Thematic analysis of EBT

The Watercooler
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I am about to embark on a large body of work and would value the advice of this group pls!

@sujato I have been talking with Bhante Sujato for some time about my long-term plans to read the entire Sutta Pitaka and allocate the major themes. Recently (on Fire Horse New Year’s Day as it turned out coincidentally!), we met to work out the logistics of this and it looks like we will be able to start in a few weeks.

Summary

Aim: To perform a detailed thematic analysis of the entire Early Buddhist Texts (EBT) Sutta Pitaka to enable readers to develop an understanding of the core teachings found throughout the texts.

Early Buddhist Texts (EBT): Pali Dīgha Nikāya; Majjhima Nikāya; Saṃyutta Nikāya; and Aṅguttara Nikāya English translation on Sutta Central. The Khuddaka Nikāya and other texts may be completed after the first 4 Nikāyas.

Datasource: Bilara software using Bhante Sujato’s English translations of the EBT from: https://suttacentral.net/pitaka/sutta?lang=en

The units will be the existing ‘segments’ in Sutta Central (which are apparently logical chunks of text, such as verses or sentences, already built into the software so convenient to use these rather than lines or verses.

Themes: We have the following pre-determined list of Themes. There can be more than one theme per segment. Additional themes can be added by disaggregating segments allocated to the “other” theme. Themes will be recorded as comma delineated free text for later coding with the main theme listed first.

(My) Pre-determined Theme headings:

1. Four Noble Truths (in generic terms: if 8FNP or Nibbana only use those themes)

2. 8-fold Noble Path (including precepts, and 9 & 10 fold where applicable)

3. Karma

4. Rebirth

5. Dependent Origination (any references, whether the number is 12 or not)

6. 5-Khandhas or any detailed exposition of any one of the 5

7. Meditation, Mindfulness, Bhavana, Sati, Samadhi, or Jhanas/absorptions

8. Enlightenment, Bojjhangas, Nibbana or qualities of the Noble Ones

9. Hindrances, 8-winds, and other similar lists that are not part of other themes

10. Rituals: chanting; statues; incense; flowers; oil lamps; lay ceremonies

11. Greetings & pleasantries & setting

12. Other: final category for all remaining text not allocatable to above themes

Additional themes: Gender issues (including the phrase ‘it is not by birth’), Sexual issues (e.g., LGBTQI), Environment, and EBT teachings from Buddha vs. others.

Reviewers: I will read each segment and allocated to the themes listed with the plan to disaggregate the “other” theme into specific themes if they arise repeatedly. We could do this inductively (reading and then allocating themes as they emerge) or deductively (predetermined list of themes). I have decided to do this work deductively as I have already read the entire DN, MN, SN and AN (in one form or another, not always from Sutta Central) so it makes more sense. Given this will be open for review any segment allocation can be questioned by any reader and reviewed and potentially reallocated. Eventually, a second (or more) independent reviewers could replicate this work to add validity to what will always be subjective allocations.

Repetition: As we know, much of the EBT is repeated, often verbatim, but we will still allocate themes to each segment given the repeated verses can be slightly different and the fact that the teaching is repeated suggests added importance.

To make this work feasible in a reasonable amount of time (perhaps a few years as I work full-time), I want to limit the number of themes so as not to have to decide on one of dozens of potential themes. Detailed searches for individual words can already be done if people want very granular analyses of specific topics. However, I am not aware of any big picture thematic analysis of this kind of the EBT. My memory of the texts is that the main themes listed are the overwhelming majority of the verses and this work should be able to demonstrate that quantitatively and help those studying the texts to differentiate concepts mentioned repeatedly, which I presume makes them more likely to be original, versus those hardly mentioned at all.

I plan to get started in a few weeks so any helpful constructive advice and warnings before we begin would be most welcome! :slight_smile:

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New Bilara update
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This sounds great!
Thanks for taking this on. I hope that it is a beautiful and beneficial dive into the suttas

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Thanks to Ven @Pasanna for alerting me to this!

I am embarking on a similar project, but not similar enough to be the same. More like a Dhamma Zettelkasten and I know those themes will come up as I work it.

You asked for constructive advice, and I don’t see mention of what you’ll be using for notes. I suggest Obsidian. It has a rich ability to cross-reference, which is something I found useful while doing a very rudimentary version of what you are talking about (and not coming close to completing it). It also has a folder structure.

I think for something as interconnected as these themes, both a hierarchical and nonhierarchical structure are merited, both for navigation and for producing novel insights (Zettelkasten style).

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This sounds like an awesome project :anjal:

I’m sure you’ve got these in the back of your mind, but it’s not on your list, so I thought I would give it ‘voice’:

  • The 4 right efforts
  • The 5 powers/faculties
  • The 7 enlightenment factors
  • The Gradual training

May this endeavor bare great fruit :anjal:

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Thanks, I had to google Zettelkasten, and not sure I understand it even after that, but interested to see your eventual output!

As I understand it, the Bilara software will enable notes, but I was planning on using them mainly for internal purposes (segments I want to come back to or perhaps elaboration of “other”) but will be keeping my own notes as well so will look into Obsidian.

Yes, plan both hierarchical (first allocated theme) and nonhierarchical (one segment can have multiple themes so a theme search will find all segments (at least all that I allocated anyway!)….if I understood your point.

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Good point Adrian! Those were the sort of lists I meant by #9! There are so many lists :slight_smile: I suspect most will be allocatable to another theme so just wanted a storehouse for lists not otherwise allocatable. There will be many subjective decisions to make (e.g., whether the Enlightenment factors are allocated to #8 as I intended). I will keep track of tricky allocations and generate explanatory notes as I go but am trying to make this as seemless and quick as possible as I know what a big body of work this is going to be :slight_smile:

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Nice, Hasantha. As it happens I just got off a meeting w/ Hongda about Bilara, and fine-tuning the new tags feature.

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Greetings,

I’m going to throw a dirty word in here, but is AI not perfectly suited to help you with this endevour?

Warm regards,

Peter

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Spending days and days and days hanging out with the Buddha and his disciples sounds far more satisfying and enjoyable.

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True, someone could use AI ….. but I can confidently inform you that it will not be me
(in this or subsequent iterations of me ….as best as I can tell from this iteration of me anyway).

PS: I wouldn’t trust anything that cant recognise a traffic light with something of little value, let alone with something that holds the key to the eradication of all forms of suffering.

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