Majjhima Nikaya Lectures
A Systematic Study of the
Majjhima Nikaya
“Exploring the Word of the Buddha”
Taught by Bhikkhu Bodhi
January 2003 — December 2007
at Bodhi Monastery, 67 Lawrence Road, Lafayette NJ 07848 U.S.A.
Book used:The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha translated by Bhikkhu Nanamoli 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
Introduction
M0000_Intro: 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
M0001_MN-026: 2003.01.14
MN 26: Ariyapariyesanā Sutta — The Noble Search
(through paragraph 18)
M0002_MN-004: 2003.01.21
MN 4: Bhayabherava Sutta — Fear and Dread
Realization of the three knowledges
M0003_MN-004: 2003.01.28
MN 4: Bhayabherava Sutta — Fear and Dread
(continued)
M0004_MN-036: 2003.02.04
MN 36: Mahāsaccaka Sutta — The Greater Discourse to Saccaka
The discovery of the middle way
M0005_MN-036: 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
M0006_AN-03_065: 2003.02.25 handout: Sutta text
AN 3:65: Kālāma Sutta — To the Kālāmas
M0007_MN-060: 2003.03.04 table: Wrong Views
MN 60: Apaṇṇaka Sutta — The Incontrovertible Teachings
Rejecting wrong views
M0008_MN-060: 2003.03.11
MN 60: Apaṇṇaka Sutta — The Incontrovertible Teachings
(continued)
2. Test the Buddha himself
M0009_MN-047: 2003.03.18
MN 47: Vimaṃsaka Sutta — The Inquirer
3. Faith, practice, and attainment
M0010_MN-095: 2003.03.25
MN 95: Cankī Sutta — With Cankī
M0011_MN-095: 2003.04.01
MN 95: Cankī Sutta —With Cankī
(continued)
III. The Ethical Life
1. Four ways of life
M0012_MN-046: 2003.04.08
MN 46: Mahādhammasamādāna Sutta — The Greater Discourse on Ways of Undertaking Things
M0013_MN-046: 2003.04.15
MN 46: Mahādhammasamādāna Sutta —The Greater Discourse on Ways of Undertaking Things
(continued)
2. Karma and its results
M0014_MN-057: 2003.04.22
MN 57: Kukkuravatika Sutta — The Dog-Duty Ascetic
The lawfulness of karma
M0015_MN-135: 2003.04.30 table: The Law of Karma
MN 135: Cūḷakammavibhanga Sutta — The Shorter Exposition of Action
3. The path to a higher rebirth
M0016_MN-041: 2003.05.06
MN 41: Sāleyyaka Sutta — The Brahmins of Sālā
4. Right speech and patience
M0017_MN-061: 2003.05.13
MN 61: Ambalaṭṭhikārāhulovāda Sutta — Advice to Rāhula at Ambalaṭṭhikā
M0018_MN-021: 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
M0019_MN-013: 2003.06.03
MN 13: Mahādukkhakkhanda Sutta — The Greater Discourse on the Mass of Suffering
2. The shortcomings in sensual pleasures
M0020_MN-054: 2003.06.10
MN 54: Potaliya Sutta — To Potaliya
M0021_MN-075: 2003.06.17
MN 75: Māgandiya Sutta — To Māgandiya
Sensual pleasure are burning
M0022_MN-075: 2003.07.08
MN 75: Māgandiya Sutta —To Māgandiya
(continued)
3. The misery of saṃsāra
M0023_SN-15: 2003.07.15 handout: Selected suttas
SN 15: Anamataggasaṃyutta Sutta — Connected Discourses on Without Discoverable Beginning
Beginningless saṃsāra
4. Raṭṭhapāla and the call to renunciation
M0024_MN-082: 2003.07.30
MN 82: Raṭṭhapāla Sutta — On Raṭṭhapāla
V. The Path to Liberation
1. The purpose of the spiritual life
M0025_MN-063: 2003.08.05
MN 63: Cuḷamālunkya sutta —The Shorter Discourse to Mālunkyāputta
Avoid vain speculation
M0026_MN-029: 2004.01.20
MN 29: Mahāsāropama Sutta — The Greater Discourse on the Simile of the Heartwood
M0027_MN-029: 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
M0028_MN-027: 2004.02.17 table: The Ten Qualities of the Buddha
MN 27: Cūḷahatthipadopama Sutta —The Shorter Discourse on the Simile of the Elephant’s Footprint
(continued)
M0029_MN-027: 2004.02.24 table: The Four Jhanas and Their Factors
MN 27: Cūḷahatthipadopama Sutta —The Shorter Discourse on the Simile of the Elephant’s Footprint
(continued)
M0030_MN-027: 2004.03.02 table: Defilements, Antidotes, and Abandonment
MN 27: Cūḷahatthipadopama Sutta —The Shorter Discourse on the Simile of the Elephant’s Footprint
(continued)
M0031_MN-027: 2004.03.09
MN 27: Cūḷahatthipadopama Sutta —The Shorter Discourse on the Simile of the Elephant’s Footprint
(continued)
M0032_MN-027: 2004.03.23
MN 27: Cūḷahatthipadopama Sutta —The Shorter Discourse on the Simile of the Elephant’s Footprint
(continued)
M0033_MN-039: 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?
