Excerpt from – An Analysis of Dependent Co-arising Paṭiccasamuppāda Vibhaṅga Sutta (SN 12:2)

Staying near Sāvatthī … “Monks, I will describe & analyze dependent co-arising for you. And what is dependent co-arising?

From ignorance as a requisite condition come fabrications.

From fabrications as a requisite condition comes consciousness.

From consciousness as a requisite condition comes name-&-form.

From name-&-form as a requisite condition come the six sense media.

From the six sense media as a requisite condition comes contact.

From contact as a requisite condition comes feeling.

From feeling as a requisite condition comes craving.

From craving as a requisite condition comes clinging/sustenance.

From clinging/sustenance as a requisite condition comes becoming.

From becoming as a requisite condition comes birth.

From birth as a requisite condition, then aging-&-death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair come into play. Such is the origination of this entire mass of stress & suffering.

Source https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/SN/SN12_2.html which has the following copyright: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ The author of www.dhammatalks.org also states: “There is some uncertainty about the meaning of ‘Commercial’ with regard to the CC NonCommercial License. For example, some consider the sale of content to support a non-profit entity to be ‘NonCommercial.’  The author and copyright holder of the content on this site considers any sale, including by non-profit entities for non-profit purposes, to be ‘Commercial’ and a copyright violation.“

Excerpt from Victory Through What is Well Spoken
Subhāsita-jaya Sutta  (SN 11:5)

You make things worse
when you flare up
at someone who’s angry.
Whoever doesn’t flare up
at someone who’s angry
wins a battle
hard to win.
You live for the good of both
—your own, the other’s—
when, knowing the other’s provoked,
you mindfully grow calm.
When you work the cure of both
—your own, the other’s—
those who think you a fool
know nothing of Dhamma

which has the following copyright: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ The author of www.dhammatalks.org also states: “There is some uncertainty about the meaning of ‘Commercial’ with regard to the CC NonCommercial License. For example, some consider the sale of content to support a non-profit entity to be ‘NonCommercial.’  The author and copyright holder of the content on this site considers any sale, including by non-profit entities for non-profit purposes, to be ‘Commercial’ and a copyright violation.“Source https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/SN/SN11_5.html

Excerpt from The Top of the Standard
Dhajagga Sutta  (SN 11:3)

“But, monks, I tell you this: If, when you have gone to the wilderness, to the foot of a tree, or to an empty dwelling, there should arise fear, terror, or horripilation, then on that occasion you should recollect me thus: ‘Indeed, the Blessed One is worthy & rightly self-awakened, consummate in clear-knowing & conduct, well-gone, an expert with regard to the cosmos, unexcelled trainer of people fit to be tamed, teacher of devas & human beings, awakened, blessed.’ For when you recollect me, monks, any fear, terror, or horripilation you may have will be abandoned.

“If you don’t recollect me, then you should recollect the Dhamma thus: ‘The Dhamma is well taught by the Blessed One, to be seen here & now, timeless, inviting verification, leading out, to be experienced by the observant for themselves.’ For when you recollect the Dhamma, monks, any fear, terror, or horripilation you may have will be abandoned.

“If you cannot recollect the Dhamma, then you should recollect the Saṅgha thus: ‘The Saṅgha of the Blessed One’s disciples who have practiced well, practiced straightforwardly, practice methodically, practiced masterfully, i. e., the four pairs, the eight-types (of noble ones): That is the Saṅgha of the Blessed One’s disciples—deserving of gifts, deserving of hospitality, deserving of offerings, deserving of respect, the unexcelled field of merit for the world.’ For when you recollect the Saṅgha, monks, any fear, terror, or horripilation you may have will be abandoned.

“Why is that? Because the Tathāgata, worthy & rightly self-awakened, is free of passion, free of aversion, free of delusion. He is fearless, cannot be terrorized, bold, not quick to flee.”

This is what the Blessed One said. Having said this, the One Well-Gone, the Teacher, further said this:

“In wilderness, monks, at the foot of a tree,
or in an empty dwelling, recollect the Buddha:
You will have no fear.
If you don’t recall the Buddha—chief of the world,
the bull of men—then recollect the Dhamma,
leading out, well taught.
If you don’t recall the Dhamma—leading out,
well taught—then recollect the Saṅgha,
the field of merit unexcelled.
For those who have thus recalled the Buddha,
Dhamma,& Saṅgha, monks, there will be
no terror, horripilation, or fear.”

