Handful of Leaves vol. 3: An Anthology from the Samyutta Nikaya

The Saṁyutta Nikāya, a collection of short to medium-length discourses, takes its name from the way the discourses are organized into groups connected (samyutta) by a particular theme.

In some cases, the theme is a topic. In others it may be the name of an interlocutor, a place, a group of people, or — as in the Simile-Connected discourses — a formal attribute of the discourses themselves. The complete collection, counting all its formulaic expansions, contains more than 2,900 discourses, of which 425 are translated here.

Do you want to start meditating or deepen your practice?
We offer personal guidance, completely on a donation basis.

Free Meditation Course

About Thānissaro Bhikkhu

Thānissaro Bhikkhu (Geoffrey DeGraff) is an American Buddhist monk in the kammaṭṭhāna (Thai forest) Tradition. After graduating from Oberlin College in 1971 with a degree in European Intellectual History, he traveled to Thailand where he studied meditation with Ajahn Fuang Jotiko, who was himself a disciple of the late Ajahn Lee.

He joined the order of monks in Wat Dhammasathit in 1976, where he remained after the death of his teacher in 1986. In 1991, he traveled to the San Diego County hills of the US, where he helped Ajahn Suwat Suwaco establish Metta Forest Monastery (Wat Mettavanaram). He has been abbot of that monastery since 1993.

Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu is perhaps best known for his translations of the Dhammapada and the Sutta Pitaka - more than 1000 suttas - and so the main share for the sutta translations for the website Accesstoinsight, and his translations of 'Dhamma-talks' from the Thai forest Ajahns. He has also written several of his own works on the Dhamma and study guides for his Pali translations.

All posts by Thānissaro Bhikkhu

While you are here …

… We want to ask you something. This website is made out of love for Buddhism and Buddhist meditation. We strive to make the teachings of the Buddha as clear and correct as possible and to make it accessible to anyone who is interested, without commercial intentions.

You can help us in our effort by giving a donation to the Buddho Foundation. Every amount, small or large, is of great value to us, and it only costs you a minute of your time.

With your support, we can continue to do our part in preserving and protecting the Dhamma.

Thank you so much for your generosity!

Donate

You yourselves must strive, the Buddhas only point the way
Buddha, Dhp 276

Nyanaponika Thera

This book contains an anthology of 154 selected discourses from the Pali canon. The original translation was by Nyanaponika Thera and was published in the BPS…

29-12-22

The Snake Simile

Nyanaponika Thera

The discourse of the Buddha on the Snake Simile (Alagaddupama Sutta) that is presented here, together with explanatory notes taken mostly from the commentarial…