M0034_MN-027: 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?
M0035_MN-040: 2004.05.09
MN 40: Cūḷa-Assapura Sutta — The Shorter Discourse at Assapura
4. The benefits of virtue
M0036_MN-006: 2004.05.18
MN 6: Ākankheyya Sutta — If a Bhikkhu Should Wish
M0037_MN-006: 2004.05.25
MN 6: Ākankheyya Sutta —If a Bhikkhu Should Wish
(continued)
4. Purifying the mind
M0038_MN-019: 2004.06.01
MN 19: Dvedhāvitakka — Two Classes of Thoughts
M0039_MN-020: 2004.06.08
MN 20: Vitakkasaṇṭhāna — The Removal of Distracting Thoughts
M0040_MN-007: 2004.06.15 table: Sixteen Mental Defilements
MN 7: Vatthūpama Sutta — The Simile of the Cloth
M0041_MN-007: 2004.06.22
MN 7: Vatthūpama Sutta —The Simile of the Cloth
(continued)
M0042_MN-008: 2004.08.10
MN 8: Sallekha Sutta — Effacement
Erasing defilements
M0043_MN-008: 2004.08.17
MN 8: Sallekha Sutta — Effacement
Erasing defilements
(continued)
M0044_MN-008: 2004.08.24
MN 8: Sallekha Sutta —Effacement
Erasing defilements
(continued)
4. Eliminating the taints
M0045_MN-002: 2004.08.31 table: Fetters, Latent Tendencies, and Influxes
MN 2: Sabbāsava Sutta — All the Taints
M0046_MN-002: 2004.09.07
MN 2: Sabbāsava Sutta —All the Taints
(continued)
M0047_MN-002: 2004.09.14
MN 2: Sabbāsava Sutta —All the Taints
(continued)
M0048_MN-002: 2004.09.21
MN 2: Sabbāsava Sutta —All the Taints
(continued)
VI. The Practice in Detail
1. The Noble Eightfold Path
M0049_MN-117: 2004.09.28
MN 117: Mahācattārīsaka Sutta — The Greater Forty
M0050_MN-117: 2004.10.05
MN 117: Mahācattārīsaka Sutta — The Greater Forty
(continued)
M0051_MN-117: 2004.10.12
MN 117: Mahācattārīsaka Sutta — The Greater Forty
(continued)
2. The way of mindfulness
M0052_MN-010: 2004.10.19 table: The Satipatthana Sutta
MN 10: Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta — The Foundations of Mindfulness
M0053_MN-010: 2004.10.26
MN 10: Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta — The Foundations of Mindfulness
(continued)
M0054_MN-010: 2004.11.09
MN 10: Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta — The Foundations of Mindfulness
(continued)
M0055_MN-010: 2004.11.16
MN 10: Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta — The Foundations of Mindfulness
(continued)
M0056_MN-010: 2004.11.23
MN 10: Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta — The Foundations of Mindfulness
(continued)
M0057_MN-010: 2004.11.30
MN 10: Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta — The Foundations of Mindfulness
(continued)
M0058_MN-010: 2004.12.14 table: The Five Hindrances
MN 10: Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta — The Foundations of Mindfulness
(continued)
M0059_MN-010: 2005.01.04 table: The Five Aggregates
MN 10: Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta — The Foundations of Mindfulness
(continued)
M0060_MN-010: 2005.01.18
MN 10: Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta — The Foundations of Mindfulness
(continued)
M0061_MN-010: 2005.01.25 table: The Seven Enlightenment Factors
MN 10: Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta — The Foundations of Mindfulness
(continued)
3. Mindfulness of breathing
M0062_MN-118: 2005.04.05
MN 118: Ānāpānasati Sutta — Mindfulness of Breathing
M0063_MN-118: 2005.04.12
MN 118: Ānāpānasati Sutta — Mindfulness of Breathing
(continued)
M0064_MN-118: 2005.04.19
MN 118: Ānāpānasati Sutta — Mindfulness of Breathing
(continued)
M0065_MN-118: 2005.04.26
MN 118: Ānāpānasati Sutta — Mindfulness of Breathing
(continued)
