.13
MN 9: Sammādiṭṭhi Sutta — Right View
(continued)
table: Difficult Links in Dependent Origination
On 2005.09.20
MN 9: Sammādiṭṭhi Sutta — Right View
(continued)
On 2005.09.27
MN 9: Sammādiṭṭhi Sutta — Right View
(continued)
On 2005.10.04
MN 9: Sammādiṭṭhi Sutta — Right View
(continued)
On 2005.10.11
MN 9: Sammādiṭṭhi Sutta — Right View
(continued)
On 2005.10.18
MN 9: Sammādiṭṭhi Sutta — Right View
(continued)
On 2005.10.25
MN 11: Cūḷasīhanāda Sutta — The Shorter Discourse on the Lion’s Roar
On 2005.11.01
MN 11: Cūḷasīhanāda Sutta — The Shorter Discourse on the Lion’s Roar
(continued)
On 2005.11.08
MN 22: Alaggūpama Sutta — The Simile of the Snake
On 2005.11.15
MN 22: Alaggūpama Sutta — The Simile of the Snake
(continued)
On 2005.11.29
MN 22: Alaggūpama Sutta — The Simile of the Snake
(continued)
On 2005.12.07
MN 22: Alaggūpama Sutta — The Simile of the Snake
(continued)
On 2005.12.13
MN 22: Alaggūpama Sutta — The Simile of the Snake
(continued)
On 2006.01.10
MN 38: Mahātaṇhāsankhaya Sutta — The Greater Discourse on the Destruction of Craving
On 2006.01.17
MN 38: Mahātaṇhāsankhaya Sutta — The Greater Discourse on the Destruction of Craving
(continued)
On 2006.01.24
MN 38: Mahātaṇhāsankhaya Sutta — The Greater Discourse on the Destruction of Craving
(continued)
table: Dependent Origination
On 2006.01.31
MN 38: Mahātaṇhāsankhaya Sutta — The Greater Discourse on the Destruction of Craving
(continued)
On 2006.02.07
MN 38: Mahātaṇhāsankhaya Sutta — The Greater Discourse on the Destruction of Craving
(continued)
2. Penetrative insight
On 2006.09.05
MN 148: Chachakka Sutta — The Six Sets of Six
On 2006.09.12
MN 148: Chachakka Sutta — The Six Sets of Six
(continued)
On 2006.09.19
MN 148: Chachakka Sutta — The Six Sets of Six
(continued)
On 2006.09.26
MN 146: Nandakovāda Sutta — Advice from Nandaka
On 2006.10.03
MN 146: Nandakovāda Sutta — Advice from Nandaka
(continued)
On 2006.10.10
MN 149: Mahāsaḷāyatanika Sutta — The Great Sixfold Base
On 2006.10.17
MN 28: Mahāhatthipadopama Sutta — The Greater Discourse on the Simile of the Elephant’s Footprint
(continued)
On 2006.10.24
MN 28: Mahāhatthipadopama Sutta —The Greater Discourse on the Simile of the Elephant’s Footprint
(continued)
On 2006.10.31
MN 28: Mahāhatthipadopama Sutta —The Greater Discourse on the Simile of the Elephant’s Footprint
(continued)
On 2006.11.14
MN 64: Mahāmalunkya Sutta — The Greater Discourse to Mālunkyāputta
On 2006.11.21
MN 64: Mahāmalunkya Sutta — The Greater Discourse to Mālunkyāputta
(continued)
3. Final realization
On 2006.12.05
MN 52: Aṭṭhakanāgara Sutta — The Man from Aṭṭhakanāgara
tables: Divine Abodes and Formless Samapattis
On 2006.12.19
MN 140: Dhātuvibhanga Sutta — The Exposition of the Elements
On 2007.01.09
MN 140: Dhātuvibhanga Sutta — The Exposition of the Elements
(continued)
On 2007.01.16
MN 140: Dhātuvibhanga Sutta — The Exposition of the Elements
(continued)
4. A typology of persons
On 2007.01.23
MN 1: Mūlapariyāya Sutta — The Root of All Things
table: Mulapariyaya
On 2007.01.30
MN 1: Mūlapariyāya Sutta — The Root of All Things
(continued)
On 2007.02.06
MN 1: Mūlapariyāya Sutta — The Root of All Things
(continued)
5. A typology of noble disciples
On 2007.03.20
MN 70: Kīṭāgiri Sutta — At Kīṭāgiri
table: Connected Discourses on Entering
On 2007.03.27
MN 70: Kīṭāgiri Sutta — At Kīṭāgiri
(continued)
VIII. The Tathāgata
On 2007.05.03
