A series at Ru-Yi Meditation Center

Majjhima Nikāya

The Middle-Length Discourses of the Buddha

The Majjhima Nikāya is the second of the five collections of discourses in the Pāli Canon — 152 dialogues, parables, and instructions whose length sits between the long suttas of the Dīgha Nikāya and the short suttas of the Saṃyutta Nikāya. It is, for most teachers, the heart of the Buddha's spoken teaching: long enough to develop a scene, short enough to read in a sitting, and concentrated on the practical question of how to walk the path.

Each entry on this page will, in time, link to a study page with three things: a reading guide in plain English, the full Sujato translation (with one click to expand all repetitions), and a 10-question self-check quiz. We are publishing slowly. MN 1 is live; the rest are coming.

Discourses
152, arranged in 15 chapters (vagga) across 3 sections of fifty (paṇṇāsa)
English source
Bhikkhu Sujato, released CC0 by SuttaCentral
Pāli source
Mahāsaṅgīti edition, CC0
Reference
Bhikkhu Bodhi, The Middle Length Discourses (Wisdom, 1995)
Chinese parallel
Most discourses have a counterpart in the Madhyama-āgama (T26), preserved in Chinese

How to start

If you are new to the Majjhima Nikāya, do not start at MN 1. The first discourse is one of the most demanding in the collection — a useful place to finish a first pass, not to begin one. Choose one of the paths below.

Four recommended reading paths

→ The foundation path. MN 10 (Mindfulness Meditation) · MN 22 (The Simile of the Cobra) · MN 38 (The Longer Discourse on the Ending of Craving)
→ The practice path. MN 36 (The Longer Discourse with Saccaka) · MN 39 (The Longer Discourse at Assapura) · MN 118 (Mindfulness of Breathing)
→ The emptiness and non-self path. MN 121–122 (The Shorter and Longer Discourses on Emptiness) · MN 148 (The Six Sets of Six)
→ The ethics and society path. MN 41 (The People of Sālā) · MN 117 (The Great Forty) · MN 135 (The Shorter Analysis of Deeds)

All 152 discourses

Linked rows have a published reading guide. Unlinked rows are listed for navigation and will become available as the series progresses.

