Assutavāsutta
Unlearned
An ignorant person might become free of attachment to their body, but not their mind. Still, it would be better to attach to the body, as it is less changeable than the mind, which jumps about like a monkey.
Translations
Dutiyaassutavāsutta
Unlearned (2nd)
An ignorant person might become free of attachment to their body, but not their mind. Still, it would be better to attach to the body, as it is less changeable than the mind. But a noble disciple reflects on dependent origination.
Translations
Puttamaṁsasutta
A Child’s Flesh
The Buddha defines the four kinds of “food” or “nutriment”, which include edible food, contact, intention, and consciousness. He illustrates them with a series of powerful and horrifying similes.
Translations
Atthirāgasutta
If There Is Desire
The Buddha defines the four kinds of “food” or “nutriment”, which include edible food, contact, intention, and consciousness, showing how they lead to suffering according to dependent origination.
Translations
Nagarasutta
The City
The Buddha tells the story of how his awakening came about through investigation into dependent origination. He compares it to a man discovering and ancient city, lost and overgrown with weeds.
Translations
Sammasasutta
Probing Within
The right way to investigate inside oneself is to see how suffering is created by craving and attachment, stimulated by pleasant experiences.
Translations
Naḷakalāpīsutta
Sheaves of Reeds
Venerables Mahākoṭṭhita and Sāriputta discuss whether the factors of dependent origination are created by oneself, another, both, or by chance.
Translations
Kosambisutta
At Kosambī
Venerable Saviṭṭha questions Venerable Musīla about his attainments, and concludes he is an arahant. But Venerable Nārada offers an explanation showing that it is possible to see the Dhamma without having fully realized arahantship.
Translations
Upayantisutta
Surge
Like rivers flowing to the ocean, the factors of dependent origination lead to suffering.
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Susimaparibbājakasutta
The Wanderer Susīma
The wanderer Susı̄ma fraudulently enters the Sangha so that the wanderers can learn the secret to the Buddha’s fame and success. Hearing that some mendicants claimed to be perfected, Susīma approaches and asks them if they have developed psychic powers or the formless states, to which they say no. Perplexed, he asks the Buddha, who explains that awakening follows insight into the principles of impermanence and causality. Eventually Susı̄ma confesses his misdeed.