The Atthaka Vagga (the Octet Chapter) of the Sutta Nipata contains sixteen poems on the subject of non-clinging. These teachings offer a radical and challenging approach to the liberative teachings of the Buddha, focusing most specifically on the subject of clinging to views and desire.

These verses may well contain some of the earliest teachings of the Buddha, since there are other discourses within the Pali Canon that refer to these teachings, and the language of these verses is more arachic than that of other discouses in the Pali Canon.

During this daylong, we explored this ancient text from different perspectives: as an internally consistent teaching that proposes a radical path of non-clinging, without reference to any metaphysical belief system, and as a teaching contained within the larger body of Buddhist literature, highlighting some apparent contradictions between the two, and possible ways to reconcile them.

Several versions of the Atthaka Vagga are available freely

• Handout with traslation
• translation by Thanissaro Bhikkhu (also available in“A Handful of Leaves” Book 4)

Recordings: