Part 4 - Itivuttaka Pali

The fourth treatise contains 112 suttas divided into four nipatas with verses and prose mixed, one supplementing the other. Although the collection contains the inspired sayings of the Buddha as m Ud'ana, each passage is preceded by the phrase ( Iti vuttam Bhagavata', thus was said by the Buddha,' and reads like a personal note book in which are recorded short pithy sayings of the Buddha

The division into nipatas instead of vaggas denotes that the collection is classified m ascending numerical order of the categones of the dhamma as in the nipatas of the Anguttara. Thus in Ekaka Nipata are passages dealing with single items of the dhamma" "Bhikkhus, abandon craving; I guarantee attainment to the stage of an Anagami if you abandon craving". In Duka Nipata, each passage deals with units of two items of the dhamma There are two forms of Nibbana dhatu, namely, Sa-upadisesa Nibbana dhatu, with the five khandhas still remaining, and Anupddisesa Nibbana dhatu, without any khandha remaining