I. Mūlapaṇṇāsa MN 1–50 · five chapters
3. Opammavagga MN 21–30
4. Mahāyamakavagga MN 31–40
  • MN 31Cūḷagosiṅga · The Shorter Discourse at Gosiṅgasoon
  • MN 32Mahāgosiṅga · The Longer Discourse at Gosiṅgasoon
  • MN 33Mahāgopālaka · The Longer Discourse on the Cowherdsoon
  • MN 34Cūḷagopālaka · The Shorter Discourse on the Cowherdsoon
  • MN 35Cūḷasaccaka · The Shorter Discourse with Saccakasoon
  • MN 36Mahāsaccaka · The Longer Discourse with Saccakasoon
  • MN 37Cūḷataṇhāsaṅkhaya · The Shorter Discourse on the Ending of Cravingsoon
  • MN 38Mahātaṇhāsaṅkhaya · The Longer Discourse on the Ending of Cravingsoon
  • MN 39Mahā-Assapura · The Longer Discourse at Assapurasoon
  • MN 40Cūḷa-Assapura · The Shorter Discourse at Assapurasoon
5. Cūḷayamakavagga MN 41–50
  • MN 41Sāleyyaka · The People of Sālāsoon
  • MN 42Verañjaka · The People of Verañjasoon
  • MN 43Mahāvedalla · The Longer Series of Questions and Answerssoon
  • MN 44Cūḷavedalla · The Shorter Series of Questions and Answerssoon
  • MN 45Cūḷadhammasamādāna · The Shorter Discourse on Taking Up Practicessoon
  • MN 46Mahādhammasamādāna · The Longer Discourse on Taking Up Practicessoon
  • MN 47Vīmaṃsaka · The Inquirersoon
  • MN 48Kosambiya · The Mendicants of Kosambīsoon
  • MN 49Brahmanimantanika · On the Invitation of Brahmāsoon
  • MN 50Māratajjanīya · The Rebuke of Mārasoon
II. Majjhimapaṇṇāsa MN 51–100 · five chapters · dialogues with kings, brāhmaṇas, householders, monks
6. Gahapativagga MN 51–60
  • MN 51Kandaraka · With Kandarakasoon
  • MN 52Aṭṭhakanāgara · The Man from the City of Aṭṭhakasoon
  • MN 53Sekha · A Traineesoon
  • MN 54Potaliya · With Potaliyasoon
  • MN 55Jīvaka · With Jīvakasoon
  • MN 56Upāli · With Upālisoon
  • MN 57Kukkuravatika · The Dog-Duty Asceticsoon
  • MN 58Abhayarājakumāra · With Prince Abhayasoon
  • MN 59Bahuvedanīya · The Many Kinds of Feelingsoon
  • MN 60Apaṇṇaka · Guaranteedsoon
7. Bhikkhuvagga MN 61–70
  • MN 61Ambalaṭṭhikārāhulovāda · Advice to Rāhula at Ambalaṭṭhikasoon
  • MN 62Mahārāhulovāda · The Longer Advice to Rāhulasoon
  • MN 63Cūḷamāluṅkya · The Shorter Discourse with Māluṅkyasoon
  • MN 64Mahāmāluṅkya · The Longer Discourse with Māluṅkyasoon
  • MN 65Bhaddāli · With Bhaddālisoon
  • MN 66Laṭukikopama · The Simile of the Quailsoon
  • MN 67Cātumā · At Cātumāsoon
  • MN 68Naḷakapāna · At Naḷakapānasoon
  • MN 69Goliyāni · With Goliyānisoon
  • MN 70Kīṭāgiri · At Kīṭāgirisoon
8. Paribbājakavagga MN 71–80
  • MN 71Tevijjavacchagotta · To Vacchagotta on the Three Knowledgessoon
  • MN 72Aggivacchagotta · With Vacchagotta on Firesoon
  • MN 73Mahāvacchagotta · The Longer Discourse with Vacchagottasoon
  • MN 74Dīghanakha · With Dīghanakhasoon
  • MN 75Māgaṇḍiya · With Māgaṇḍiyasoon
  • MN 76Sandaka · With Sandakasoon
  • MN 77Mahāsakuludāyi · The Longer Discourse with Sakuludāyīsoon
  • MN 78Samaṇamuṇḍika · With Uggāhamāna Samaṇamuṇḍikasoon
  • MN 79Cūḷasakuludāyi · The Shorter Discourse with Sakuludāyīsoon
  • MN 80Vekhanasa · With Vekhanasasoon
9. Rājavagga MN 81–90
  • MN 81Ghaṭīkāra · With Ghaṭīkārasoon
  • MN 82Raṭṭhapāla · With Raṭṭhapālasoon
  • MN 83Makhādeva · About Makhādevasoon
  • MN 84Madhura · At Madhurāsoon
  • MN 85Bodhirājakumāra · With Prince Bodhisoon
  • MN 86Aṅgulimāla · With Aṅgulimālasoon
  • MN 87Piyajātika · Born from the Belovedsoon
  • MN 88Bāhitika · The Imported Clothsoon
  • MN 89Dhammacetiya · Shrines to the Teachingsoon
  • MN 90Kaṇṇakatthala · At Kaṇṇakatthalasoon
10. Brāhmaṇavagga MN 91–100
