BSRV 28.1 (2011) 3–78 Buddhist Studies Review ISSN (print) 0256-2897 doi: 10.1558/bsrv.v28i1.3 Buddhist Studies Review ISSN (online) 1747-9681 The Buddha’s Teachings to Lay People JOHN KELLY AIDE TO BHIKKHU BODHI WITH HIS AṄGUTTARA NIKĀYA TRANSLATION
[email protected] ABSTRACT In this work, all the discourses addressed to lay people in the four main nikāyas of the Pāli Canon, and most of those in the fifth Khuddaka( ), have been surveyed, categorized, and analysed. The different ways in which the Buddha customized his style of teaching and the Dhamma being taught according to the various demographic characteristics of his audience (i.e., age, gender, class, and spiritual attainment) are explored, highlighted and discussed. Some of the findings are to be expected, whereas others are less so. There are several clear gender and class differences in the type of discourse used, the topics of the teaching, and in whether the sutta is oriented to lead the lis- tener to the more worldly goals of happiness in this life or a good rebirth, as opposed to being directed towards complete liberation from rebirth. There are differences too based on the age of the addressees, but less pronounced. This survey has also brought forth some distinct characteristics of the dif- ferent nikāyas of the Pāli Canon in terms of their suttas to the lay commu- nity. The Aṅguttara Nikāya contains more suttas targeted directly to lay people, plus many others of the ‘indirect’ variety, more suttas addressed to women and to the middle-class, and a higher emphasis on the goals of hap- piness in this life and a good rebirth.