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2020/08/29

각묵 스님의 아비담마 왕초보 입문 (Ⅰ) : 초기불교

각묵 스님의 아비담마 왕초보 입문 (Ⅰ) : 네이버 블로그

각묵 스님의 아비담마 왕초보 입문 (Ⅰ) 아비담마 / 수행의 길

2017. 7. 22. 8:33

복사https://blog.naver.com/hrsmc/221057062376

번역하기

아비담마 왕초보 입문 (Ⅰ)

이 글은 초기불전연구원의 아비담마 게시판에 각묵스님께서 2002년 12월 24일부터 2003년 1월 21일까지 기간 동안 올리신 글을 정리한 것입니다.

아비담마(Abhi dhamma)란 ‘부처님의 가르침(담마)에 대하여(아비)’라는 뜻으로

부처님께서 평생 설하신 가르침을 체계적으로 핵심만을 골라서 이해하려는 제자들의 노력이 정착된 것이다.

아비담마의 주제는 ‘내 안에서’ 벌어지는 물物‧심心의 현상이다.

이것이 바로 불교에서 말하는 법(dhamma)이며

내 안에서 벌어지는 여러 현상(dhamma)을 체계적으로 분석하고 관찰하고 사유하여

무상無常‧고苦‧무아無我인 법의 특상을 여실히 알아서

괴로움을 끝내고 열반을 실현하려는 것이 아비담마다.

Δ 7. 아비담마 소개 글들을 올리면서...

어떻게 하면 아비담마를 조금 더 쉽게 설명해볼 수 있을까 고심하였습니다. 그러다 문득 전에 미얀마에 있을 때 아비담마 입문서를 만들어보자면서 몇 십 쪽 글을 써둔 것이 떠올라 노트북의 파일들을 확인해보았는데 아직 남아있었습니다. 지금 부터 하나하나 올려보려 합니다. 거칠기도 하고 잘못 적은 부분이 있을 것 같아서 조심스럽습니다. 읽다가 잘못된 부분을 발견하시면 알려주시면 고치도록 하겠습니다. 까페 법우님들의 아비담마 이해에 조금이라도 도움이 되기를 바랍니다. / 각묵 합장

Δ 8. 준비운동

아비담마는 차디찬 얼음물과 같다. 여기서 차다는 말은 냉냉하다, 냉정하다, 감정이 없는 냉혈인간과 같다, 그래서 재미없고 무미건조하다는 등의 뜻을 내포하고 있다. 그러나 저 언덕에 도달하기 위해서는 반드시 이 차디찬 얼음물을 건너가야만 한다. 다른 경치 좋고 따뜻하고 사람을 끄는 물도 많이 있다. 그러나 그런 물에는 반드시 악어나 상어나 뱀들이 또아리고 있어서 산천경계에 속고 따뜻함을 즐기는 사이에 저 언덕은 고사하고 그 물에서 죽임을 당하기 십상일 것이다. 그러니 이 차디찬 물을 건너는 것이 가장 안전하고 쉬운 방법이라 아니할 수 없다.

그래서 어떤 미얀마 사야도께서는 아비담마를 공부하는 것이 최신형 보잉777 비행기의 수퍼퍼스트 클라스 자리에 열반행涅槃行 티켓을 예매해 두는 것이라고 침을 튀기며 말씀하시고 나서 이것은 농담 같지만 진담이라고 하시는 것을 들었다. 그러나 이 차디찬 얼음물에 아무런 사전 준비 없이 들어가면 십중팔구는 발가락정도 담그고 튀어나오기 마련이고 들어가 있다 하더라도 그 차디차고 냉엄한 맛을 즐기기란 도저히 어려울 것이다. 아니 마음으로는 뭐 이런 게 있나, 아이 골치야, 아이 재미없어, 차라리 어려운 의학서적을 읽는 게 낫겠어, 옛날 남방 스님들이 날은 더워 밖에 나가기는 싫고 절간에서 밥 먹고 할 일이 없어서 이런 골치 아픈 것을 만들어 사람을 괴롭히네, 이게 불교 수행하고 무슨 상관이 있어 머리로 알음알이를 굴리는 짓거리지, … 등등 온갖 불선법不善法을 다 일으킬 것이다.

그래서 사전 준비운동이 아주 필요하다 하겠다. 그 준비운동은 많으면 많을수록 좋다. 그리고 여기서 꼭 하고 싶은 말은 아비담마 공부를 하면서 가능한 한 많이 통밥을 굴려보라는 것이다. 한참 통밥을 굴리다가 조금 지나면 이제 통밥도 통하지 않는 다는 것을 알 것이다. 나는 처음 아비담마를 접하며 수 없는 알음알이가 일어나 무수한 통밥을 굴리면서 대림 스님을 괴롭혔다. 대림 스님은 너무나 얼토당토않은 질문에 어이가 없다는 표정이었지만 잘 설명해주었다. 그러나 나는 나대로 통밥을 멈추지 않았다.

그렇지만 그런 통밥으로는 도저히 아비담마의 냉엄함은 해결이 되지 않음을 마침내 절감했다. 나로서는 아주 중대한 순간이었다. 드디어 나는 좌정하고 앉는 수밖에 없었다. 그래서 내 마음에서 일어나는 현상들을 보기로 들며 아비담마의 가르침을 적용시켜 보았다. 길이 보였다. 법우님들도 좌정하고 앉아서 차근차근 아비담마의 가르침대로 자기 마음을 들여다보시라. 그러면 거기서 길이 보일 것이다. 일단 이해하고 나면 아비담마보다 쉬운 게 없다 싶을 것이다. 진리란 알고 나면 너무나 당연한 것이란 것을 나는 아비담마의 가르침을 감상(監)하고 나 자신을 닦으면서(修) 재삼 느꼈다. 어쨌든 준비운동은 많으면 많을수록 얼음장과 같은 이바담마의 차가움을 즐길 수 있을 것이다.

그런 의미에서 나는 가급적 감정(=온기, 열기)을 많이 담은 준비운동을 도와주는 글을 써야겠다고 고심하다가 대화체로 적는 것이 제일 읽기 쉽겠다고 생각했다. 이 글이 법우님들께 조그마한 길잡이라도 된다면 더할 나위 없이 기쁘겠다. 준비운동이 필요 없는 분은 곧바로 저 얼음물로 들어가서 어서 저 언덕으로 건너가시기를!

Δ 9. 아비담마와 아비달마

문: 스님, 요즘 초기불교니 근본 불교니 남방 불교니 아비담마니 위빳사나(vipassanā)니 하면서 그동안 우리가 알던 불교 즉 대승불교나 선불교를 위시한 북방 불교 전통과는 다른 불교 체계를 알게 되면서 많은 관심이 집중되고 있습니다. 그런데 이런 것들은 과연 북방에는 이때까지 전혀 소개되지 않은 것인가요?

답: 좋은 질문입니다. 결론적으로 말씀드려서 이런 가르침은 중국불교를 통해서 이미 우리나라에도 알려진 것입니다. 예를 들면 초기불교는 아함경(阿含經, Agama)으로서 우리에게 이미 잘 알려진 것이고, 아비담마는 설일체유부(說一切有部, Sarvativada)라던지 특히 구사론(阿毘達摩俱舍論, Abhidharmakosa)으로 우리나라에도 잘 알려진 것이고 위빠사나는 관觀이란 말로 즉 사마타(samatha)-위빠사나(vipassanā)는 지관止觀이란 말로 잘 알려진 것들입니다. 증도가證道歌로 유명한 영가永嘉 현각玄覺 스님의 영가집에서 이런 사마타와 위빳사나와 우필차upekkhaa, 사捨라는 말이 4장과 5장과 6장의 제목으로까지 등장하고 있습니다.

