Dear friends,

to begin with, there are some admin. issues.

1. the placeholder page for the web version of the translation will
be similar as always: http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/strans/

2. over the past years, there have also been various translations
being posted to the group. It is sad to see them buried in the
archive. I shall set up a page to list these translations, and point
to their locations in the archive. This will take quite some time, to
go through the archive. If anyone keeps a record or list and wish to
make it available, you may do so by writing to me offlist, or
creating the list under the "Sutta Translations" folder on
the "Links" page:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Pali/links/

Here are the preliminaries:

1. The size of Anguttara Nikaya: The Anguttara Nikaya is the largest
of the four Nikayas. As is given in the Suma`ngalavilaasinii (Vol.1,
p.5, PTS ed.), the relative size of each of the four Nikayas are:

Diighanikaaya: 64 bhaa.navaaras
Majjhimanikaaya: 80 bhaa.navaaras
Sa.myuttanikaaya: 100 bhaa.navaaras
A"nguttaranikaaya: 120 bhaa.navaaras

A bhaa.navaara (a round or unit of recitation) is a measurement of
about 8000 syllables (=250 verses x 32 syllables).

An easy guess is AN has around 10,000 suttas. The number is probably
not accurate. The PTS counts only 2,214 suttas.

2. The name of Anguttara Nikaya (AN): I have been trying to
understand the meaning of the title of this collection. Please
correct me if I am wrong.

anguttara = anga+uttara [Bahubbiihi]: incrementally factored.
anga (n.) constituent, member, factor, part, item.
uttara (adj.) higher, superior, upper, further.

In this case, anguttara = numerically grouped.

nikaaya = ni+kaaya [Kammadhaaraya]: collection
ni (prefix) great.
kaaya (m.) body.

Literally, nikaaya = great body, i.e. a large collection (of suttas).

3. Organisation of AN: It contains eleven sections, each section is
called a nipaata. Each nipaata is further subdivided into vaggas.

nipaata = ni+paata [K]
ni (prefix) down.
paata (m.) fall.

Literally, nipaata = downwards fall. In this case, it means a section
of text.

4. The first section: Book of Ones

ekakanipaata = ekaka+nipaata [K]
ekaka = eka+ka (adj.) consisting of ones.

Literally, ekakanipaata = the section consisting of ones. We shall
name it the Book of Ones.

5. Number of vaggas: There are twenty Vaggas in the Book of Ones.

6. The first vagga: Ruupaadivagga

ruupaadivagga = ruupa+aadi+vagga (m.) The Chapter on Matter and
Others.
ruupa (n.) matter, form.
aadi (adj.) and so on.
vagga (m.) chapter.

7. Number of suttas: Here, the question of "How do we count the
Suttas in the Book of Ones" arises? All suggestions are welcome.


metta,
Yong Peng.