samyutta

Samyutta is a major collection within the Sutta Pitaka of the Pali Canon in Theravada Buddhism. The term samyutta derives from Pali and means connected or linked, reflecting the collection’s practice of organizing discourses by shared topics rather than by length. The Samyutta Nikaya comprises numerous suttas arranged into groups called vaggas, with each group focusing on a cohesive theme. The discourses are generally brief and consist of dialogues or sermons in which the Buddha or his disciples explore a particular topic. The collection is regarded as one of the primary sources for early Buddhist teaching, offering thematic access to doctrine and practice.

Content and form: The discourses cover a wide range of subjects, including fundamental doctrines such as impermanence, suffering, no-self, and dependent origination, as well as ethical and meditative instructions. Topics are often presented through questions and answers with monks, lay followers, or celestial beings, and they frequently illustrate how to apply insight and ethical conduct in daily life. The Samyutta Nikaya preserves a number of dialogues that illuminate core Buddhist ideas within a compact, context-rich format.

Manuscripts and translations: The Samyutta Nikaya exists in the traditional Pali canon and has parallels in Chinese Agama collections. In modern scholarship, it has been translated into English and other languages, with prominent editions and translations by scholars such as Bhikkhu Bodhi. Contemporary editions often present the text with cross-references to related suttas and paralleled material in other canons.

Significance: In Theravada study and practice, the Samyutta Nikaya provides accessible entry points to core doctrines, meditative themes, and ethical instruction, while also serving as a resource for doctrinal analysis and historical study.