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Ancient Buddhist Texts Home Page
Texts in English Only
In this section there are many works, most of which have parallels
that appear along with the text in the Texts and Translations
section of this website, but here are presented in English only.
Note that there are many extra chanting texts
in that section that are not included here.
All of these translations are now available in 5 different formats:
HTM, PDF, EPUB & MP3
The audio files can be accessed either
from the page itself or by going to the
Audio page
The epub and mobi files can be downloaded
in bulk from the
downloads page
Biographical Works
Early Sources for the Life of the Buddha:
The Great Chronicles of the Buddhas
The Bodhisatta, the 24 Buddhas, our Buddha and his Disciples
From Buddha-to-be to Teacher
in the Buddha’s own Words
The Discourse about the Noble Search (MN 26)
The Discourse to Prince Bodhi (MN 85)
Exalted Utterances (Udāna, KN 3)
The Great Emancipation (DN 16)
Buddhakhetta and Buddhāpadāna (Ap 1.1 and Essay)
Why the Buddha Suffered (Ap 39.10 and Comm.)
Nuns and Women
Works in Pāḷi centering on Women:
Known Nun Disciples of the Buddha
The Stories about the Foremost Elder Nuns (AN & AA 8.51-53)
Three Discourses concerning Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī (AN 8.51-53)
The Discourse giving the Analysis of Offerings (MN 142)
Thematic Discourses about Nuns (SN 5)
Nandaka’s Advice (MN 146 & AA 1.4.7)
Arahat Dhammadinnā’s Teaching (MN 44 & Comms.)
Khemā Therī’s Wisdom (SN 44.1)
Doctrinal Works
Doctrinal works mainly from the Pāḷi Canon:
Dhamma Topics and their Analysis
Dhammatthavinicchaya (collection)
Sentences of the Law
Ven Buddharakkhita’s Translation of the Dhammapada (KN 2)
Dhamma Verses
A Translation of the Dhammapada (KN 2)
Patna Dhamma Verses
The Patna version of the Dhammapada.
Buddhist Wisdom Verses
(551 verses from the Canon)
The Discourse that Set the Dhamma Wheel Rolling
(from Vin Mv 1)
The Discourse concerning Vāseṭṭha (MN 98)
The Discourse giving the Analysis of the Truths (MN 141)
The Analysis of Conditional Origination (SN 12.2)
The Second Discourse giving an Analysis of the Faculties (SN 48.10)
The Discourse about the Belief Systems (AN 3.61)
The Discourse about Suitable Deeds (AN 4.61)
The Discourse on the Dishonest (AN & AA 4.70) 2020
The Discourse on the Right Use (of Wealth) (AN 5.41)
The Six Factors of Giving (AN 6.37)
The First Discourse on the Bases for Talk (AN 10.69)
Meditation Discourses
Works from the Pāḷi Canon on Meditation:
The Discourse about the Ways of Attending to Mindfulness (DN 22)
The Long Discourse Giving Advice to Rāhula (MN 62)
The Discourse about Mindfulness while Breathing (MN. 118)
The Discourse about Mindfulness related to the Body (MN. 119)
The Discourse Concerning Māluṅkyaputta (SN 35. 95)
The Discourse to Girimānanda (AN 10:60)
Abhidhamma
Some Important Works from the Abhidhamma:
The Matrix from the Abstract Teaching (Dhammasaṅgaṇī 1 & 2)
The Analysis of Conditional Origination (Vibh. 6)
The Analysis of the Ways of Attending to Mindfulness (Vibh. 7)
The Enumeration and Explanation of the Conditions (Paṭṭhāna 1 & 2)
Jātaka Stories
Some Past Life Stories of the Buddha:
The Jātaka Translation
547 Stories from the Jātaka Commentary (Revised and Reconstructed) (Ja)
The Jātaka Verses and their Word Commentaries
(Jātakagāthāvaṇṇanā, 1-300)
Ja 1 The Story about what is Unquestionable
Apaṇṇakajātaka
Ja 2 The Story about a Sandy Place
Vaṇṇupathajātaka
Ja 3 The Story about the Tradesman from Serivā
Serivavāṇijajātaka
Ja 273 The Story about the Biting Turtle
Ja 526 Naḷinikā’s Story
or: The Seduction of an Innocent
The Introduction to the Story of the Cuckoo
or: The Buddha goes to War (from Jā 536)
Garland of Birth Stories
J. S. Speyer’s translation of Āryaśūra’s Jātakamālā
Post-Canonical Works
Some Important Works from the Post-Canonical Period:
Dhamma Verses Commentary
300+ Stories from the Dhammapada Commentary (Dhp-A)
This is a revised version of the following:
Buddhist Legends
300+ Stories from the Dhammapada Commentary (Dhp-A)
E W Burlingame’s Original Translation
Buddhist Parables
220 Stories from Canonical, Para-Canonical and Commentarial sources
The Great Chronicles of the Buddhas
The previous 24 Buddhas, our Buddha Gotama and his disciples
The Life of the Victorious Buddha
translation of Jinacarita
The Chronicle of the Island
Dīpavaṁsa
The Light of Asia by Sir Edwin Arnold
Buddha, a poem by Madame A. Christina Albers
Non-Pāḷi Tradition
Some works in Prakrit and Sanskrit:
The Entrance into the Light of the Dharma (from Lalitavistara)
The Earliest Recorded Discourses of the Buddha
(from Lalitavistara, Mahākhandaka & Mahāvastu)
The Journey from Uruvilvā to Ṛṣipatana (from Mahāvastu)
The Discourse that Set the Dharma-Wheel Rolling
(from Lalitavistara)
The Discourse on Arising and Ceasing
(The Fourth Discourse of the Buddha) (Mhv pp. 446-9)
The Explanation and Analysis of Conditional Origination from the Beginning
An Analysis of the Topics
(Arthaviniścaya)
The Dharma Collection
(Dharma-Saṅgraha)
The Analysis of Deeds
(Karma-vibhaṅga) 2020
The Buddha Carita or The Life of the Buddha
E.B. Cowell’s translation of Aśvaghoṣa’s Buddhacarita
Ramayana, The Epic of Rama, Prince of India
Condensed into English Verse by Romesh C. Dutt
Mahabharata, Epic of the Bharatas
Condensed into English Verse by Romesh C. Dutt