Udana: Exclamations – A Translation (2012) with an Introduction & Notes by Thanissaro Bhikku. The term udana has two meanings, one denoting a vocal expression, the other a genre of text. As a vocal expression, it can be translated roughly as “exclamation,” and in particular an exclamation that’s spontaneous and inspired. As a genre of text, udana means a style of narrative in the Pali Canon developed in an effort to commit to memory the Buddha’s inspired exclamations. The Udana’s focus on communicating values to revolutionize the heart and mind of the reader runs up against modern and postmodern attitudes toward finding meaning in a text.