다만 우리나라 불교가 국교였던 신라와 고려를 지나서 조선조 오백 년 간 엄청난 탄압을 받으며 선불교만으로 겨우 명맥을 유지해오다 보니 우리나라 지성인들이 천년 이상을 깊이 사유해오던 이런 불교 용어들이 그만 우리에게 낯설게 여겨지는 슬픈 현상이 발생했을 뿐입니다. 그리고 그런 전통이 아직 살아있는 남방에서 생생하게 전승되어오다 보니 남방불교라 이름하는 것일 뿐입니다. 이미 우리 선조들께서는 천년이상을 심도 깊게 사유하고 생활 속에서 실현하려하시던 것들이라 할 수 있습니다.(물론 세부적으로는 차이가 있기도 합니다)

문: 그렇군요. 그런데 스님께서는 줄곧 아비담마란 용어를 쓰시는데 한문권인 우리나라에서는 아비달마阿毗達摩란 용어를 쓰지 않았습니까. 또 아비다르마란 용어도 쓰는 것 같은데요. 그리고 남방 불교 국가에서 수행하신 분들은 스님처럼 아비담마란 용어를 사용하시는 것 같고요. 그런데 이들 단어들이 차이가 있습니까?

답: 아닙니다. 차이가 없습니다. 한문 아비달마阿毗達摩는 산스끄리뜨 Abhidharma(아비다르마)를 음역한 것입니다. 그리고 제가 사용하는 아비담마는 빠알리 Abhidhamma를 한글로 적은 것입니다. 그러니 원 의미에서는 하등의 차이가 없습니다. 그럼에도 불구하고 제가 굳이 아비담마란 빠알리어를 사용하는 이유는 제가 지금 설명하고자하는 체계가 남방불교 즉 스리랑카 미얀마 태국에서 특히 미얀마에서 전승되어온 것이기 때문입니다.

앞으로 구사론을 번역하게 된다면 그때는 아비다르마 꼬샤(Abhidharmakosa)나 아비다르마 구사론 혹은 아비달마구사론이라 표기하겠지요. 구사론은 북방에 전승된 부파 불교 소전의 산스끄리뜨로 표기된 책이기 때문입니다. 다시 말하면 남방 소전의 아비담마를 소개할 때는 아비담마라는 용어를 사용해야하고 북방소전의 아비다르마를 소개할 때는 아비다르마란 용어를 사용해야만 오해의 소지가 없다는 점입니다.

남방 아비담마와 북방 아비다르마가 큰 줄거리는 같지만 용어의 정의나 제법諸法(dhamma)을 분류하고 그들의 상호 관계를 설명하는 데는 견해의 차이가 분명히 있기 때문입니다. 그래서 제가 설명하는 체계는 남방 아비담마(Abhidhamma)이기 때문에 아비담마란 용어를 사용하는 것입니다.

Δ 10. 아비담마는 초기불교인가? (1)

문: 그러면 아비담마 불교가 초기불교나 근본불교입니까? 요즘 남방불교를 근본불교라 소개하고 위빳사나 수행법을 부처님이 직접 가르치신 수행법이라고 아주 강한 톤으로 주장하는 분들이 계신 것 같은데요.

답: 너무 중요한 질문을 단도직입적으로 질문하시는 것 같습니다. 저도 단도직입적으로 대답하자면 ‘아니다’입니다. 우리가 초기불교나 근본불교 혹은 원시불교 기본불교 등의 용어를 사용할 때는 현존해 있는 남방의 4부 니까야 즉 디가니까야((Dīgha Nikāya, 長部)), 맛지마니까야(Majjhima Nikāya, 中部) 상윳따니까야(Saṃyutta Nikāya, 相應部) 앙굿따라니까야(Aṅguttara Nikāya, 增支部), 숫따니빠따(Suttanipāta, 經集), 담마빠다(Dhammapāda, 法句經), 우다나(Udāna, 自說經), 이띠웃따까(Itivuttaka, 如是語經)와 여기에 대응할 수 있는 북전北傳의 4아함 즉 장아함長阿含, 중아함中阿含, 잡아함雜阿含, 증일아함增一阿含과 의족경佛說義足經 법구경 등과 남북전 율장 중 초기 전승 등에 제한되어야 합니다.

아비담마는 분명 불멸후에 발전되어 오다가 남방불교 국가에서 전승 발전되어온 체계입니다. 그러니 남방불교 더 자세히 말하자면 남방 상좌부 불교의 이론적이 토대라는 것입니다. 그들은 이런 이론체계를 갈고 닦아서 이를 통해서 부처님의 가르침을 이해하고 실천하고 전승해온 것입니다. 위빳사나 수행법도 분명히 후대에 발달한 기법입니다. 물론 위빳사나에서 사용하는 용어들이 빠알리어이고 그 용어들은 대부분 초기 경들에 뿌리를 두고 있지만 그렇다고 해서 그 기법 자체를 부처님의 직접 가르치신 수행법이라 하는 것은 무리가 큽니다. 부처님 당시를 포함해서 B.C. 3세기경에 불교가 스리랑카로 전래되어 남방에서 역사적으로 전해내려 오던 수행 기법은 청정도론淸淨道論(Visuddhimagga)의 정품에서 40가지 명상주제로 체계화되고 혜품慧品에서 10가지 혹은 14/16가지 위빳사나냐나로 철저하게 이론화되어 있습니다.

지금 남방에서 위빳사나라는 이름으로 통용되고 있는 몇 가지 기법들 즉 마하시 사야도께서 주창하신 기법이나 레디 사야도께서 체계화한 기법이 우바킨 거사님에게로 전해지고 그것을 인도의 고엥카 거사님이 전 세계적으로 유통시킨 수행기법 등은 모두 청정도론淸淨道論에는 나타나는 사마타와 위빳사나에 대한 설명을 토대로 해서 더 후대에 미얀마에서 완성된 기법입니다. 청정도론이야말로 아비담마 교학체계에 입각해서 경장을, 그 중에서도 4부 니까야를 중점적으로 주석한 주석서이니 남방불교의 실체가 아닙니까. 여기에 뿌리를 두고 더 후대에 발전되어온 수행 기법을 부처님이 직접 가르치신 수행법이라 한다면 너무 무리한 이야기입니다.

Δ 12. 아비담마는 초기불교인가? (2)

여기서 분명히 하고 싶은 것은 어떤 수행기법이 부처님이 직접 가르치신 것인가 아닌가 하는 것은 큰 의미가 없다고 봅니다. 청정도론에서는 부처님께서는 출입식념出入息念(anapanasati)을 통해서 깨달음을 얻으셨다고 격찬을 하고 있고 이 출입식념에 대한 자세한 설명을 하고 있습니다. 그러나 세존 당시에도 수많은 스님들이 출입식념이 아닌 다른 방법으로 도와 과를 얻었습니다. 이렇게 수행 방법과 명상주제는 벌써 그 사람의 기틀에 따라서 부처님 당시부터도 다양하게 가르쳐진 것입니다.

그러므로 북방의 간화선이나 묵조선 나아가서는 염불선까지 아니 염불이나 기도나 주력까지도 그리고 남방의 위빳사나와 사마타 기법은 물론이고 이 모든 수행법들이 불교의 가르침 체계에 튼튼히 뿌리한 수행법이라면 자기에 맞는 방법을 택해서 열심히 정진하면 된다고 봅니다. 거기서 오는 문제점은 여러 경들이나 논서들을 보면서 점검하고 널리 다른 수행하는 분들과 함께 진지하게 탁마하면 된다고 봅니다.

