Guide to Tipitaka

This Collection of Discourses, A³guttara Nikæya, containing 9,557 short suttas is divided into eleven divisions known as nipætas. Each nipæta is divided again into groups called vaggas which usually contain ten suttas. The discourses are arranged in progressive numerical order, each nipæta containing suttas with items of dhamma, beginning with one item and moving up by units of one till there are eleven items of dhamma in each sutta of the last nipæta, Hence the name A³guttara meaning ‘increasing by one item’. The first nipæta, Ekaka Nipæta, provides in each sutta single items of dhamma called the Ones; the second nipæta, Duka Nipæta, contains in each sutta two items of dhamma called the Twos, and the last nipæta, Ekædasaka Nipæta, is made up of suttas with eleven items of dhamma in each, called the Elevens.
A³guttara Nikæya constitutes an important source book on Buddhist psychology and ethics, which provides an enumerated summary of all the essential features concerning the theory and practice of the Dhamma. A unique chapter entitled Etadagga Vagga of Ekaka Nipæta enumerates the names of the foremost disciples amongst the bhikkhus, bhikkhunøs, upæsakas, upæsikæs, who had achieved pre-eminence in one sphere of attainment or meritorious activity, e.g. the Venerable Særiputta in Intuitive Wisdom and Knowledge (Paññæ); the Venerable Mahæ Moggallæna in supernormal powers (Iddhi); Bhikkhunø Khema in Paññæ; Bhikkhunø Uppalava¼¼a in Iddhi; the Upæsaka Anæthapi¼ðika and the Upæsikæ Visækhæ in alms-giving (Dæna); and so on.

Anguttara Nikâya – eleven divisions:

1. Ekaka Nipâta Pâli
2. Duka Nipâta Pâli
3. Tika Nipâta Pâli
4. Catukka Nipâta Pâli
5. Pañcaka Nipâta Pâli
6. Chakka Nipâta Pâli
7. Sattaka Nipâta Pâli
8. Atthaka Nipâta Pâli
9. Navaka Nipâta Pâli
10. Dasaka Nipâta Pâli
11. Ekâdasaka Nipâta Pâli