The Āgamas
Early discourses · Chinese transmission
The Chinese Āgamas preserve early Buddhist discourses in four principal collections. The linked BDK edition is Volume I of the Madhyama Āgama.
The four principal Āgamas
- Dīrgha Āgama · long discourses
- Madhyama Āgama · middle-length discourses
- Saṃyukta Āgama · connected discourses
- Ekottarika Āgama · numbered discourses
Translations & sourcesEditions & translators
BDK offers a free English PDF of the first volume of the Madhyama Āgama. Additional volumes belong to the same translation project.
Edition & attribution
An introduction. Follow the source link below to read the translated text.
Introductions, reflection questions and added section headings are editorial material, separate from the attributed translation.
Collection · free PDF of volume I
Source link checked October 1, 2026. The linked publisher provides the text and its usage terms.
Connections
Guru Viking0
No connected episodes found for this text.
People & teachers2
- Siddhārtha Gautama · the Buddha
Principal teacher in these parallel transmissions of the early discourses.
Source
- Bhikkhu Analayo
Teaches on this text:
- Mindfulness According to Early Buddhist SourcesNames this text
Traditions & history5
- Translation into Chinese
The Chinese translation and preservation of the Madhyama Āgama.
Source
- Early monastic schools
The early monastic traditions through which different discourse collections were transmitted.
Source
- East Asian traditions
Study context: this text is included in the Atlas guide to East Asian traditions.
- Mahāsāṃghika
Study context: this text is included in the Atlas guide to Mahāsāṃghika.
- Dharmaguptaka
Study context: this text is included in the Atlas guide to Dharmaguptaka.
Books1
- The Perfection of Wisdom in First Bloom
Comparative study linking Āgama material and early Perfection of Wisdom literature.
Source
Topics2
- Emptiness & not-self
Explore Emptiness & not-self across the Atlas.
- Mindfulness & awareness
Explore Mindfulness & awareness across the Atlas.
Make yourself comfortable
About this textContext & reading guide
The Chinese Āgamas preserve early Buddhist discourses transmitted through schools other than the Theravāda lineage. Many have parallels in the Pāli Nikāyas, while details and arrangements can differ.
Reading parallel versions helps distinguish shared themes from a particular transmission’s wording. Begin with BDK’s Madhyama Āgama translation; the linked first volume covers part of the middle-length collection, not all four Āgamas.