청정도론에서도 벌써 40가지로 명상주제를 정리해서 설명하고 있지 않습니까. 우리나라 절에서 일상으로 행하는 염불, 기도, 간경, 축원 보시 등의 모든 실천이나 수행이나 의식이 이 40가지 안에 다 포함된다고 저는 받아들입니다. 그리고 남방의 의식이 있는 스님들은 결코 아비담마를 부처님 직설이라고 강조하지 않습니다. 그러나 그분들은 아비담마야말로 부처님의 가르침을 가장 체계적으로 분류하고 집대성한 가르침이라고 자랑합니다. 그리고 그런 아비담마를 몇 천 년 전승해온 자기 전통에 대해서 무한한 자부심을 가지고 있습니다.

실제로 불교역사에서 남방 아비담마보다 더 부처님의 근본 가르침을 수행을 염두에 두고 체계적으로 정리하려 노력한 곳은 없다고 해도 과언은 아닐 것입니다. 이런 측면에서 본다면 간화선이야말로 불교의 최상승 수행이라고 주장하려면 튼튼한 이론적인 뒷받침이 되어야한다고 저는 생각합니다. 그렇게 될 때 우리는 우리나라에 지금까지 전승되어오는 간화선이야말로 부처님 수행법의 골수 중의 골수라고 무한한 자부심을 가질 수 있다고 생각합니다.

문: 감사합니다, 스님. 제가 너무 외람되이 주제넘은 질문을 했습니다. 그러나 스님의 말씀을 들으니 가슴 한편이 시원하기도 하고 뭔가 가닥이 잡히는 것 같습니다. 우리의 주제로 돌아와서... 그러니까 스님께서 지금 설명하고자 하시는 게 남방에서 전승되어 발전되어온 아비담마 교학체계라는 것이지요?

답: 그러합니다. 그래서 제가 아비다르마나 아비달마란 용어대신에 아비담마란 용어를 사용한 것입니다.

Δ 13. 아비담마와 위빳사나는 어떤 관계가 있나?

문: 또 주제넘게 질문 드리고 싶습니다. 너무 궁금한 게 많거든요.

답: 좋습니다. 무엇이던 질문해보세요. 단 아비담마와 관련이 있는 것이어야 합니다.

문: 스님, 남방에서 발전되고 지금까지 잘 전승되어온 이 두 체계 즉 아비담마와 위빳사나는 서로 연관이 있습니까? 아비담마는 남방의 교학체계고 위빳사나는 그런 남방 교학체계에 튼튼히 뿌리한 수행법일거라는 생각이 스님과 대화하면서 강하게 드는데요?

답: 참 잘 말씀하셨습니다. 한마디로 그렇습니다. 아비담마 없는 위빳사나는 생각할 수가 없습니다. 그러니 요즘 상당수의 한국 분들이 아비담마에 대해서 전혀 사유해보지도 않고 위빳사나를 체험위주의 신비주의로 접근하는 것은 위험천만이라 생각합니다. 물론 아비담마를 배울 기회가 없어서이겠지만 그렇게 되면 위빳사나는 극단의 신비주의로 흐를 위험이 많습니다. 그래서 위빳사나 수행법에서는 인터뷰를 중시합니다. 그러나 솔직히 (절대 비방이 아님) 한국에서 위빳사나를 지도하는 분들 가운데서 제대로 인터뷰를 할 수 있는 분이 몇 분이나 되는지 걱정이 됩니다.

많은 사람들이 벌써 온 몸에 기가 도는 것을 느낀다든지 몸속이 보인다든지 힘을 몸의 특정부분으로 모을 수 있다든지 하는 경계에 빠져 그런 유희를 즐기는 것쯤으로 위빠사나를 호도하는 이야기를 자랑삼아 해대는 분들이 많거든요. 또 잘못 경계에 집착하고 있는 것을 삐띠(pīti, 喜悅)이라느니 행복(sukha, 幸福)라느니 평온(upekkhā, 平穩)이라느니 초선初禪의 경지라느니 이선二禪 ... 사선四禪 ... 무소유처無所有處라느니 하면서 인터뷰하는 분들이 오히려 부추기고 있기도 하지요.

경계는 대부분 위빳사나를 하지 않고 집중(禪定)에 맛들이려는 데서 생깁니다. 이것은 사마타의 경지에도 못 들어가는 것이지요. 이런 것쯤은 아비담마 길라잡이의 9장에서 설명하고 있는 열 가지 위빳사나의 경계 축에도 들지 못하는 참으로 가소로운 경계입니다. 남방의 제대로 공부하고 수행한 스님들은 아비담마가 위빳사나요 위빳사나가 아비담마라고 거듭 설하고 계십니다. 초기불전연구원에서 아비담마 길라잡이를 제일 먼저 출판한 이유도 위빳사나 수행법에 대한 튼튼한 이론 체계인 아비담마를 평이하지는 않지만 그러나 중요한 핵심을 거듭 강조하면서 한국에 소개하고 싶었기 때문입니다. 진지하게 위빳사나 수행을 하시는 몇 몇 한국 스님들과 재가 불자님들은 아비담마를 바르게 이해하지 못하면 결코 위빳사나 수행은 진전이 없다면서 격려해주시기도 했습니다.

그리고 위빳사나 수행이 없는 아비담마는 그야말로 메마른 고담준론일 뿐입니다. 수행을 통한 확인이 없다면 그것은 그냥 어려운 빠알리어나 그것을 그냥 한문으로 옮긴 무슨 뜻인지도 전혀 알 수 없는 기호들의 나열인 듯한 무미건조한 것이 될 소지가 너무 많습니다. 위빳사나 수행이 뒷받침 될 때 아비담마는 지금 여기에서 살아있는 생생한 가르침으로 우리에게 다가올 것입니다.

실제로 자기 자신에서 벌어지고 있는 물物-심心의 현상에 대입하여 관찰하지 않고서는 결코 아비담마를 이해할 수 없다는 것이 아비담마 길라잡이를 공동번역하면서 제가 절감한 것이기도 합니다. 그래서 서양 학자들도 아비담마를 Philosophical Psychology(철학적 심리학)라고 소개하는데 이런 지적 탐구를 자신의 심리상태를 돌이켜보는데 적용시키는 가르침이라 이해하고 싶습니다.

출처: 초기불전연구원 http://cafe.daum.net/chobul

[출처] 각묵 스님의 아비담마 왕초보 입문 (Ⅰ)|작성자 향림

Aṅguttara Nikāya | suttas on dhammatalks.org

Aṅguttara Nikāya | The Numerical Collection

NAVIGATIONSuttas/AN

Twos Threes Fours Fives Sixes Sevens Eights Nines Tens Elevens

Ones

AN 1:21 Ekadhamma Suttas (AN 1:21–30, 39–40) | A Single Thing — Short statements on the importance of training one thing: the mind.
AN 1:45 Udakarahada Suttas (AN 1:45–46) | A Pool of Water — The sullied and unsullied mind compared to a sullied and unsullied pond of water.
AN 1:48 Mudu Sutta | Soft — A trained mind is pliant, like balsam.
AN 1:49 Lahu-parivaṭṭa Sutta | Quick to Reverse Itself — Even the Buddha, a master of analogies, couldn’t find an analogy for how quick the mind is to reverse itself.
AN 1:50 Pabhassara Suttas (AN 1:50–53) | Luminous — Discerning that the mind is luminous but invading by defilements enables you to develop it.
AN 1:140 Bahujanahitāya Sutta (AN 1:140–141) | For the Benefit of Many People — It’s for the benefit of the world that Dhamma is explained as Dhamma, and not-Dhamma as not-Dhamma.
AN 1:329 Duggandha Sutta | Foul-smelling — Becoming compared to feces.