Source https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/SN/SN11_3.html which has the following copyright: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ The author of www.dhammatalks.org also states: “There is some uncertainty about the meaning of ‘Commercial’ with regard to the CC NonCommercial License. For example, some consider the sale of content to support a non-profit entity to be ‘NonCommercial.’  The author and copyright holder of the content on this site considers any sale, including by non-profit entities for non-profit purposes, to be ‘Commercial’ and a copyright violation.“

I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Āḷavī in the haunt of the Āḷavaka yakkha. Then the Āḷavaka yakkha went to the Blessed One and on arrival said to him: “Get out, contemplative!”

(Saying,) “All right, my friend,” the Blessed One went out.

“Come in, contemplative!”

(Saying,) “All right, my friend,” the Blessed One went in.

A second time… A third time, the Āḷavaka yakkha said to the Blessed One, “Get out, contemplative!”

(Saying,) “All right, my friend,” the Blessed One went out.

“Come in, contemplative!”

(Saying,) “All right, my friend,” the Blessed One went in.

Then a fourth time, the Āḷavaka yakkha said to the Blessed One, “Get out, contemplative!”

“I won’t go out, my friend. Do what you have to do.”

“I will ask you a question, contemplative. If you can’t answer me, I will possess your mind or rip open your heart or, grabbing you by the feet, hurl you across the Ganges.”

“My friend, I see no one in the cosmos with its devas, Māras & Brahmās, its contemplatives & brahmans, its royalty & commonfolk, who could possess my mind or rip open my heart or, grabbing me by the feet, hurl me across the Ganges. But nevertheless, ask me what you wish.”

Āḷavaka:
“What is a person’s highest wealth?
What, when well-practiced, brings bliss?
What is the highest of savors?
Living in what way
is one’s life called the best?”
The Buddha:
“Conviction is a person’s highest wealth.
Dhamma, when well-practiced, brings bliss.
Truth is the highest of savors.1
Living with discernment,
one’s life is called best.”
Āḷavaka:
“How does one cross over the flood?
How cross over the sea?
How does one overcome suffering & stress?
How is a person purified?”
The Buddha:
“Through conviction one crosses over the flood.
Through heedfulness, the sea.
Through persistence one overcomes
suffering & stress.
Through discernment a person is purified.”
Āḷavaka:
“How does one gain discernment?
How does one find wealth?
How does one attain honor?
How bind friends to oneself?
Passing from this world
to
the next world,
how does one not grieve?”
The Buddha:
“Convinced of the arahants’ Dhamma
for attaining unbinding,
—heedful, observant—
one listening well
gains discernment.
Doing what’s fitting,
enduring burdens,
one with initiative
finds wealth.
Through truth
one attains honor.
Giving
binds friends to oneself.
Endowed with these four qualities,
—truth,
self-control,
stamina,
relinquishment—
a householder of conviction,
on passing away, doesn’t grieve.
Now, go ask others,
common brahmans & contemplatives,
if anything better than
truth,
self-control,
stamina,
& relinquishment
here can be found.”
Āḷavaka:
“How could I go ask
common brahmans & contemplatives?—
now that today I understand
what benefits
the next life.
It was truly for my well-being
that the Awakened One came
to stay in Āḷavī.
Today I understand
where what is given
bears great fruit.
I’ll wander from village to village,
town to town,
paying homage to the Self-awakened One
& the true rightness of the Dhamma.”

Source https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/SN/SN10_12.html which has the following copyright: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ The author of www.dhammatalks.org also states: “There is some uncertainty about the meaning of ‘Commercial’ with regard to the CC NonCommercial License. For example, some consider the sale of content to support a non-profit entity to be ‘NonCommercial.’  The author and copyright holder of the content on this site considers any sale, including by non-profit entities for non-profit purposes, to be ‘Commercial’ and a copyright violation.“

On one occasion the Blessed One was staying among the Magadhans at the Jewel-stand Shrine, the haunt of the yakkha-spirit, Maṇibhadda [Auspicious Jewel].

Then Maṇibhadda the yakkha-spirit went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, recited this verse:

“It’s always auspicious for one who is mindful.
The mindful one prospers happily—always.
The mindful one grows better each day
and is totally freed from animosity.”

