Translating Classical Buddhism to Modern English

The Medium Discourses

(S. Madhyama Āgama; C. 中阿含經)

The Medium Discourses was translated twice to Chinese; the second translation by Gautama Saṅghadeva is the one that survives today. The translation was completed in 398 CE and appears to represent a Sarvāstivāda version of the Madhyama Āgama.

The Pali equivalent of this Āgama is the Majjhima Nikāya, but the two collections differ somewhat in both their arrangement and size. With a total of 222 sūtras, the Medium Discourses contains many texts that have parallels in the Pali Aṅguttara Nikāya and Dīgha Nikāya. A handful of sūtras in the Medium Discourses don’t appear to have any extant parallels.

This version of the Madhyama Āgama was divided into eighteen chapters as shown in the table of contents below. Links to the primary Pali parallels, if any, are provided alongside each sūtra. Parallels in parentheses () indicate that there is only a vague similarity between the texts, such as having common topics but different arrangements and wording.

The English translation remains a work in progress. Please feel free to send any feedback or corrections.

Table of Contents

Chapter Sūtra Pali Parallel(s)
1. The Sevens 1. Skillful Qualities AN 7.68
2. The Pārijāta Tree AN 7.69
3. The City Parable AN 7.67
4. The Water Parable AN 7.15
5. The Wood Pile Parable AN 7.72
6. The Good Person’s Departure AN 7.55
7. Worldly Merit —
8. Seven Suns AN 7.66
9. Seven Chariots MN 24
10. Ending the Contaminants MN 2, AN 6.58
2. Related to Deeds 11. The Rock Salt Parable AN 3.100
12. Vāṣpa AN 4.195
13. Crossings AN 3.61
14. Rāhula MN 61
15. Intention AN 10.217-219
16. The Kālāmas AN 3.65
17. Gāminī SN 42.6
18. Siṃha AN 8.12
19. Jains MN 101
20. Pāṭaliya SN 42.13
3. Related to Śāriputra 21. Equitable Mind AN 2.32-41
22. Accomplishing the Precepts AN 5.166
23. Knowledge SN 12.32
24. Lion’s Roar AN 9.11
25. The Water Parable (2) AN 5.162
26. Gulissāni MN 69
27. The Brahmin Dhānañjāni MN 97
28. Teaching the Sick SN 55.26, MN 143
29. Mahākauṣṭhila MN 9, AN 9.13
30. Parable of the Elephant’s Footprint MN 28
31. Discernment of the Noble Truths MN 141
4. Unprecedented Things 32. Unprecedented Qualities MN 123, AN 4.127
33. The Attendant —
34. Bakula MN 124
35. Asura AN 8.19
36. Earthquakes AN 8.70, SN 51.10
37. Campā AN 8.20
38. The Prominent Man Ugra AN 8.21-22
39. The Prominent Man Ugra (2) —
40. The Prominent Man Hastaka AN 8.24
41. The Prominent Man Hastaka (2) AN 8.23
5. Related to Training 42. What Purpose AN 11.1
43. Don’t Think AN 11.2
44. Mindfulness AN 11.3
45. Conscience and Modesty AN 7.65, 11.1
46. Conscience and Modesty (2) AN 7.65, 11.1
47. Precepts AN 11.3
48. Precepts (2) AN 11.4
49. Veneration AN 5.22
50. Veneration (2) AN 5.22
51. The Origin AN 10.62
52. Food AN 10.61-62
53. Food (2) AN 10.61-62
54. Knowledge of the End —
55. Nirvāṇa SN 12.23
56. Meghiya AN 9.3
57. A Teaching for the Monks AN 9.1
6. Related to Kings 58. The Seven Treasures SN 46.42
59. The Thirty-Two Signs DN 30
60. The Four Continents —
61. Cow Dung Parable SN 22.96
62. King Bimbisāra Meets the Buddha —
63. Vebhaḷiṅga MN 81
64. Heaven’s Messengers MN 130, AN 3.36
65. Parable of the Raven —
66. Tales of the Past —
67. Mahādeva’s Mango Grove MN 83
68. King Mahāsudarśana DN 17
69. Thirty Parables —
70. The Wheel-Turning King DN 26
71. Pāyāsi DN 23
7. King Dīrghāyu 72. The Legend of King Dīrghāyu MN 128
73. The Gods AN 8.64
74. Eight Thoughts AN 8.30
75. The Pure Way to the Imperturbable MN 106
76. *Ugracelā AN 8.63
77. The Three Clansmen of Sāketa MN 68
78. Brahmā’s Invitation to the Buddha MN 49
79. The Greater Gods MN 127
80. The Rough Cloth —
81. Mindfulness of Body MN 119
82. Crickets AN 6.60
83. A Senior Elder’s Drowsiness AN 7.61
84. Thornless AN 10.72
85. The Genuine Person MN 113
86. Teaching the Bases —
8. Defilement 87. Defilements MN 5
88. Seeking Dharma MN 3
89. A Monk’s Request MN 15
90. Knowing the Dharma AN 10.24
91. Cunda’s Questions about Views MN 8