Twos

AN 2:5 Appaṭivāṇa Sutta | Relentlessly — The secret to the Buddha’s awakening: discontent with regard to skillful qualities and unrelenting exertion.
AN 2:9 Lokapāla Sutta | Guardians of the World — Shame and compunction as guardians of the world.
AN 2:18 Ekaṁsena Sutta | Categorically — One of two teachings that the Buddha taught as categorically true across the board (the other is the four noble truths: see DN 9).
AN 2:19 Kusal’akusala Sutta | Skillful & Unskillful — “If it were not possible to abandon what is unskillful, I would not say to you, ‘Abandon what is unskillful.’”
AN 2:21 Bāla-paṇḍita Sutta | Fools & Wise People — Foolish and wise ways of dealing with your own transgressions and those of others.
AN 2:23 Abhāsita Sutta | What Was Not Said — To misquote the Buddha is to slander him.
AN 2:24 Neyyattha Sutta | A Meaning to be Inferred — Two other ways of slandering the Buddha.
AN 2:29 Vijjā-bhāgiya Sutta | A Share in Clear Knowing — Tranquility and insight, along with the purposes they serve.
AN 2:30 Vimutti Sutta | Release — What brings about awareness-release and discernment-release.
AN 2:31 Kataññu Suttas (AN 2:31–32) | Gratitude — Two people who are not easy to repay: your mother and father.
AN 2:35 Samacitta Sutta | Minds in Tune — What it means to be fettered interiorly or exteriorly.
AN 2:36 Ārāmadaṇḍa Sutta | To Ārāmadaṇḍa — Why lay people dispute with lay people; why contemplatives dispute with contemplatives.
AN 2:37 Kaṇḍarāyana Sutta | To Kaṇḍarāyana — To be venerable is a matter, not of age, but of the mind’s freedom from sensuality.
AN 2:46 Ukkācita Sutta | Bombast — The difference between an assembly trained in bombast and one trained in cross-questioning.
AN 2:99 Bāla Sutta | Fools — A fool is reckoned by which kinds of burdens he picks up and which ones he doesn’t.
AN 2:118 Dullabhā Sutta | Hard to Find — People who are the first to do a kindness for you are hard to find, and so are worthy of gratitude.
AN 2:123 Ghosa Suttas (AN 2:123–124) | Voice — The internal and external conditions for the arising of wrong view and right view.

Threes

AN 3:2 Lakkhaṇa Sutta | Characterized (by Action) — Fools and wise people are to be recognized by their bodily, verbal, and mental conduct.
AN 3:15 Pacetana Sutta | The Chariot Maker — The Buddha, recounting one of his previous lives in which he was an expert chariot maker, uses the chariot maker’s skills as an analogy for his current skills as a trainer of monks and nuns.
AN 3:22 Gilāna Sutta | Sick People — Why the Buddha teaches even those who will gain awakening without his teaching, and those who won’t even when he teaches them.
AN 3:32 Ānanda Sutta | To Ven. Ānanda — The Buddha explains a passage from Sn 5:3 by describing a state of concentration free from I-making and mine-making.
AN 3:33 Sāriputta Sutta | To Ven. Sāriputta — The Buddha explains a passage from Sn 5:13 by describing a state of concentration free from I-making and mine-making.
AN 3:34 Nidāna Sutta | Causes — An action (kamma) performed by an arahant bears no kammic fruit. This sutta explains why.
AN 3:35 Hatthaka Sutta | To Hatthaka — The state of the mind, rather than the comfort of the bed, determines who gets a good night’s sleep.
AN 3:39 Sukhamāla Sutta | Refinement — The Buddha recalls how, as a young man living in extreme refinement, he overcame intoxication with youth, health, and life.
AN 3:40 Ādhipateyya Sutta | Governing Principles — How to use thoughts of self, the world, and the Dhamma as motivating factors to stick with the path.
AN 3:47 Saṅkhata Sutta (AN 3:47–48) | Fabricated — The defining characteristics of what’s fabricated and what’s unfabricated.
AN 3:49 Pabbata Sutta | A Mountain — Three ways in which the descendents of a person of conviction prosper.
AN 3:52 Dvejana Sutta | Two People (1) — The Buddha teaches restraint and merit-making to two aged brahmans who have no good deeds to look back on: “Keeping sight of this danger in death, do merit-deeds that bring bliss.”
AN 3:53 Dvejana Sutta | Two People (2) — The Buddha teaches restraint and generosity to two aged brahmans who have no good deeds to look back on: “When a house is aflame, the vessel salvaged is the one that will be of use, not the one left there to burn.”
AN 3:58 Vaccha Sutta | To Vaccha (on Giving) — Whoever prevents another from giving a gift creates three obstructions: an obstruction to the merit of the giver, an obstruction to the recipient’s gains, and prior to that he undermines and harms his own self.
AN 3:61 Saṅgārava Sutta | To Saṅgārava — Do the practices of merit-making and going-forth benefit only the person who does them?
AN 3:62 Tittha Sutta | Sectarians — In a rare instance where the Buddha seeks out other sectarians to argue with them, he confronts three doctrines that, remaining stuck in a doctrine of inaction, leave their adherents unprotected from the impulse to engage in unskillful action: the belief that everything experienced is the result of old actions (a belief, ironically, frequently attributed to the Buddha himself), the belief that everything experienced is the result of a supreme being’s act of creation, and the belief that everything experienced is without cause.
AN 3:63 Bhaya Sutta | Dangers — Three false and three genuine mother-&-child-separating dangers.
AN 3:66 Kālāma Sutta | To the Kālāmas — The Buddha’s standards for judging whether a teaching should be rejected or adopted.
