PART I
-STUDIES IN EARLY BUDDHIST SOURCES
I. The Buddhist Canon and Its Chronology
The Abhidhanna and its versions; The
Vinaya and its versions: The Nikayas
and the Agamas; The chronology of the
canon, esp., of tlie Nikayas.
II. The Stratification oi the Nikayas: Prob
lems AND Methods
Critical resume of previous work; The
criteria of stratification; The state of
doctrinal evolution; Interpolation; Voca
bulary and other linguistic features; Geo
graphy; Political and Social data; Prose
and verse.
III. The Stratification of SutfanipatAj Itivut-
. taka and Uda.na
Suttanipata: Chinese evidence; The Atthakavagga;
The Parayana-vagga; The Mahavagga;
Conclusion. Itivuttaka: Chinese
version; The various Nipatas; Conclusion;
Udana: Prose and verse; The various
Vaggas; Conclusion.
IV. Early and Late in the Digha-Nikaya
Early and late in DIrghagama and Dlghanikaya;
Analysis of tiie Suttas; Conclu
sion.
V. Early and Late in the Majjhima-Nikaya
The grouping and order of the Suttas; Clas
sification and analysis of the Suttas; Con
clusion.
VI. Early and Late in the Samyutta-Nikaya
Samyutta-nikaya and Samyuktagama;
Analysis; Conclusion.
VII. Early and Late in the .\Nc;Lrr.\RA NiKAVA
Angiitiara-nikaya and the EkoUaragaina;
Form and Style: Partial siratificaiion.
PART II
STUDIES L\ THE HISTORICAL AND CULTUR.\L
ISACKGROUN'D OF EARLY BUDDHISM
VIZI. Review of the Vedic Backgrolnp
The significance ol" Pre-Vedic Civilisation:
Munis and sramanas in the \'edic Age:
The development of Vedic society: Gods
and men: Ritual and its develo[)nicnt:
Brahmana Eschaiolog)' and Transmigration:
Aforal revolution: The growth of
Sell'-knowiedge: Yoga: The origins oI
Sahkhya.
IX. Religious Conditions in the .-\ge of Buddha
Social being and social consciousness: Social
change in the Age of Buddha. The
Brahmanas and their religion: Popular
religion; The rise of asceticism: Intel
lectual ferment: Early Jaina faith.
X. The Life of Buddha
Sources; Early life and circumstances: Re
nouncing the world; The Noble Quest
and Enlightenment: The spread of Bud
dha's doctrine; Buddha's personality.
PART III
STUDIES IN EARLY BUDDHIST DOCTRINES
XI. Suffering and txs Origin
The Noble Truths: Suffering and its place
in Buddha's teachings; The origin of
Suffering: The interpretations of Pratityasamutpada;
The two aspects of Pratityasamutpada;
The general jn'inciple; The
Middle Way; Pratityasamutpada: The
applied fonn: The development of for
mula.
XII. Nirvaisa
The interpretations of Nin'ana—ancient and
modern; The problem of Nirvana; Sambodhi
and Nirvana; The meaning and
significance of Dharma; Nirvana and Pratityasaniutpada;
The nature of Nirvana;
The problem of Self: Historical analysis of
the Nikiiyic data; Buddha's Silence; Con
clusion.
XIII. The Way to Nirvana
The Way and tlie Truth; The Buddhist
Way and the Upanisads; 5lla—Samadhi—
Prajha; Bodhipakkhiyadhammas; Moral
culture; Concentration and meditation;
Stages of spiritual progress.
XIV. Earey Buddhism in Rei.ation to its Rivals
AND Forerunners
Jainism; Sahkhya; Yoga; The Vedic tra
dition.
XV. Some Trends in the Post-Nikaya Develop
ment OF" Early Buddhism
The origin of schism; The sects; The
chief controversies and lines of develop
ment.