The Udana and the Itivuttaka
Two Small Classics from the Pali Canon
The Buddha's Sayings

This book combines under one cover two of the most beautiful and uplifting texts of the Páli Canon, the Udaana and the ltivuttaka. The Udaana is a collection of 80 short suttas, each beginning with a memorable incident that comes to the Buddha's attention and elicits from him an “Inspired Utterance” expressing his insight into the event's deeper significance. Opening at the foot of the Bodhi Tree shortly after the Enlightenment, the Udaana records some of the best known incidents in the Master's life.

The Itivuttaka consists of 112 suttas in mixed prose and verse. According to tradition, these suttas were collected by the servant woman Khujjuttaraa, the Buddha's most learned woman lay follower, from sermons given by him in Kosambi. The suttas, elevated and profound, at times reach a pitch of lofty spiritual exaltation.

The translations, which combine clarity and precision, follow closely the original texts in all important respects. Helpful explanatory notes, drawn mostly from their authorized Páli commentaries, clear up obscure points and provide additional background information for the reader. The translator, John D. Ireland, an English Buddhist, was a longtime student of Páli and Buddhist canonical literature.

 

 

 

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