MN 12: Mahāsīhanāda Sutta — The Greater Discourse on the Lion’s Roar
On 2007.05.08
MN 12: Mahāsīhanāda Sutta — The Greater Discourse on the Lion’s Roar
(continued)
On 2007.06.05
MN 12: Mahāsīhanāda Sutta — The Greater Discourse on the Lion’s Roar
(continued)
On 2007.06.12
MN 12: Mahāsīhanāda Sutta — The Greater Discourse on the Lion’s Roar
(continued)
IX. Life in the Sangha
1. Monks living in harmony
On 2007.10.09
MN 31: Cūḷagosinga Sutta — The Minor Discourse in the Gosinga Forest
2. The ideal monk
On 2007.10.23
MN 32: Sutta — The Greater Discourse in the Gosinga Forest
3. A recalcitrant monk
On 2007.11.13
MN 65: Bhaddāli Sutta — To Bhaddāli
4. Guidelines for future harmony
On 2007.11.20
MN 104: Sāmagāma Sutta — At Sāmagāma
5. After the Buddha’s parinibbāna
On 2007.12.11
MN 108: Gopakamoggallāna Sutta — With Gopaka Moggallāna
X. Additional talks on the Majjhima Nikāya
On 2008.03.25
MN 3: Dhammadāyāda Sutta — Heirs in Dhamma
On 2008.04.01
MN 5: Anangaṇa Sutta — Without Blemishes
On 2008.06.10
MN 18: Madhupiṇḍika Sutta — The Honeyball
Unfortunately, there was a thunderstorm storm during the lecture and then a power failure at the very end, and the recording was lost. We will post the lecture when Bhikkhu Bodhi re-records it.
On 2008.06.17
MN 18: Madhupiṇḍika Sutta — The Honeyball
(concluded)
On 2008.06.24
MN 24: Rathavinīta Sutta — The Relay Chariots
On 2008.08.05
MN 33: Mahāgopālaka Sutta — The Greater Discourse on the Cowherd
On 2008.08.11
MN 33: Mahāgopālaka Sutta — The Greater Discourse on the Cowherd (part 2)
MN 34: Cūḷagopālaka — The Shorter Discourse on the Cowherd
On 2008.09.09
MN 35: Cūḷasaccaka Sutta — The Greater Discourse to Saccaka
On 2008.09.15
MN 35: Cūḷasaccaka Sutta — The Greater Discourse to Saccaka (part 2)
On 2008.10.21
MN 44: Cūḷavedalla Sutta — The Shorter Series of Questions and Answers
On 2008.10.30
MN 44: Cūḷavedalla Sutta — The Shorter Series of Questions and Answers (part 2)
On 2008.11.18
MN 44: Cūḷavedalla Sutta — The Shorter Series of Questions and Answers (part 3)
On 2008.12.16
MN 48: Kosambiya Sutta — The Kosambians
On 2009.01.13
MN 49: Brahmanimantanika Sutta — The Invitation of a Brahmā
On 2009.02.10
MN 50: Māratajjanīya Sutta — The Rebuke to Māra
On 2009.02.17
MN 55: Jīvaka Sutta — To Jīvaka
On 2009.05.12
MN 56: Upāli Sutta — To Upāli
On 2009.05.12
MN 56: Upāli Sutta — To Upāli (part 2)
On 2009.06.23
MN 59: Bahuvedaniya Sutta — The Many Kinds of Feeling
On 2009.06.30
MN 62: Mahārāhulovāda Sutta — The Greater Discourse to Rāhula
On 2009.07.07
MN 62: Mahārāhulovāda Sutta — The Greater Discourse to Rāhula (part 2)
On 2009.08.04
MN 66: Laṭukikopama Sutta — The Simile of the Quail
On 2009.08.10
MN 66: Laṭukikopama Sutta — The Simile of the Quail (part 2)
On 2009.09.08
MN 66: Laṭukikopama Sutta — The Simile of the Quail (part 3)
On 2009.11.05
MN 69: Gulissāni Sutta — Gulissāni
On 2009.11.10
MN 71: Tevijjavacchagotta Sutta — To Vacchagotta on the Threefold True Knowledge
MN 72: Aggivacchogotta Sutta — To Vacchagotta on Fire
On 2009.12.01
MN 73: Mahāvacchagotta Sutta — The Greater Discourse to Vacchagotta
On 2009.12.15
MN 74: Dīghanakha Sutta — To Dīghanakha
On 2010.01.05
MN 76: Sandaka Sutta — To Sandaka (part 1)
On 2010.01.12
MN 76: Sandaka Sutta — To Sandaka (part 2)
On 2010.04.06
MN 78: Samaṇamaṇḍikā Sutta — Samaṇamaṇḍikāputta
On 2010.04.13
MN 79: Cūḷasakuludāyi Sutta — The Shorter Discourse to Sakuludāyin
