The Khuddaka Nikaya is different in character from the other four Nikayas of the Sutta Pitaka in the Theravada Pali Canon in that rather than being a single work it is, as its customary translation ‘Minor Anthologies’ suggests, a collection of independent works. A true anthology!
It contains some of the most important and well-known works in the Pali Canon, including the Dhammapada, the Udana, the Sutta Nipata and the Jataka Tales; and, in some recensions, Milinda’s Questions. There are also other works less-known to many Buddhists and students of Buddhism, such as the Vimanavatthu, the Therigatha and the Theragatha.
These offer a wider perspective on the Dhamma as it has been lived through the centuries. Yet, perhaps because of its ‘anthology’ character and wide range, the Khuddaka Nikaya is less familiar in its entirety than the Digha Nikaya, Majjhima Nikaya, the Sa?yutta Nikaya, and the A?guttara Nikaya which are more self-contained. Now, for the first time on audio, Dharma Audiobooks has brought together a compilation of the Principal Texts, spread over three volumes.
Listening to all three will, it is hoped, give the interested listener a clear and satisfying overview of the Anthology. Volume 1 contains the Khuddaka Patha, Dhammapada, Udana, Itivuttaka, Sutta Nipata, Vimanavatthu and Petavatthu. Each one has its own introduction, some short, some comprehensive. To many with some familiarity of the Pali Canon, it will offer an opportunity to revisit some of the central Buddhist texts, including the Dhammapada and the Udana – Inspired Utterances of the Buddha. But even for the ‘many’ an encounter with the Vimanavatthu – Stories of the Mansions and Petavatthu – Stories of the Departed will come as a surprise, for here we venture into the more mythical area of the Dhamma. In the Vimanavatthu we find ourselves visiting the ‘Mansions’ inhabited by the devas, a pleasant and enjoyable environment won through the karmic result of good deeds. We meet the devas who explain how, though often people living ordinary and unprivileged lives, find themselves unexpectedly transported to ethereal regions.
The Petavatthu, by contrast, display the darker side of karma, and features a succession of ghost stories. These important works are presented by readers who know their subjects from personal practice and study.