AN 3:68 Kathāvatthu Sutta | Topics for Discussion — Standards for judging whether a person is fit to talk with: a useful series of reflections for when you find yourself debating unprincipled people.
AN 3:69 Titthiya Sutta | Sectarians — The distinguishing characteristics among passion, aversion, and delusion; how they arise, and how they can be abandoned.
AN 3:70 Mūla Sutta | Roots — The three roots of unskillful behavior, the three roots of skillful behavior, and how acting on the desire for power leads a person deeper into the unskillful roots, whereas not acting on that desire makes it easier to develop the skillful roots.
AN 3:71 Mūluposatha Sutta | The Roots of the Uposatha — Three ways of observing the uposatha: like a cowherd, like a Jain, and like a noble one.
AN 3:72 Channa Sutta | To Channa the Wanderer — A wanderer asks Ven. Ānanda why he teaches the abandoning of passion, aversion, and delusion.
AN 3:73 Ājīvaka Sutta | To the Fatalists’ Student — A follower of another teacher asks Ven. Ānanda, “Among us, sir, whose Dhamma is well-taught? Who has practiced well in this world? Who in the world is Well-Gone?” In response, Ven. Ānanda gets the man to answer his own question: an excellent example of Ven. Ānanda’s skill in answering questions.
AN 3:74 Sakka Sutta | To the Sakyan — By discussing the distinction between the virtue, concentration, and discernment of one in training and the virtue, concentration, and discernment of one whose training is complete, Ven. Ānanda answers the question, “Does concentration come first, and knowledge after, or does knowledge come first, and concentration after?”
AN 3:77 Bhava Sutta | Becoming (1) — Using the analogy of the field, the seed, and moisture, the Buddha explains the arising of the three levels of becoming.
AN 3:78 Bhava Sutta | Becoming (2) — A slightly different explanation of the arising of the three levels of becoming.
AN 3:79 Sīlabbata Sutta | Habit & Practice — Is every kind of practice fruitful? Ven Ānanda gives an analytical answer.
AN 3:83 Gadrabha Sutta | The Donkey — What makes a monk a genuine monk.
AN 3:85 Vajjiputta Sutta | The Vajjian Monk — A monk complains to the Buddha that he cannot train in all the many rules of the Pāṭimokkha. The Buddha recommends that he focus instead on the three trainings, under which all those rules are gathered.
AN 3:87 Sekhin Sutta (1) | One in Training — The attainments of a stream-enterer, a non-returner, and an arahant measured in terms of their mastery of virtue, concentration, and discernment.
AN 3:88 Sekhin Sutta (2) | One in Training — An expansion of the preceding sutta, in which the various grades of stream-enterer and non-returner are listed.
AN 3:90 Sikkha Sutta | Trainings (1) — The three trainings—in heightened virtue, heightened mind, and heightened discernment—defined.
AN 3:91 Sikkha Sutta | Trainings (2) — The three trainings defined again, with a slightly different definition given for the training in heightened discernment.
AN 3:93 Accāyika Sutta | Urgent — The urgent duties of a monk compared to the urgent duties of a farmer.
AN 3:96 Parisā Sutta | Assemblies — Three types of monastic communities, two of them conducive to awakening.
AN 3:97 Ājāniya Sutta | The Thoroughbred — The Buddha explains how a monk, like a thoroughbred horse, can be consummate in beauty, strength, and speed.
AN 3:101 Loṇaphala Sutta | The Salt Crystal — Three analogies to explain why an unskillful deed done by one person can lead that person to hell, while the same deed done by another person may hardly be felt at all. An important sutta for explaining why past kamma does not fully account for what is felt in the present moment. Present kamma plays an important role as well.
AN 3:102 Paṁsudhovaka Sutta | The Dirt-washer — The skills of concentration compared to the skills of a gold-washer.
AN 3:103 Nimitta Sutta | Themes — Using the analogy of a goldsmith, the Buddha explains why concentration practice should alternate, when appropriate, among three themes: the theme of concentration, the theme of uplifted energy, and the theme of equanimity.
AN 3:110 Kuta Sutta | The Peak of the Roof — How protecting the mind keeps you from getting soggy.
AN 3:123 Moneyya Sutta | Sagacity — Three types of sagacity—bodily, verbal, and mental—defined. This sutta is apparently the “sagacity” sutta that King Asoka advised monks, nuns, lay men, and lay women to listen to frequently and to ponder so that the True Dhamma will last a long time.
AN 3:126 Gotamaka-cetiya Sutta | At Gotamaka Shrine — The fact that the Buddha teaches through direct knowledge, with cause, and with marvels (see AN 3:61) is reason enough to take joy in the Buddha, Dhamma, and Saṅgha.
AN 3:129 Kaṭuviya Sutta | Putrid — “Monk, monk, don’t let yourself putrefy! On one who lets himself putrefy & stink with the stench of carrion, there’s no way that flies won’t swarm & attack!”
AN 3:131 Anuruddha Sutta | To Anuruddha — The defilements that can potentially surround the attainments of concentration and supranormal powers, and get in the way of awakening.
AN 3:133 Lekha Sutta | Inscriptions — Three types of individuals: one like an inscription in rock, one like an inscription in soil, and one like an inscription in water.
AN 3:137 Dhamma-niyāma Sutta | The Orderliness of the Dhamma — Truths that are true regardless of whether the Buddha has pointed them out: All fabrications are inconstant; all fabrications are stressful; all phenomena are not-self.

