The Encyclopedia of Indian Philosophies v7.c49.2

v7.c49.2

The Cūḷaniddesa is most easily characterized as the canonical commentary on the Pārāyanavagga, the fifth vagga of the Suttanipāta. Yet the structure of the Cūḷaniddesa is somewhat more complex than that of its companion the Mahāniddesa, reflecting more obviously the composite nature of the Suttanipāta. The core of the Pārāyanavagga consists of sixteen sets of questions posed by sixteen sages, and the Buddha’s replies to them. These appear as suttas nos. 2-17 in the text, with suttas no. 1 and no. 18 serving as an introduction and conclusion which provide a frame story for the questions and answers. The Cūḷaniddesa begins with the first sutta, but it simply reiterates these verses without comment. It then gives a full commentary on the remaining suttas, including the final one. But it doesn’t stop there. Rather, it concludes with a commentary on the third sutta of the first vagga of the Suttanipāta, the traditionally admired Khaggavisāṇa (Rhinoceros-horn) sutta.