Translating Classical Buddhism to Modern English

The Medium Discourses

(Skt. Madhyama Āgama; Ch. 中阿含經)

The Medium Discourses was translated twice to Chinese; the second translation is the one that survives today. Completed in the late 4th century CE, it appears to represent the Sarvâstivāda version of the collection. The Pali equivalent is the Majjhima Nikāya, but the two collections differ somewhat in both their arrangement and the texts chosen. With a total 212 sutras, the Medium Discourses contains many texts that appear in the Pali Aṅguttara Nikāya and some that don’t appear to exist in Pali. The collection is divided into five recitations and 18 thematic chapters.

Below is a list of sutra translations that are currently available.