So, the time has come. Or at least, a time.
We have just uploaded a wide range of English sutta translations by Bhikkhu Bodhi to SuttaCentral. Not all of them, yet, but all that we are legally permitted to use. They include a substantial selection from each of the three Nikayas that he has translated: the Middle length Discourses, the Connected Discourses, and the Numerical Discourses.
You can read about crossing the flood, or the kinds of persons who have expectations, or how the Buddha got scared in his meditation!
The whole range of translations can be accessed through the relevant nikaya pages here, here, and here, with BB’s translations the first listed in the right hand column.
We give great thanks to Bhikkhu Bodhi, for having created these extraordinary translations, which are the gold standard for accuracy and readability. He has been quietly championing SuttaCentral for some time, and has a great wish to see the Suttas become more widely available. We also thank Wisdom Publications, for working on these texts with Ven Bodhi for so many years, and for kindly releasing these selections under a Creative Commons licence.
If you like the translations, buy the books! (And it wouldn’t hurt to let Wisdom know that you found these teachings via SuttaCentral…)
Sujato’s Blog 
Well, this is happy news….! 🙂 Thank you for sharing, Ajahn!
>If you like the translations, buy the books! (And it wouldn’t hurt to let Wisdom know that you found >these teachings via SuttaCentral…)
Perhaps put a referral link from Sutta Central to Wisdom site so that Wisdom Publications know that the user is being referred by SC?? This way even if people do not buy the book Wisdom site will have more hits as a result of their work being made available via SC. This is a much more effective way as not many will bother writing to Wisdom Publications about how they encountered the books but the down side is SC then becomes a site advertising third party products…..
Every translated sutta has a link to Wisdom.
It is more that sad, that even those who should be a sample do not encourage to stick on what is given, give samples of generosity but rather believe in rights to take and organize system of takings, it’s more than shameful.
Of course it sounds strange for strangers, but what should be the hindrance to request? To see the reality of how seldom generosity and letting go actually is?
Another work lost and gone.
What?
Have already bought the book “Words of the Buddha” by Wisdom Publications i believe. Thanks for the concerted, dedicated effort to make known the Dhamma out there!
Interesting coincidence that a wide range of English sutta translations by Bhikkhu Bodhi has been uploaded to SuttaCentral at almost the same time that http://www.palicanon.org had to shut down because of a legal complaint from Wisdom Publications on copyright related issues.
Well there are those two extremes, both neglecting right view. The battle in the world, the Brahmans and the Robin hoods… When ever you join this or that way of corruption you will stay in this world.
Actually it really sad that those who have “put don’t the rod” are still fighting for a “higher purpose”.
Hi Brc,
Unfortunately palicanon.org uploaded the whole of BB’s texts, without attribution or permission, thus opening themselves to a DCMA takedown request. SuttaCentral has only used material made available by Wisdom under Creative Commons. Hopefully in the future the entire corpus will be made available by Wisdom, but they are in no hurry. Palicanon.org were of the belief that the Buddhist texts were a spiritual treasure of humanity, and should not be subject to copyright. I agree, but until a court case proves otherwise, the law usually holds translations, even of public domain texts, to be subject to copyright.
In the meantime, I just heard a rumor of a new project to retranslate the entire canon, so perhaps we will ultimately end up with a full version. Of course, most such projects start out grand and don’t get very far. Anyway, we can dream!
Nevertheless you should ask. Whether it is even proper to ask in some kinds of livelihoods is a higher step. Common ground is no place where to take either for some.
Be a good sample in gratitude and generosity. Consciously. Don’t show any kind of Robin Hood intentions. People love worldly hero, but the Dhamma is simple, so simply that it transcendent, dependency and demand without taking what is not given at least. Slowly, slowly, with confidence as support, step by step.