4. The aids to enlightenment, etc.
M0066_MN-077: 2005.05.03
MN 77: Mahāsakuludāyi Sutta — The Greater Discourse to Sakuludayin
M0067_MN-077: 2005.05.10
MN 77: Mahāsakuludāyi Sutta — The Greater Discourse to Sakuludāyin
(continued)
M0068_MN-077: 2005.05.17
MN 77: Mahāsakuludāyi Sutta — The Greater Discourse to Sakuludāyin
(continued)
M0069_MN-077: 2005.05.24
MN 77: Mahāsakuludāyi Sutta — The Greater Discourse to Sakuludāyin
(continued)
M0070_MN-077: 2005.05.31
MN 77: Mahāsakuludāyi Sutta — The Greater Discourse to Sakuludāyin
(continued)
M0071_MN-077: 2005.06.21
MN 77: Mahāsakuludāyi Sutta — The Greater Discourse to Sakuludāyin
(continued)
VII. The Cultivation of Wisdom
1. Right view
M0072_MN-009: 2005.08.09
MN 9: Sammādiṭṭhi Sutta — Right View
M0073_MN-009: 2005.08.16
MN 9: Sammādiṭṭhi Sutta — Right View
(continued)
M0074_MN-009: 2005.08.23
MN 9: Sammādiṭṭhi Sutta — Right View
(continued)
M0075_MN-009: 2005.08.30
MN 9: Sammādiṭṭhi Sutta — Right View
(continued)
M0076_MN-009: 2005.09.06
MN 9: Sammādiṭṭhi Sutta — Right View
(continued)
M0077_MN-009: 2005.09.13 table: Difficult Links in Dependent Origination
MN 9: Sammādiṭṭhi Sutta — Right View
(continued)
M0078_MN-009: 2005.09.20
MN 9: Sammādiṭṭhi Sutta — Right View
(continued)
M0079_MN-009: 2005.09.27
MN 9: Sammādiṭṭhi Sutta — Right View
(continued)
M0080_MN-009: 2005.10.04
MN 9: Sammādiṭṭhi Sutta — Right View
(continued)
M0081_MN-009: 2005.10.11
MN 9: Sammādiṭṭhi Sutta — Right View
(continued)
M0082_MN-009: 2005.10.18
MN 9: Sammādiṭṭhi Sutta — Right View
(continued)
M0083_MN-011: 2005.10.25
MN 11: Cūḷasīhanāda Sutta — The Shorter Discourse on the Lion’s Roar
M0084_MN-011: 2005.11.01
MN 11: Cūḷasīhanāda Sutta — The Shorter Discourse on the Lion’s Roar
(continued)
M0085_MN-022: 2005.11.08
MN 22: Alaggūpama Sutta — The Simile of the Snake
M0086_MN-022: 2005.11.15
MN 22: Alaggūpama Sutta — The Simile of the Snake
(continued)
M0087_MN-022: 2005.11.29
MN 22: Alaggūpama Sutta — The Simile of the Snake
(continued)
M0088_MN-022: 2005.12.07
MN 22: Alaggūpama Sutta — The Simile of the Snake
(continued)
M0089_MN-022: 2005.12.13
MN 22: Alaggūpama Sutta — The Simile of the Snake
(continued)
M0090_MN-038: 2006.01.10
MN 38: Mahātaṇhāsankhaya Sutta — The Greater Discourse on the Destruction of Craving
M0091_MN-038: 2006.01.17
MN 38: Mahātaṇhāsankhaya Sutta — The Greater Discourse on the Destruction of Craving
(continued)
M0092_MN-038: 2006.01.24 table: Dependent Origination
MN 38: Mahātaṇhāsankhaya Sutta — The Greater Discourse on the Destruction of Craving
(continued)
M0093_MN-038: 2006.01.31
MN 38: Mahātaṇhāsankhaya Sutta — The Greater Discourse on the Destruction of Craving
(continued)
M0094_MN-038: 2006.02.07
MN 38: Mahātaṇhāsankhaya Sutta — The Greater Discourse on the Destruction of Craving
(continued)
2. Penetrative insight
M0095_MN-148: 2006.09.05