  • MN 91Brahmāyu · With Brahmāyusoon
  • MN 92Sela · With Selasoon
  • MN 93Assalāyana · With Assalāyanasoon
  • MN 94Ghoṭamukha · With Ghoṭamukhasoon
  • MN 95Caṅkī · With Caṅkīsoon
  • MN 96Esukārī · With Esukārīsoon
  • MN 97Dhanañjāni · With Dhanañjānisoon
  • MN 98Vāseṭṭha · With Vāseṭṭhasoon
  • MN 99Subha · With Subhasoon
  • MN 100Saṅgārava · With Saṅgāravasoon
III. Uparipaṇṇāsa MN 101–152 · five chapters · detailed instruction on meditation, emptiness, and the analysis of action
11. Devadahavagga MN 101–110
  • MN 101Devadaha · At Devadahasoon
  • MN 102Pañcattaya · The Five and Threesoon
  • MN 103Kinti · What Do You Take Me For?soon
  • MN 104Sāmagāma · At Sāmagāmasoon
  • MN 105Sunakkhatta · With Sunakkhattasoon
  • MN 106Āneñjasappāya · Conducive to the Imperturbablesoon
  • MN 107Gaṇakamoggallāna · With Moggallāna the Accountantsoon
  • MN 108Gopakamoggallāna · With Moggallāna the Guardiansoon
  • MN 109Mahāpuṇṇama · The Longer Discourse on the Full-Moon Nightsoon
  • MN 110Cūḷapuṇṇama · The Shorter Discourse on the Full-Moon Nightsoon
12. Anupadavagga MN 111–120
  • MN 111Anupada · One by Onesoon
  • MN 112Chabbisodhana · The Sixfold Purificationsoon
  • MN 113Sappurisa · A True Personsoon
  • MN 114Sevitabbāsevitabba · What Should and Should Not Be Cultivatedsoon
  • MN 115Bahudhātuka · Many Elementssoon
  • MN 116Isigili · At Isigilisoon
  • MN 117Mahācattārīsaka · The Great Fortysoon
  • MN 118Ānāpānassati · Mindfulness of Breathingsoon
  • MN 119Kāyagatāsati · Mindfulness of the Bodysoon
  • MN 120Saṅkhārupapatti · Rebirth by Choicesoon
13. Suññatavagga MN 121–130
  • MN 121Cūḷasuññata · The Shorter Discourse on Emptinesssoon
  • MN 122Mahāsuññata · The Longer Discourse on Emptinesssoon
  • MN 123Acchariya-abbhuta · Incredible and Amazingsoon
  • MN 124Bakkula · With Bakkulasoon
  • MN 125Dantabhūmi · The Level of the Tamedsoon
  • MN 126Bhūmija · With Bhūmijasoon
  • MN 127Anuruddha · With Anuruddhasoon
  • MN 128Upakkilesa · Corruptionssoon
  • MN 129Bālapaṇḍita · The Foolish and the Astutesoon
  • MN 130Devadūta · Messengers of the Godssoon
14. Vibhaṅgavagga MN 131–142
  • MN 131Bhaddekaratta · One Fine Nightsoon
  • MN 132Ānandabhaddekaratta · Ānanda and One Fine Nightsoon
  • MN 133Mahākaccānabhaddekaratta · Mahākaccāna and One Fine Nightsoon
  • MN 134Lomasakaṅgiyabhaddekaratta · Lomasakaṅgiya and One Fine Nightsoon
  • MN 135Cūḷakammavibhaṅga · The Shorter Analysis of Deedssoon
  • MN 136Mahākammavibhaṅga · The Longer Analysis of Deedssoon
  • MN 137Saḷāyatanavibhaṅga · The Analysis of the Six Sense Fieldssoon
  • MN 138Uddesavibhaṅga · Analysis of a Recitation Passagesoon
  • MN 139Araṇavibhaṅga · The Analysis of Non-Conflictsoon
  • MN 140Dhātuvibhaṅga · The Analysis of the Elementssoon
  • MN 141Saccavibhaṅga · The Analysis of the Truthssoon
  • MN 142Dakkhiṇāvibhaṅga · The Analysis of Religious Donationssoon
15. Saḷāyatanavagga MN 143–152
  • MN 143Anāthapiṇḍikovāda · Advice to Anāthapiṇḍikasoon
  • MN 144Channovāda · Advice to Channasoon
  • MN 145Puṇṇovāda · Advice to Puṇṇasoon
  • MN 146Nandakovāda · Advice from Nandakasoon
  • MN 147Cūḷarāhulovāda · The Shorter Advice to Rāhulasoon
  • MN 148Chachakka · The Six Sets of Sixsoon
  • MN 149Mahāsaḷāyatanika · The Great Discourse on the Six Sense Fieldssoon
  • MN 150Nagaravindeyya · With the People of Nagaravindasoon
  • MN 151Piṇḍapātapārisuddhi · The Purification of Almssoon
  • MN 152Indriyabhāvanā · The Development of the Facultiessoon