Fours

AN 4:1 Anubuddha Sutta | Understanding — “It’s because of not understanding and not penetrating noble virtue… noble concentration… noble discernment… noble release that we have transmigrated & wandered on for such a long, long time, you & I.”
AN 4:5 Anusota Sutta | With the Flow — How going with the flow is not a good thing.
AN 4:10 Yoga Sutta | Yokes — In many discourses, the Buddha speaks of “the unexcelled rest from the yoke.” In this discourse he explains what yokes he is referring to, and how that rest comes about.
AN 4:19 Agati Sutta | Off Course — Four states of mind—desire, aversion, delusion, and fear—that the Vinaya often cites as leading to unfair and biased behavior.
AN 4:24 Kāḷaka Sutta | At Kāḷaka’s Park — The Buddha explains how, despite his wide range of knowledge, he is “Such” with regard to all that he knows: He is not fastened to that knowledge, and it is not established in him.
AN 4:28 Ariya-vaṁsa Sutta | The Traditions of the Noble Ones — Like any good family, the “family” of the noble ones has its fine traditions. These traditions are special, however, in that they lie outside the culture of any nation, and they lead to conquest, not over others, but over displeasure within. (This is one of the suttas that King Asoka advised monks, nuns, lay men, and lay women to listen to frequently and to ponder so that the True Dhamma will last a long time.)
AN 4:31 Cakka Sutta | Wheels — Four qualities that lead to an abundance of wealth.
AN 4:32 Saṅgaha Sutta | The Bonds of Fellowship — Four qualities that act as a linchpin in holding societies and families together.
AN 4:35 Vassakāra Sutta | With Vassakāra — A discussion between Vassakāra the brahman and the Buddha as to the four qualities that entitle a person to be called great and discerning.
AN 4:36 Doṇa Sutta | With Doṇa — The Buddha, asked whether he is a deva, a spirit, or a human being, replies that he is simply “awake.”
AN 4:37 Aparihāni Sutta | No Falling Away — Four qualities that make a monk incapable of falling away, and bring him in the presence of unbinding.
AN 4:41 Samādhi Sutta | Concentration — Four purposes to which right concentration can be applied: a pleasant abiding here-&-now, mindfulness and alertness, psychic powers, and the ending of the effluents.
AN 4:42 Pañha Sutta | Questions — The Buddha classifies questions into four types in terms of the strategy of response that they deserve.
AN 4:45 Rohitassa Sutta | To Rohitassa — How the end of the cosmos is to be found within.
AN 4:49 Vipallāsa Sutta | Perversions — Four perversions of perception: perceiving what is inconstant to be constant, what is stressful to be pleasant, what is not-self to be self, and what is unattractive as attractive.
AN 4:50 Upakkilesa Sutta | Obscurations — Four types of unskillful behavior that cause a contemplative not to shine.
AN 4:55 Samajivina Sutta | Living in Tune — How to behave if you want to live together with your spouse even after death.
AN 4:62 Anaṇa Sutta | Debtless — Four ways to find bliss in the householder’s life.
AN 4:67 Ahinā Sutta | By a Snake — A charm, whose power is based on goodwill, for protection from snakes and other creeping things.
AN 4:73 Sappurisa Sutta | A Person of Integrity — One can be recognized as a person of integrity based on how one discusses one’s own faults and good qualities, and the faults and good qualities of others.
AN 4:77 Acintita Sutta | Inconceivable — Four inconceivables that would bring madness to anyone who tried to conjecture about them.
AN 4:79 Vaṇijja Sutta | Trade — Reasons why some people succeed in business and others, engaged in the same business, don’t.
AN 4:85 Tama Sutta | Darkness — Four types of individuals: one born in darkness and headed for darkness, one born in darkness and headed for light, one born in light and headed for darkness, and one born in light and headed for light
AN 4:94 Samādhi Sutta | Concentration (Tranquility & Insight) — Four types of individuals—one with tranquility but no insight, one with insight but no tranquility, one with neither, and one with both—and how they should practice.
AN 4:95 Chalāvāta Sutta | The Firebrand — The Buddha ranks four types of individuals: one who practices for his/her own benefit and the benefit of others; one who practices for his/her own benefit but not for the benefit others; one who practices for the benefit of others but not for his/her own; and one who practices neither for his/her own benefit nor for the benefit of others.
AN 4:96 Rāga-vinaya Sutta | The Subduing of Passion — A definition of what it means—in light of the teachings of kamma—to practice for one’s own benefit and for the benefit of others.
AN 4:99 Sikkhā Sutta | Trainings — Another definition of what it means—in light of the teachings of kamma—to practice for one’s own benefit and for the benefit of others.
AN 4:102 Valāhaka Sutta | Thunderheads — Four types of individuals: one who thunders but doesn’t rain, one who rains but doesn’t thunder, one who neither thunders nor rains, and one who both thunders and rains.
AN 4:111 Kesi Sutta | To Kesin the Horsetrainer — The Buddha compares the way he trains monks to the way a horse-trainer trains horses. A corrective to the common misperception that the Buddha’s teaching style was always mild.
AN 4:113 Patoda Sutta | The Goad-stick — Four types of students compared to four types of thoroughbred horses, based on how closely they have to be touched by suffering before being stirred to practice.
AN 4:115 Ṭhāna Sutta | Courses of Action — Four courses of action, two of which—what is unpleasant to do but leads to what is profitable, and what is pleasant to do but leads to what is unprofitable—are tests of one’s discernment.
AN 4:123 Jhāna Sutta | Mental Absorption (1) — The levels of rebirth to which mastery of each of the four jhānas can lead, along with the subsequent course of one who is an educated disciple of the noble ones contrasted with the subsequent course of one who is not.
AN 4:124 Jhāna Sutta | Mental Absorption (2) — How mastery of any of the four jhānas, together with an analysis of those jhānas in terms of insight, can lead to rebirth in the Pure Abodes.
AN 4:125 Mettā Sutta | Goodwill (1) — The levels of rebirth to which mastery of each of the four brahmavihāras can lead, along with the subsequent course of one who is an educated disciple of the noble ones contrasted with the subsequent course of one who is not.
AN 4:126 Mettā Sutta | Goodwill (2) — How mastery of any of the four brahmavihāras, together with an analysis of those brahmavihāras in terms of insight, can lead to rebirth in the Pure Abodes.
AN 4:131 Saṁyojana Sutta | Fetters — Once-returners, two types of non-returners, and arahants, analyzed in terms of the fetters they have and haven’t abandoned.
AN 4:144 Obhāsa Sutta | Brightness — The brightness of discernment outshines the brightness of the sun, the moon, and fire.
AN 4:156 Kappa Sutta | An Eon — What are the parts of an eon, and how long are they?
AN 4:159 Bhikkhunī Sutta | The Nun — Ven. Ānanda teaches a nun that although food can be used to lead to the abandoning of food, craving to lead to the abandoning of craving, and conceit to lead to the abandoning of conceit, the same principle doesn’t apply to sexual intercourse.
AN 4:162 Vitthāra Sutta | (Modes of Practice) in Detail — Four modes of practice—painful with slow intuition, painful with quick intuition, pleasant with slow intuition, and pleasant with quick intuition—defined.
AN 4:163 Asubha Sutta | Unattractiveness — Alternative definitions for the modes of practice defined in the preceding sutta.
AN 4:164 Khama Sutta | Tolerant (1) — Four modes of practice: intolerant, tolerant, self-controlled, and even.
AN 4:165 Khama Sutta | Tolerant (2) — The same four modes of practice listed in the preceding sutta, but with alternative definitions for intolerant and tolerant practice.
AN 4:170 Yuganaddha Sutta | In Tandem — Four paths of practice to arahantship: insight preceded by tranquility, tranquility preceded by insight, tranquility and insight developed in tandem, and concentration attained after restlessness concerning the Dhamma has been brought under control.
AN 4:173 Koṭṭhita Sutta | To Koṭṭhita — Ven. Mahā Koṭṭhita asks Ven. Sāriputta: “With the remainderless fading & cessation of the six contact-media, is it the case that there is anything else? …nothing else? …both? …neither?” Ven. Sāriputta, explains why none of these alternatives is the case.
AN 4:178 Jambālī Sutta | The Waste-water Pool — The jhānas and brahmavihāras, on their own, do not automatically lead to the cessation of self-identification or ignorance.
AN 4:179 Nibbāna Sutta | Unbinding — It’s because they do or don’t discern the consequences of four types of perceptions that some beings attain unbinding in the present life, and some don’t.
AN 4:181 Yodhājīva Sutta | The Professional Warrior — Four qualities of an excellent monk that parallel four qualities of an expert archer.
AN 4:183 Suta Sutta | On What is Heard — Four types of things that should not be spoken about, even if one knows or believes them to be true.
AN 4:184 Abhaya Sutta | Fearless — Four reasons why some people fear death and others don’t.
AN 4:192 Ṭhāna Sutta | Traits — How to know another person’s virtue, purity, endurance, and discernment.
AN 4:194 Sāpuga Sutta | At Sāpuga — Ven. Ānanda teaches a large number of Koliyans four factors of exertion: with regard to purity of virtue, purity of mind, purity of discernment, and purity of release.
AN 4:195 Vappa Sutta | To Vappa — Would a person totally free of ignorance face any pain after death?
AN 4:199 Taṇhā Sutta | Craving — 108 craving verbalizations.
AN 4:200 Pema Sutta | Love — Love is not one of the immeasurable mind states. This sutta not only explains why, but also shows how love born of love, aversion born of love, love born of aversion, and aversion born of aversion can be overcome, along with the rewards of overcoming these things.
AN 4:237 Ariyamagga Sutta | The Noble Path — Bright kamma, dark kamma, kamma that is both bright and dark, and kamma that is neither bright nor dark, and that leads to the end of kamma.
AN 4:245 Sikkhā Sutta | Training — “Monks, this holy life is lived with training as a reward, with discernment as its surpassing state, with release as its heartwood, and with mindfulness as its governing principle.”
AN 4:252 Pariyesanā Sutta | Searches — Four ignoble searches and four noble searches.
AN 4:255 Kula Sutta | On Families — Four reasons why some families can hold onto great wealth for a long time, and why other families can’t.
AN 4:263 Araññaka Sutta | A Wilderness Dweller — Four qualities that make a monk fit to dwell in isolated wilderness dwellings.

