Khandha Samyutta Group of Related Discourses on Aggregates

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The Khandha Samyutta is the first and the longest of the thirteen Samyuttas of the Khandhavagga Samyutta. The discourses in the Khandha Samyutta are built around the aggregates of Corporeality, Sensation, Perception, Volitional Activities and Consciousness. They are shown in all aspects, their enjoyableness, their faults and the freedom from attachment to them. There are 150 suttas arranged in fifteen section, each containing ten to fifteen suttas. In these discourses the Buddha used various methods of approach to suit the occasion, the stage of mental development and the intelligence of his audience. Very often, he made use of metaphors and similes which are easily understood by any ordinarily person, citing thing like foam bubble, mirage, dirty cloth, river, fire, ashes, etc. again and again The Buddha warned his disciples against the dangers of craving for and enjoyment of pleasures of the senses. He made them see the faults of the aggregates which are the objects of Clinging, The Buddha repeatedly urged his disciples not to be attached to the aggregates and to view them with right perception, as they really are, and finally to practise the dhamma according to this Teaching and thus gain liberation from the round of rebirths.

Introduction

The Samyutta Nikaya has five major divisions or groups of discourses related in subject matter or in persons involved. The five major divisions are: Sagathavagga Samyutta, Nidanavagga Samyutta, Khandhavagga Samyutta, Salayatanavagga Samyutta and Mahavagga Samyutta. Each division, Vagga Samyutta, contains groups called Samyuttas.

The Sagathavagga Samyutta contains eleven Samyuttas grouped according to characters appearing in them, such as the devas, the brahmas and King of Kosala. Many of the dialogues between the Buddha and these various characters are in verse and hence the name Sagatha, meaning ‘with verse’

The Nidanavagga Samyutta contains ten Samyuttas dealing mainly with Causal Factors, i.e., the principles of conditionality and interdependence.

The Khandhavagga Samyutta contains thirteen Sarhyuttas. As the name implies, it deals mainly with the five aggregates of phenomena or the khandhas, viz., Corporeality, Sensation, Perception, Volitional Activities and Consciousness.

The Salayatanavagga Samyutta contains ten Samyuttas dealing mainly with internal and external sense-bases.

The Mahavagga Samyutta contains twelve Samyuttas. The names of the various samyuttas, such as Magga Samyutta, Bojjhanga Samyutta, Satipatthana Samyutta, Indriya Samyutta, indicate the subjects covered. The Editorial Committee has decided as a preliminary step to edit a portion from each of the five major divisions, Vagga Samyuttas, and to publish each one of the portions as a separate book.

The translation of the present book, Khandha Samyutta, was done by U Tin U, a senior editor of the Myanmar Pitaka Association, and was initially edited by U Hla Maung, another senior editor. The final editing was done by the Editorial Committee of the Association.