The Buddha:

“It’s always auspicious for one who is mindful.
The mindful one prospers happily always.
The mindful one grows better each day
but isn’t totally freed from animosity.
Whoever’s heart, all day, all night,
delights in harmlessness
with goodwill for all beings
has no animosity with anyone at all.

See also: MN 61; SN 47:19; AN 4:96; AN 4:99

Source: https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/SN/SN10_4.html which has the following copyright: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ The author of www.dhammatalks.org also states: “There is some uncertainty about the meaning of ‘Commercial’ with regard to the CC NonCommercial License. For example, some consider the sale of content to support a non-profit entity to be ‘NonCommercial.’  The author and copyright holder of the content on this site considers any sale, including by non-profit entities for non-profit purposes, to be ‘Commercial’ and a copyright violation.“

The Builder
Navakammika Sutta  (SN 7:17)

On one occasion the Blessed One was staying among the Kosalans in a certain forest grove. Now at that time the brahman Navakammika [“Builder”] Bhāradvāja was getting some work done in that forest grove. He saw the Blessed One sitting under a Sal tree—his legs folded crosswise, his body held erect, with mindfulness set to the fore. On seeing him, the thought occurred to the brahman: “Here I am, taking delight in getting work done in this forest grove. But what does this contemplative take delight in getting done?”

So he went to the Blessed One and on arrival recited this verse:

“What jobs are getting done,
monk in the Sal forest?
Alone in the wilderness,
in what does Gotama
find delight?”

The Buddha:

“I have no work
to do in the forest.
The forest of restless dancing about
I’ve cut
at the root.
Though in the forest, I’m
deforested,
de-arrowed.
I delightalone,
discontent cast away.”

When this was said, the brahman Navakammika Bhāradvāja said to the Blessed One: “Magnificent, Master Gotama! Magnificent! Just as if he were to place upright what was overturned, to reveal what was hidden, to show the way to one who was lost, or to carry a lamp into the dark so that those with eyes could see forms, in the same way has Master Gotama—through many lines of reasoning—made the Dhamma clear. I go to Master Gotama for refuge, to the Dhamma, & to the Saṅgha of monks. May Master Gotama remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge from this day forward, for life.”

Source https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/SN/SN7_17.html which has the following copyright: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ The author of www.dhammatalks.org also states: “There is some uncertainty about the meaning of ‘Commercial’ with regard to the CC NonCommercial License. For example, some consider the sale of content to support a non-profit entity to be ‘NonCommercial.’  The author and copyright holder of the content on this site considers any sale, including by non-profit entities for non-profit purposes, to be ‘Commercial’ and a copyright violation.“

Very Rich
Mahāsāla Sutta  (SN 7:14)

Near Sāvatthī. Then a certain very rich brahman—shabby, shabbily dressed—went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, exchanged courteous greetings with him. After this exchange of friendly greetings & courtesies, he sat to one side. As he was sitting there the Blessed One said to him, “Why, brahman, are you shabby & shabbily dressed?”

“Just now, Master Gotama, my four sons—at their wives instigation—threw me out of the house.”

“In that case, brahman, memorize these verses and then recite them when a large assembly of people have gathered in the town hall and your sons are sitting there, too.

“Those whose birth
I delighted in
—whose growth I desired—
at their wives instigation
have chased me away,
as dogs would swine.
Wicked & vile,
though they call me ‘Dad’:
demons in the disguise of sons
who abandon me in old age.
As an old horse
of no more use
is deprived of fodder,
so the elderly father
of those foolish boys
begs at other people’s homes.
My staff serves me better
than those disobedient sons.
It fends off
ferocious bulls
& ferocious curs.
In the dark it goes before me;
down steep slopes, it gives support.
Through the power of my staff,
when I stumble
I still stand firm.”

Then the very rich brahman, having memorized these verses in the presence of the Blessed One, recited them when a large assembly of people had gathered in the town hall and his sons were sitting there, too:

[Repetition of the above versus… modification of the original for brevity here. mbk]

Then the brahman’s sons, having led him home, bathed him, and each provided him in a pair of cloths. So the brahman, taking one pair of cloths, went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, exchanged courteous greetings with him. After this exchange of friendly greetings & courtesies, he sat to one side. As he was sitting there he said to the Blessed One, “We brahmans, Master Gotama, look for a teacher’s fee for our teacher. May Master Gotama accept this teacher’s portion from me.”

The Blessed One accepted it out of sympathy.