92. The Analogy of the Blue and White Lotus Flowers AN 10.23, SN 22.94
93. The Water Purification Brahmin MN 7
94. The Monk Kālaka AN 10.87
95. Abiding in Qualities AN 10.53
96. Not Having AN 10.55
9. Causation 97. Great Causation DN 15
98. Abodes of Mindfulness MN 10, DN 22
99. The Cause of Suffering MN 13
100. The Cause of Suffering (2) MN 14
101. Progressive Mental States MN 20
102. Thoughts MN 19
103. Lion’s Roar MN 11
104. Udumbara DN 25
105. Aspirations MN 6, AN 10.71
106. Conceptions MN 1
10. Forests 107. Forests MN 17
108. Forests (2) MN 17
109. Examining One’s Own Mind MN 114, AN 10.54
110. Examining One’s Own Mind (2) AN 10.51
111. Mastering the Religious Life AN 6.63
112. Anupiyā AN 6.62
113. The Origin of Things AN 8.83, AN 10.58
114. Udraka SN 35.103
115. Parable of the Honey Ball MN 18
116. Gautamī AN 8.51
11. The Greats 117. Gentleness AN 3.39
118. Nāga Elephant AN 6.43
119. Standpoints of Discussion AN 3.67
120. Teaching Impermanence SN 22.76
121. Invitations SN 8.7
122. Campā AN 8.10
123. The Ascetic Koṭīviṃśa AN 6.55
124. Eight Difficulties AN 8.29
125. Poverty AN 6.45
126. Engaging in Desires AN 10.91
127. Fields of Merit AN 2.35
128. The Laymen AN 5.179
129. The Rival Clan AN 7.64
130. Instructing Dharmika AN 6.54
131. Defeating Māra MN 50
132. Rāṣṭrapāla MN 82
133. Upāli MN 56
134. Śakra’s Questions DN 21
135. Sujāta DN 31
136. A Merchant Seeking Wealth —
137. The World AN 4.23 & Iti 112
138. Fortune AN 7.62
139. The Path of Calming (Snp 1.11)
140. The Extreme Iti 91 & SN 22.80
141. Similes SN 45.141-145, 146-148
12. The Brahmins 142. Varṣākāra AN 7.22
143. Saṅgāra AN 3.60
144. Maudgalyāyana the Mathematician MN 107
145. Gomaya Maudgalyāyana MN 108
146. Parable of the Elephant’s Footprint (2) MN 27
147. The Virtue of Learning —
148. What Suffering? AN 5.31
149. What Desire? AN 6.52
150. Aiṣukāri MN 96
151. Asaha MN 93
152. Śuka MN 99
153. Sugandika MN 75
154. Bhāradvāja’s Hall DN 27
155. Sudatta AN 9.20
156. The Brahmins’ Escape (or Highest Aim) Snp 2.7
157. Yellow Reeds Park AN 8.11
158. Doṇa AN 5.192
159. Agrahana (Br̥hadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad 3.6.1)
160. Araṇya AN 7.74
161. Brahmāyu MN 91
13. Discerning the Root 162. Discerning the Six Elements MN 140
163. Discerning the Six Abodes MN 137
164. Discerning the Contemplation of the Dharma MN 138
165. The God at Tapoda Grove MN 133
166. The Sage of the Meditation House among the Śākyans MN 134
167. Ānanda’s Teaching MN 132
168. Mental Action MN 120
169. Non-Conflict among the Kuru MN 139
170. Śuka MN 135
171. The Great Discernment of Actions MN 136
14. Mind 172. Heart AN 4.186
173. Bhūmi MN 126
174. Taking up the Dharma MN 45
175. Taking up the Dharma (2) MN 45
176. Meditators —
177. Assessments —
178. The Hunter MN 25
179. Owner of the Fivefold Possessions MN 78
180. Gautamī MN 142
181. Many Elements MN 115
15. Pairs 182. Aśvapura MN 35
183. Aśvapura (2) MN 40
184. The Gośṛṅga Sal Forest MN 32
185. The Gośṛṅga Sal Forest (2) MN 31
186. Inquiry MN 47
187. Assessing Knowledge MN 112
188. Ajina AN 10.116
189. The Noble Path MN 117
190. Lesser Emptiness MN 121
191. Greater Emptiness MN 122
16. The Greats (2) 192. Kāḷudāyin MN 66
193. Mūliphalguna MN 21
194. Bhaddālin MN 65
195. Aśvajit MN 70
196. Cunda MN 104
197. Upāli —
198. The Ground of the Tamed MN 125
199. The Grounds of the Foolish and the Wise MN 129
200. Ariṣṭa MN 22
201. Sāti MN 38
17. Potalaka 202. Keeping the Fast AN 3.70
203. Potalaka MN 54
204. Raṃbhaka MN 26
205. The Five Lower Bonds MN 64
206. Defilements of Mind MN 16
207. Sūciloma MN 77
208. Sūciloma (2) MN 79
209. Vimanasu MN 80
210. The Nun Dharmadinnā MN 44
211. Mahākauṣṭhila MN 43
18. The Order 212. Omniscience MN 90
213. Adornment of Dharma AN 10.30
214. Bṛhatikā MN 88
215. The Best Attainment AN 10.29
216. Born of Love MN 87
217. The City of Eight MN 52
218. Aniruddha —
219. Aniruddha (2) —
220. Views AN 7.54
221. Parable of the Arrow MN 63
222. The Order —

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