Recommended for beginner students
KANDARAKASUTTA
With Kandaraka
The Buddha discusses mindfulness meditation with lay practitioners. Contrasting the openness of animals with the duplicity of humans, he explains how to practice in a way that causes no harm to oneself or others.
Translations
Recommended for intermediate students
AṬṬHAKANĀGARASUTTA
The Man from Aṭṭhakanāgara
Asked by a householder to teach a path to freedom, Venerable Ānanda explains no less than eleven meditative states that may serve as doors to the deathless.
Translations
Recommended for intermediate students
SEKHASUTTA
A Trainee
The Buddha is invited by his family, the Sakyans of Kapilavatthu, to inaugurate a new community hall. He invites Venerable Ānanda to explain in detail the stages of spiritual practice for a lay trainee.
Translations
Recommended for intermediate students
POTALIYASUTTA
With Potaliya the Householder
When Potaliya got upset at being referred to as "householder", the Buddha quizzed him as to the true nature of attachment and renunciation.
Translations
Recommended for intermediate students
JĪVAKASUTTA
With Jīvaka
The Buddha's personal doctor, Jīvaka, hears criticisms of the Buddha's policy regarding eating meat, and asks him about it.
Translations
Recommended for intermediate students
UPĀLISUTTA
With Upāli
The Buddha disagrees with a Jain ascetic on the question of whether physical or mental deeds are more important. When he hears of this, the Jain disciple Upāli decides to visit the Buddha and refute him, and proceeds despite all warnings.
Translations
Recommended for intermediate students
KUKKURAVATIKASUTTA
The Ascetic Who Behaved Like a Dog
Some ascetics in ancient India undertook extreme practices, such as a vow to behave like an ox or a dog. The Buddha meets two such individuals, and is reluctantly pressed to reveal the kammic outcomes of such practice.
Translations
Recommended for intermediate students
ABHAYARĀJAKUMĀRASUTTA
With Prince Abhaya
The leader of the Jains, Nigantha Nātaputta, gives his disciple Prince Abhaya a dilemma to pose to the Buddha, supposing that this will show his weakness. Things don't go quite as planned.
Translations
Recommended for experienced students
BAHUVEDANĪYASUTTA
The Many Kinds of Feeling
The Buddha resolves a disagreement on the number of kinds of feelings that he taught, pointing out that different ways of teaching are appropriate in different contexts, and should not be a cause of disputes. He goes on to show the importance of pleasure in developing higher meditation.
Translations
Recommended for beginner students
APAṆṆAKASUTTA
Unfailing
The Buddha teaches a group of uncommitted householders how to use a rational reflection to arrive at practices and principles that are guaranteed to have a good outcome, even if we don't know all the variables.