A History of Indian Literature v2.c19.s3.t1.121

v2.c19.s3.t1.121

With regard to the mutual relationship among these four Nikāyas or collections of Suttas—for the Khuddakanikāya has a totally different character—only so much is certain, that a whole series of Suttas occurs, not only in one, but in several of these collections, and that, as regards the doctrines presented, there is no difference whatsoever among the four Nikāyas. In most cases it will be difficult to distinguish whether a Sutta originally occupied a place in the one or the other Nikāya. If, for example, the Sutta on the three qualities which lead women to hell, occurs in the Saṃyutta as well as in the Aṅguttaranikāya, it fits equally well into the first named collection in the "Section on women" as into the latter collection in the "Section of three." On the other hand, some sections of the Saṃyuttanikāya appear like extensions or illustrations of the Aṅguttaranikāya.¹ The Suttas of the Dīghanikāya often give us the impression of having originated through the extensions of shorter texts. Thus, for example, the tenth Sutta of the Majjhimanikāya (Satipaṭṭhāna-Sutta) recurs literally in Dīghanikāya No. 22 (as the Mahā-Satipaṭṭhāna-Sutta), only with a few additions after the style of a commentary. It has already been shown that the Mahā-Parinibbāna-Sutta probably attained to its great extent by means of additions. Some passages of the Dīghanikāya certainly fit better into the Aṅguttaranikāya.² The fact that the great number of Suttas in the last two Nikāyas is explained mainly by variations of one and the same theme with endless repetitions, has already been mentioned, and also that this is sometimes the case in the Majjhimanikāya too.³ Moreover, the great length of many of the speeches in the Majjhima- and Dīghanikāya is explained by the continual repetitions. In all these collections we cannot avoid the impression that they owe their origin to practical needs, having been compiled for the use of the monks for religious practices—sermons, public recitations, hours of devotion and edification. The peculiarity of almost all these Suttas, which is so unpleasant to the Westerner, namely, the repetitions, so frequent as to become nauseous, proves that they were originally intended only for oral presentation.