Fives

AN 5:2 Vitthata Sutta (Strengths) | In Detail — Five strengths for one in training: conviction, a sense of shame, a sense of compunction, persistence, and discernment.
AN 5:20 Hita Sutta | Benefit — Five ways of practicing for your own benefit and that of others.
AN 5:25 Anugghita Sutta | Supported — Five supports for right view that lead to release.
AN 5:26 Vimutti Sutta | Release — Five ways to induce an opening to release.
AN 5:27 Samādhi Sutta | (Immeasurable) Concentration — Five rewards of practicing immeasurable concentration.
AN 5:28 Samādhaṅga Sutta | The Factors of Concentration — Five-factored concentration and the six higher knowledges that it can lead to.
AN 5:29 Caṅkama Sutta | Walking — Five rewards of walking meditation.
AN 5:30 Nāgita Sutta | To Nāgita — In a stern rebuke to Ven. Nāgita, the Buddha explains why he is not attracted to “this slimy-excrement-pleasure, this torpor-pleasure, this pleasure of gains, offerings, & fame.”
AN 5:31 Sumanā Sutta | To Princess Sumanā — Princess Sumanā asks the Buddha about the different rewards awaiting two people who are equal in terms of conviction, virtue, and discernment, but who differ in that one gives alms and the other doesn’t.
AN 5:34 Sīha Sutta | To General Sīha (On Giving) — Four rewards of generosity in the here-&-now, and one in the next life.
AN 5:36 Kāladāna Sutta | Seasonable Gifts — Five seasonable gifts, and the rewards of giving in season—or of assisting with such gifts and/or rejoicing in them.
AN 5:37 Bhojana Sutta | A Meal — What one gives to another person when giving a meal, and what one receives in return.
AN 5:38 Saddha Sutta | Conviction — Five rewards that a layperson receives because of his/her conviction.
AN 5:41 Ādiya Sutta | Benefits to be Obtained (from Wealth) — Five benefits that can be obtained from wealth such that, if one then loses ones wealth, one feels no remorse.
AN 5:43 Iṭṭha Sutta | What is Welcome — If long life, beauty, happiness, status, and rebirth in heaven were to be obtained by reason of prayers or wishes, who here would lack them?
AN 5:49 Kosala Sutta | The Kosalan — After King Pasenadi learns of the death of Queen Mallikā, the Buddha counsels him on how to deal with grief.
AN 5:51 Āvaraṇa Sutta | Obstacles — Without abandoning the five hindrances, it’s impossible to understand what is for one’s own benefit, for the benefit of others, or for the benefit of both, or to realize a superior human state.
AN 5:53 Aṅga Sutta | Factors (for Exertion) — Physical and mental prerequisites for exerting yourself on the path.
AN 5:57 Upajjhaṭṭhana Sutta | Subjects for Contemplation — Five reflections that help one to abandon bad conduct, and that—when further developed—can help give rise to the path. This sutta is the basis for a reflection widely chanted in Theravāda monasteries.
AN 5:59 Dullabha Sutta | Hard to Find (1) — Five qualities that are hard to find in one who has gone forth when old.
AN 5:60 Dullabha Sutta | Hard to Find (2) — Another list of five qualities that are hard to find in one who has gone forth when old.
AN 5:73 Dhamma-vihārin Sutta | One Who Dwells in the Dhamma — To dwell in the Dhamma doesn’t mean just to study, teach, recite, or contemplate the Dhamma. It means studying the Dhamma and then committing oneself to tranquility of awareness.
AN 5:75 Yodhājīva Sutta | The Professional Warrior (1) — The Buddha compares the victorious monk to a victorious warrior. In this analogy, a celibate is not a wimp, but is instead a warrior to the highest degree.
AN 5:76 Yodhājīva Sutta | The Professional Warrior (2) — Another sutta in which the Buddha compares the victorious monk to a victorious warrior.
AN 5:77 Anāgata-bhayāni Sutta | Future Dangers (1) — This sutta and the three following it are apparently the “future danger” suttas that King Asoka advised monks, nuns, lay men, and lay women to listen to frequently and to ponder so that the True Dhamma will last a long time. This sutta advises reflecting on the dangers of living in the wilderness as a goad to practice.
AN 5:78 Anāgata-bhayāni Sutta | Future Dangers (2) — This sutta advises reflecting on the dangers of aging, illness, famine, social unrest, and a split in the Saṅgha as a goad to practice.
AN 5:79 Anāgata-bhayāni Sutta | Future Dangers (3) — This sutta advises reflecting on the dangers of the future corruption of the Dhamma and Vinaya as a goad to practice.
AN 5:80 Anāgata-bhayāni Sutta | Future Dangers (4) — This sutta advises reflecting on the dangers of the future luxury of the Saṅgha as a goad to practice.
AN 5:96 Sutadhara Sutta | One Who Retains What He Has Heard — Five qualities that help a person practicing mindfulness of breathing to gain release.
AN 5:97 Kathā Sutta | Talk — Another list of five qualities that help a person practicing mindfulness of breathing to gain release.
AN 5:98 Ārañña Sutta | Wilderness — Another list of five qualities that help a person practicing mindfulness of breathing to gain release.
AN 5:106 Phāsu Sutta | Comfortably — How can a monk live peacefully in a community of monks?
AN 5:114 Andhakavinda Sutta | At Andhakavinda — Newly ordained monks should be encouraged to develop these five qualities.
AN 5:121 Gilāna Sutta | To a Sick Man — Five perceptions that, when held to, help a weak or sickly monk to gain full release.
AN 5:129 Parikuppa Sutta | In Agony — Five grave deeds that are said to prevent one’s chances of attaining any of the noble attainments in this lifetime. People who commit them fall—immediately at the moment of death—into hell.
AN 5:130 Sampadā Sutta | Being Consummate — Five kinds of loss, two serious and three not so serious. This sutta serves as a strong reminder not to break the precepts even for the sake of people or things you hold dear.
AN 5:139 Akkhama Sutta | Not Resilient — Five qualities in a monk compared to five parallel qualities in an elephant gone into battle.
AN 5:140 Sotar Sutta | The Listener — Another list of five qualities in a monk compared to five parallel qualities in an elephant gone into battle.
AN 5:148 Sappurisadāna Sutta | A Person of Integrity’s Gifts — Five qualities of a gift made by a person on integrity—giving with a sense of conviction, attentively, in season, with an empathetic heart, and without adversely affecting oneself or others—and the rewards of giving in these ways.
AN 5:151 Saddhamma-niyāma Sutta | The Orderliness of the True Dhamma — Five ways of listening to a Dhamma talk that will determine whether you can alight on the True Dhamma while listening.
AN 5:159 Udāyin Sutta | About Udāyin (On Teaching the Dhamma) — Five attitudes that should be established in a person teaching the Dhamma.
AN 5:161 Āghatāvinaya Sutta | The Subduing of Hatred (1) — Five reflections that help to subdue hatred.
AN 5:162 Āghātavinaya Sutta | The Subduing of Hatred (2) — Another list of five reflections for subduing hatred.
AN 5:165 Pañhapucchā Sutta | On Asking Questions — Five motivations for asking questions.
AN 5:170 Bhaddaji Sutta | To Bhaddaji — Illustrating one of the motivations in the above sutta, Ven. Ānanda tests another monk: “What is supreme among sights? Supreme among sounds? Supreme among pleasures? Supreme among perceptions? Supreme among states of becoming?”
AN 5:175 Caṇḍāla Sutta | The Outcaste — This sutta lists—first in negative and then in positive form—the basic requirements for being a Buddhist lay follower in good standing.
AN 5:176 Pīti Sutta | Rapture — The Buddha advises Anāthapiṇḍika to meditate to develop seclusion and rapture, and Ven. Sāriputta describes five benefits of doing so.
AN 5:177 Vaṇijjā Sutta | Business (Wrong Livelihood) — Five types of business that a lay follower should not engage in.
AN 5:179 Gihi Sutta | The Householder — The traits that characterize a lay follower who is a stream-winner.
AN 5:180 Gavesin Sutta | About Gavesin — Recalling an incident from the time of the Buddha Kassapa, the Buddha breaks into a smile. He then tells Ven. Ānanda what he recalls: a story that illustrates well the way in which conceit can be turned to good use in the practice.
AN 5:191 Soṇa Sutta | The Dog Discourse — The Buddha compares brahmans with dogs, and the dogs come out better in the comparison. An example of how pointed the Buddha’s sense of humor could be.
AN 5:196 Supina Sutta | Dreams — Five prophetic dreams that appeared to the Buddha prior to his awakening.
AN 5:198 Vācā Sutta | A Statement — Five characteristics of a well-spoken statement.
AN 5:199 Kula Sutta | A Family — When a virtuous person who has gone forth approaches a family, the people there give rise to a great deal of merit by five means.
AN 5:200 Nissāraṇīya Sutta | Leading to Escape — Five means of escape: from sensuality, from ill will, harmfulness, forms, and self-identification.
AN 5:202 Dhammassavana Sutta | Listening to the Dhamma — Five rewards of listening to the Dhamma.
AN 5:254 Macchariya Suttas (AN 5:254–259) | Stinginess — Five forms of stinginess, the rewards of abandoning them, and the dangers—in terms of blocking off the higher levels of the practice—of not.

