Early Buddhist Texts (EBTs) have a complex hierarchical arrangement, which is similar (but not identical) across the various collections.
One of the most prominent structural elements is the vagga, which is typically a group of ten suttas, and is usually translated as “chapter”.
A common traditional method of referencing Suttas is by “collection, vagga, sutta” (eg. 1.1.1, with possibly other levels of structure as well). On SC, we follow modern trends in simplifying reference numbers. Normally vaggas are not included, but in some cases (eg. ud, snp) they form the first element of a two-numbered reference.
This then leaves up in the air the question of what to do with the vaggas and other structural elements in between the sutta and the main collection. Let’s call them “void nodes”.
There is, to my mind, a definite benefit to excluding the void node numbers: they are confusing. It’s hard to keep track of exactly what number goes where, and what all the different levels refer to. Which is why we keep our main system as simple as possible. So we want to keep the system clean for those happy with our system, but still support those who use the traditional system.
That there is no obvious presentation is clear by comparing the different editions. Let’s look at the first sutta of SN. The relevant structural elements are:
- Devatāsaṃyuttaṃ
- Naḷavaggo
- Oghataraṇasuttaṃ
- PTS edition: Chapter I. Naḷavagga (roman numerals). Individual suttas are numbered per vagga, and the I.1.1 form appears in the page header. Individual structural elements (including the vaggasamyutta) are all numbered.
- BJT edition: Has the numeral 1 before each element. It also references suttas by 1.1.1 (samyutta, vagga, sutta).
- Thai Chulachomklao Pāḷi has no numbers.
- VRI Tipitaka has a single number before each element, but the full 1.1.1 form does not appear. Single number for sutta is both in heading and first paragraph.
- MS edition has the three levels without numbers, then a duplicated sutta title with the triple number.
Confused yet? One thing that is fairly consistent is that they have triple-number system, with either a single number in each heading:
-
- Devatāsaṃyuttaṃ
-
- Naḷavaggo
-
- Oghataraṇasuttaṃ
Or by extracting the triple number:
- Devatāsaṃyuttaṃ
- Naḷavaggo
- Oghataraṇasuttaṃ
- 1.1.1 Oghataraṇasuttaṃ
Or both.
SuttaCentral is inconsistent.
- DN, MN, we have no vagga (or pannasa in MN), just the collection and sutta
- AN and SN add the vagga, usually with number. However, the number only appears in the Sutta supertitle, not in the navigation.
Now, to my mind, the method of DN and MN is best for the texts themselves. Keep the collection with the reference number there. The vagga and other elements are not really part of the sutta, they are part of a navigation structure. Of course they are still visible in the breadcrumbs and other navigation.
In this proposal, each sutta heading would have two, and only two, elements.
- Saṁyutta Nikāya 1.1
- Oghataraṇasuttaṃ
This makes everything more clean and consistent. Void nodes are all removed.
But what of the navigation? Currently, the navigation includes the void nodes, but excludes the void node numbers.
a proposal?
Hmm.
Okay, coming around to a proposal here.
- strip void nodes from texts, have two-level (collection/sutta) headings everywhere.
- extract the triple number (or however many numbers the void leaves use) and keep them as metadata.
- display them as an option in the navigation. Probably not in the sutta text itself.
So in the navigation, if the option was enabled, we might have:
- 1 Devatāsaṁyutta
- 1.1 Naḷavagga
- 1.1.1 Oghataraṇasutta
- 1.1 Naḷavagga
how to?
Create a set of files, call them sectional-numbering
(give me a better name!). These would have keys that are identical with our current name
files, which include the titles of suttas and void nodes.
"sn-name:1.sn-sagathavaggasamyutta": "Sagāthāvaggasaṁyutta",
"sn-name:2.sn1": "Devatāsaṁyutta",
"sn-name:3.sn1-nalavagga": "Naḷavagga",
"sn-name:4.sn1.1": "Oghataraṇasutta",
We’d simply duplicate these, but put numbers instead. (Note that in such cases, we can’t trivially auto-generate the numbers, because there are always exceptions like skipped suttas, repetitions, ranges, and so on. So they’d have to be pre-generated and hard-coded.)
"sn-name:1.sn-sagathavaggasamyutta": null,
"sn-name:2.sn1": "1",
"sn-name:3.sn1-nalavagga": "1.1",
"sn-name:4.sn1.1": "1.1.1",
Probably follow the MS system for how to state the numbers (eg. it does not include the vaggasamutta). But use an “additive” system, which is the normal way to number sections in a document; that way, it’s always clear what level is meant.
Then the numbers can be imported whenever wanted.
Hey, I just found that there’s an ISO standard for section headings! There’s a standard for everything. Thanks, standard-makers, you make life easier for the rest of us.