Then the very rich brahman said to the Blessed One: “Magnificent, Master Gotama! Magnificent! Just as if he were to place upright what was overturned, to reveal what was hidden, to show the way to one who was lost, or to carry a lamp into the dark so that those with eyes could see forms, in the same way has Master Gotama—through many lines of reasoning—made the Dhamma clear. I go to Master Gotama for refuge, to the Dhamma, & to the Saṅgha of monks. May Master Gotama remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge from this day forward, for life.”

Source https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/SN/SN7_14.html which has the following copyright: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ The author of www.dhammatalks.org also states: “There is some uncertainty about the meaning of ‘Commercial’ with regard to the CC NonCommercial License. For example, some consider the sale of content to support a non-profit entity to be ‘NonCommercial.’  The author and copyright holder of the content on this site considers any sale, including by non-profit entities for non-profit purposes, to be ‘Commercial’ and a copyright violation.“

The Tangle
Jaṭā Sutta  (SN 7:6)

Near Sāvatthī. Then the brahman Jaṭā [“Tangle”] Bhāradvāja went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, exchanged courteous greetings with him. After this exchange of friendly greetings & courtesies, he sat to one side. As he was sitting there he addressed the Blessed One with a verse:

“A tangle within, a tangle without, people are entangled in a tangle. Gotama, I ask you this: Who can untangle this tangle?”

The Buddha:

“A man established in virtue, discerning, developing discernment & mind, a monk ardent, astute: He can untangle this tangle. Those whose passion, aversion, & ignorance have faded away, arahants, their effluents ended: For them the tangle’s untangled. Where name-&-form, along with perception of impingement & form, totally stop without trace: That’s where the tangle is cut.”

When this was said, the brahman Jaṭā Bhāradvāja said to the Blessed One, “Magnificent, Master Gotama! Magnificent! Just as if he were to place upright what was overturned, to reveal what was hidden, to show the way to one who was lost, or to carry a lamp into the dark so that those with eyes could see forms, in the same way has Master Gotama—through many lines of reasoning—made the Dhamma clear. I go to Master Gotama for refuge, to the Dhamma, & to the Saṅgha of monks. Let me obtain the Going-forth in Master Gotama’s presence, let me obtain Acceptance.”

Then the brahman Jaṭā Bhāradvāja received the Going-forth in the Blessed One’s presence, he gained the Acceptance. And not long after his Acceptance—dwelling alone, secluded, heedful, ardent, & resolute—he in no long time entered & remained in the supreme goal of the holy life, for which clansmen rightly go forth from home into homelessness, directly knowing & realizing it for himself in the here & now. He knew: “Birth is ended, the holy life fulfilled, the task done. There is nothing further for the sake of this world.” And so Ven. Bhāradvāja became another one of the arahants.

Source: https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/SN/SN7_6.html which has the following copyright: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ The author of www.dhammatalks.org also states: “There is some uncertainty about the meaning of ‘Commercial’ with regard to the CC NonCommercial License. For example, some consider the sale of content to support a non-profit entity to be ‘NonCommercial.’  The author and copyright holder of the content on this site considers any sale, including by non-profit entities for non-profit purposes, to be ‘Commercial’ and a copyright violation.“

Insult
Akkosa Sutta  (SN 7:2)

I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Rājagaha in the Bamboo Forest, the Squirrels’ Sanctuary. Then the brahman Akkosaka [“Insulter”] Bhāradvāja heard that a brahman of the Bhāradvāja clan had gone forth from the home life into homelessness in the presence of the Blessed One. Angered & displeased, he went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, insulted & cursed him with rude, harsh words.

When this was said, the Blessed One said to him: “What do you think, brahman? Do friends & colleagues, relatives & kinsmen come to you as guests?”

“Yes, Master Gotama, sometimes friends & colleagues, relatives & kinsmen come to me as guests.”

“And what do you think? Do you serve them with staple & non-staple foods & delicacies?”

“Yes, sometimes I serve them with staple & non-staple foods & delicacies.”

“And if they don’t accept them, to whom do those foods belong?”

“If they don’t accept them, Master Gotama, those foods are all mine.”

“In the same way, brahman, that with which you have insulted me, who is not insulting; that with which you have taunted me, who is not taunting; that with which you have berated me, who is not berating: that I don’t accept from you. It’s all yours, brahman. It’s all yours.