MN 148: Chachakka Sutta — The Six Sets of Six
M0096_MN-148: 2006.09.12
MN 148: Chachakka Sutta — The Six Sets of Six
(continued)
M0097_MN-148: 2006.09.19
MN 148: Chachakka Sutta — The Six Sets of Six
(continued)
M0098_MN-146: 2006.09.26
MN 146: Nandakovāda Sutta — Advice from Nandaka
M0099_MN-146: 2006.10.03
MN 146: Nandakovāda Sutta — Advice from Nandaka
(continued)
M0100_MN-149: 2006.10.10
MN 149: Mahāsaḷāyatanika Sutta — The Great Sixfold Base
M0101_MN-028: 2006.10.17
MN 28: Mahāhatthipadopama Sutta — The Greater Discourse on the Simile of the Elephant’s Footprint
(continued)
M0102_MN-028: 2006.10.24
MN 28: Mahāhatthipadopama Sutta —The Greater Discourse on the Simile of the Elephant’s Footprint
(continued)
M0103_MN-028: 2006.10.31
MN 28: Mahāhatthipadopama Sutta —The Greater Discourse on the Simile of the Elephant’s Footprint
(continued)
M0104_MN-064: 2006.11.14
MN 64: Mahāmalunkya Sutta — The Greater Discourse to Mālunkyāputta
M0105_MN-064: 2006.11.21
MN 64: Mahāmalunkya Sutta — The Greater Discourse to Mālunkyāputta
(continued)
3. Final realization
M0106_MN-052: 2006.12.05
tables: Divine Abodes and Formless Samapattis
MN 52: Aṭṭhakanāgara Sutta — The Man from Aṭṭhakanāgara
M0107_MN-140: 2006.12.19
MN 140: Dhātuvibhanga Sutta — The Exposition of the Elements
M0108_MN-140: 2007.01.09
MN 140: Dhātuvibhanga Sutta — The Exposition of the Elements
(continued)
M0109_MN-140: 2007.01.16
MN 140: Dhātuvibhanga Sutta — The Exposition of the Elements
(continued)
4. A typology of persons
M0110_MN-001: 2007.01.23
table: Mulapariyaya
MN 1: Mūlapariyāya Sutta — The Root of All Things
M0111_MN-001: 2007.01.30
MN 1: Mūlapariyāya Sutta — The Root of All Things
(continued)
M0112_MN-001: 2007.02.06
MN 1: Mūlapariyāya Sutta — The Root of All Things
(continued)
5. A typology of noble disciples
M0113_MN-070: 2007.03.20
table: Connected Discourses on Entering
MN 70: Kīṭāgiri Sutta — At Kīṭāgiri
M0114_MN-070: 2007.03.27
MN 70: Kīṭāgiri Sutta — At Kīṭāgiri
(continued)
VIII. The Tathāgata
M0115_MN-012: 2007.05.03
MN 12: Mahāsīhanāda Sutta — The Greater Discourse on the Lion’s Roar
M0116_MN-012: 2007.05.08
MN 12: Mahāsīhanāda Sutta — The Greater Discourse on the Lion’s Roar
(continued)
M0117_MN-012: 2007.06.05
MN 12: Mahāsīhanāda Sutta — The Greater Discourse on the Lion’s Roar
(continued)
M0118_MN-012: 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
M0119_MN-031: 2007.10.09
MN 31: Cūḷagosinga Sutta — The Minor Discourse in the Gosinga Forest
2. The ideal monk
M0120_MN-032: 2007.10.23
MN 32: Mahāgosinga Sutta — The Greater Discourse in the Gosinga Forest
3. A recalcitrant monk
M0121_MN-065: 2007.11.13
MN 65: Bhaddāli Sutta — To Bhaddāli
4. Guidelines for future harmony
M0122_MN-104: 2007.11.20
MN 104: Sāmagāma Sutta — At Sāmagāma
5. After the Buddha’s parinibbāna
M0123_MN-108: 2007.12.11
MN 108: Gopakamoggallāna Sutta — With Gopaka Moggallāna