Beyond the Discourses

[knotty36]

I wanted to ask those with more experience studying EBTs, how they deal with the Vinaya Basket when it comes to looking for doctrinal stuff (not rules or discipline, but discourse parallels and such). I want to branch out beyond just the Nikayas and the Agamas, but I’m not ready to move into that HUGE list of sources @Javier put together last year. I figure the Vinaya is the next step for me, but I have no experience with it. Perhaps there’s someone here who has and could provide a little guidance.

[faujidoc1]

Have you read the Milindapanha?

This set of questions and answers is a kind of FAQ. It covers all the main doctrinal points (and more!), offers excellent, simply worded explanations and can be used as a primer/ takeoff point for further study on particular topics that interest you, using the search function of SuttaCentral.

[Robbie]

I’m secretely hoping Ven Sujato will be interested in writing a reader’s guide to the Vinaya, similar to the reading guide to the suttas…

[sabbamitta]

@Robbie

a reader’s guide to the Vinaya

This is what we have on the Vinaya.

[Robbie]

@sabbamitta

This is what we have on the Vinaya.

Thanks for pointing out this resource, I hope it will be helpful to the original poster! The Vinaya introduction was written around Dec 2017 for “SuttaCentral Next”. I was referring to the following comment Ven Brahmali made in Dec 2018:

@Brahmali

Wonderful! I still haven’t read the whole thing, but so far I am mightily impressed. These are going to be marvellous companions to the suttas . Would you like to write an intro for the vinaya as well? Please ?

[Snowbird]

You may enjoy this

Buddhist Stories from the Khandhakas: Selections from The Book of the...

I honestly can’t remember if I left in the more Dhamma bits. But you will get all the stories that are in the Khandakas, and there are some great ones. Note: This does not include the Patimokkha origin stories.

[Robbie]

@Snowbird

Buddhist Stories from the Khandhakas

I’d like to note that this collection consists of translations by I.B. Horner, one of the major Buddhist scholars. Though not bad, her translations are out of date. I’m sure many will already know this, but it won’t take very long until Ven Brahmali’s new translations will be publicly available. That could be a great moment to start with the Vinaya!

[Snowbird]

@Robbie

Though not bad, her translations are out of date.

This is absolutely true. However, for the story parts in the Khandakas, they are good enough.

I think I have read on this forum that there is no timeline for the publication of Bhante Brahmalli’s translations. I seem to recall “It will be done when it’s done”. So no need to put off reading Vinaya, IMHO.