“Whoever returns insult to one who is insulting, returns taunts to one who is taunting, returns a berating to one who is berating, is said to be eating together, sharing company, with that person. But I am neither eating together nor sharing your company, brahman. It’s all yours. It’s all yours.”

“The king together with his court know this of Master Gotama—‘Gotama the contemplative is an arahant’—and yet still Master Gotama gets angry.”1

The Buddha:

“Whence is there anger for one free from anger, tamed, living in tune— one released through right knowing, calmed & Such. You make things worse when you flare up at someone who’s angry. Whoever doesn’t flare up at someone who’s angry wins a battle hard to win. You live for the good of both —your own, the other’s— when, knowing the other’s provoked, you mindfully grow calm. When you work the cure of both —your own, the other’s— those who think you a fool know nothing of Dhamma.”

When this was said, the brahman Akkosaka Bhāradvāja said to the Blessed One, “Magnificent, Master Gotama! Magnificent! Just as if he were to place upright what was overturned, to reveal what was hidden, to show the way to one who was lost, or to carry a lamp into the dark so that those with eyes could see forms, in the same way has Master Gotama—through many lines of reasoning—made the Dhamma clear. I go to Master Gotama for refuge, to the Dhamma, & to the Saṅgha of monks. Let me obtain the Going-forth in Master Gotama’s presence, let me obtain Acceptance (into the Saṅgha of monks).”

Then the brahman Akkosaka Bhāradvāja received the Going-forth in the Blessed One’s presence, he gained the Acceptance. And not long after his Acceptance—dwelling alone, secluded, heedful, ardent, & resolute—he in no long time entered & remained in the supreme goal of the holy life, for which clansmen rightly go forth from home into homelessness, directly knowing & realizing it for himself in the here & now. He knew: “Birth is ended, the holy life fulfilled, the task done. There is nothing further for the sake of this world.” And so Ven. Bhāradvāja became another one of the arahants.

Note

1. Akkosaka thinks that the Buddha is cursing him—and thus angry—when actually the Buddha is simply stating a fact in line with the law of kamma.

Source: https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/SN/SN7_2.html which has the following copyright: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ The author of www.dhammatalks.org also states: “There is some uncertainty about the meaning of ‘Commercial’ with regard to the CC NonCommercial License. For example, some consider the sale of content to support a non-profit entity to be ‘NonCommercial.’  The author and copyright holder of the content on this site considers any sale, including by non-profit entities for non-profit purposes, to be ‘Commercial’ and a copyright violation.“

Sister Somā
Somā Sutta  (SN 5:2)

Near Sāvatthī. Then, early in the morning, Somā the nun adjusted her robes and, taking her bowl & outer robe, went into Sāvatthī for alms. When she had gone for alms in Sāvatthī and had returned from her alms round, after her meal she went to the Grove of the Blind to spend the day. Having gone deep into the Grove of the Blind, she sat down at the foot of a tree for the day’s abiding.

Then Māra the Evil One, wanting to arouse fear, horripilation, & terror in her, wanting to make her fall away from concentration, approached her & addressed her in verse:

“That
which is
to be attained by seers
—the place so very hard to reach—
women
can’t
—with their two-inch discernment—
attain.”

Then the thought occurred to Somā the nun: “Now who has recited this verse—a human being or a non-human one?” Then it occurred to her: “This is Māra the Evil One who has recited this verse wanting to arouse fear, horripilation, & terror in me, wanting to make me fall away from concentration.”

Then, having understood that “This is Māra the Evil One,” she replied to him in verses:

“What
difference
does being a woman make
when the mind’s well-centered,
when knowledge is progressing,
seeing clearly, rightly,
into the Dhamma.
Anyone who thinks
‘I’m a woman’
or ‘a man’
or ‘Am I anything at all?’—
that’s who Māra’s
fit to address.”

Then Māra the Evil One—sad & dejected at realizing, “Somā the nun knows me”—vanished right there.

Source: https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/SN/SN5_2.html which has the following copyright: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ The author of www.dhammatalks.org also states: “There is some uncertainty about the meaning of ‘Commercial’ with regard to the CC NonCommercial License. For example, some consider the sale of content to support a non-profit entity to be ‘NonCommercial.’  The author and copyright holder of the content on this site considers any sale, including by non-profit entities for non-profit purposes, to be ‘Commercial’ and a copyright violation.“