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Although the Aṅguttara Nikāya is known as the “Numbered” or “Numerical” Discourses, its etymology may give us clues as to its origin. The word Aṅguttara is composed of aṅgā, which  in Pāli and in Sanskrit means "member" or "division" and uttara which means "northern". In Sanskrit, "north" is used figuratively also in the sense of superior, from above, so uttara could be figuratively translated as "more than" in an incremental sense.

The different categories into which the early Buddhist canonical texts prior to Hinayana scholasticism were called aṅgās. Originally categories were made depending on the type of material within the various texts and later, it was used to classify those same texts.

Aṅguttara can therefore refer to its geographical origin as "northern division" or "incremental division". The second meaning seems clear regarding the organization in books, from the book of ones, successively to the one of elevens, where speeches are grouped in relation to the number of teaching topics they contain. However, "northern division" as well as being the most direct translation can give clues about its geographical origin considering, furthermore, that Pāli itself is linguistically related to the Prakrit dialects of northwestern India, but where it appears is in the south.

This second book, that of Doses, maintains the matrix structure of Mātikās from the previous book, serving as a mnemonic base for headings to be remembered, so it is not very legible and, therefore, of little interest. We can highlight the AN 2.61, on the permanent female dissatisfaction as a very curious original contribution.

The Book of Twos - Aṅguttara Nikāya

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  • Colección de Discursos Numerados del Buddha 

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