Sixes

AN 6:12 Sārāṇīya Sutta | Conducive to Amiability — Six conditions that lead to harmony in a group.
AN 6:13 Nissāraṇīya Sutta | Means of Escape — Six means of escape: from ill will, from harmfulness, from resentment, from passion, from mental signs, and from the arrow of perplexity & uncertainty.
AN 6:16 Nakula Sutta | Nakula’s Parents — Sensing (mistakenly) that her husband is dying, Nakula’s mother wisely advises him not to be worried at the time of death.
AN 6:19 Maraṇassati Sutta | Mindfulness of Death (1) — What does it mean to be acute in developing mindfulness of death for the sake of ending the effluents?
AN 6:20 Maraṇassati Sutta | Mindfulness of Death (2) — Why it’s wise to reflect every day at sunrise and sunset on the imminent possibility of death.
AN 6:37 Dāna Sutta | Giving — Six factors—three of the donor, and three of the recipients—that enable a donation to lead to an immeasurable mass of merit.
AN 6:41 Dārukkhandha Sutta | The Wood Pile — The properties or potentials in a material object that allow a monk with psychic powers to will that it be nothing but earth, water, fire, wind, beautiful, or unattractive.
AN 6:42 Nāgita Sutta | To Nāgita — Another version of the story in 5:30, in which the Buddha delivers a stern rebuke to Ven. Nāgita, explaining why he is not attracted to “this slimy-excrement-pleasure, this torpor-pleasure, this pleasure of gains, offerings, & fame.”
AN 6:43 Nāga Sutta | On the Nāga — In the Buddha’s time, the term “nāga” was applied to any large being or tree, such as an elephant, a serpent, or a tree. In this sutta, though, the Buddha defines a nāga as anyone who does no misdeed in body, speech, or mind. Ven. Udāyin, inspired by the Buddha’s statement, composes a spontaneous poem, celebrating the arahant as the true nāga.
AN 6:45 Iṇa Sutta | Debt — The six miseries of a shameless monk compared to the six miseries of a person in debt.
AN 6:46 Cunda Sutta | Cunda — Ven. Mahā Cunda counsels the monks: “‘Being Dhamma-devotee monks, we will speak in praise of jhāna monks.’ That’s how you should train yourselves.… ‘Being jhāna monks, we will speak in praise of Dhamma-devotee monks.’ That’s how you should train yourselves.”
AN 6:47 Sandiṭṭhika Sutta | Visible Here & Now — The Buddha explains to a wanderer of another sect one way in which the Dhamma is visible here-&-now.
AN 6:49 Khema Sutta | With Khema — Vens. Khema and Sumana declare their attainment of arahantship to the Buddha in impersonal terms, related to the ending of conceit.
AN 6:51 Ānanda Sutta | Ven. Ānanda — At Ven. Sāriputta’s request, Ven. Ānanda explains how a monk should practice so that he hears Dhamma he has not heard, so that the Dhammas he has heard do not get confused, so that the Dhammas he has touched with his awareness stay current, and so that he understands what previously was not understood.
AN 6:55 Soṇa Sutta | About Soṇa — The famous simile of the lute.
AN 6:60 Citta Sutta | On Citta — A monk, rebuked by Ven. Mahā Koṭṭhita disrobes, but later returns to the monkhood and becomes an arahant.
AN 6:61 Parāyana Sutta | The Further Shore — A group of elder monks offer their interpretations of a line from a verse in Sn 5:2. The issue is then taken to the Buddha, who states that all six interpretations are valid, but then identifies which interpretation he had in mind when stating the verse.
AN 6:63 Nibbedhika Sutta | Penetrative — A thorough analysis of six topics: sensuality, feeling, perception, effluents, kamma, and stress.
AN 6:85 Sīti Sutta | Cooled — Six activities that, when applied at the proper time to the training of the mind, make one capable of realizing unbinding.
AN 6:86 Āvaraṇatā Sutta | Obstructions — Six conditions that determine whether one will be capable of alighting on the True Dhamma while listening to the Dhamma.
AN 6:87 Kammāvaraṇatā Sutta | Kamma Obstructions — Another list of six conditions that determine whether one will be capable of alighting on the True Dhamma while listening to the Dhamma.
AN 6:88 Sussūsa Sutta | Listening Well — Yet another list of six conditions that determine whether one will be capable of alighting on the True Dhamma while listening to the Dhamma.
AN 6:97 Ānisaṁsa Sutta | Rewards — Six rewards in realizing the fruit of stream-entry
AN 6:102 Anodhi Sutta | Without Exception (1) — The rewards of establishing the perception of inconstancy with regard to all fabrications without exception.
AN 6:103 Anodhi Sutta | Without Exception (2) — The rewards of establishing the perception of stress with regard to all fabrications without exception.
AN 6:104 Anodhi Sutta | Without Exception (3) — The rewards of establishing the perception of not-self with regard to all phenomena without exception.

Sevens

AN 7:6 Dhana Sutta | Treasure — The noble treasures defined.
AN 7:7 Ugga Sutta | To Ugga — The advantages of the noble treasures over treasures of silver and gold.
AN 7:11 Anusaya Sutta | Obsessions (1) — Seven obsessions (anusaya).
AN 7:12 Anusaya Sutta | Obsessions (2) — “With the abandoning & destruction of these seven obsessions, the holy life is fulfilled.”
AN 7:15 Udakupama Sutta | The Water Simile — In a series of similes—ranging from a person who sinks down and stays sunk to a person who crosses over a flood and stands on high ground—the Buddha describes people in terms of how far they go with their grasp of the Dhamma.
AN 7:21 Bhikkhu-aparihāniya Sutta | Conditions for No Decline among the Monks — Seven conditions that will prevent the Saṅgha of monks from declining.
AN 7:31 Appamāda Sutta | Heedfulness — Seven conditions that will keep an individual monk from declining.
AN 7:32 Hirimā Sutta | A Sense of Shame — A slightly different list of seven conditions that will keep an individual monk from declining.
AN 7:33 Sovacassatā Sutta | Compliance (1) — Another list of seven conditions that will keep an individual monk from declining.
AN 7:34 Sovacassatā Sutta | Compliance (2) — Ven. Sāriputta expands on the list in the preceding sutta, showing that non-decline is not simply a matter of one’s own qualities, but also of encouraging others in the same qualities.
AN 7:35 Mitta Sutta | A Friend — Seven qualities of a loyal friend truly worth associating with.
AN 7:46 Saññā Sutta | Perceptions — Seven perceptions that lead to the deathless.
AN 7:47 Methuna Sutta | Copulation — Seven activities that create “a gap, a break, a spot, a blemish of the holy life” even in one who doesn’t engage in sexual intercourse.
AN 7:48 Saññoga Sutta | Bondage — How bondage to one’s own masculinity or femininity leads to bondage to others.
AN 7:49 Dāna Sutta | Giving — The possible motivations for generosity and, in ascending order, the results they can lead to.
AN 7:51 Abyākata Sutta | Undeclared — Because a disciple of the noble ones sees views, the origination of views, the cessation of views, and the path of practice leading to the cessation of views, he/she sees no need to answer any of the ten undeclared questions.
AN 7:56 Kimila Sutta | To Kimila — Reasons why, after the passing of the Buddha, the True Dhamma will or will not last a long time.
AN 7:58 Capala Sutta | Nodding — The Buddha teaches Ven. Moggallāna (a) seven ways of shaking off drowsiness, (b) three attitudes to have toward others that will help promote concentration, and (c) how to be utterly free from bonds.
AN 7:60 Kodhana Sutta | An Angry Person — Seven ways, pleasing to an enemy, in which you harm yourself when you are angry.
AN 7:63 Nagara Sutta | The Fortress — In an extended metaphor, the Buddha compares the factors of the practice to a well-fortified fortress that can’t be undone by external foes or duplicitous allies.
AN 7:64 Dhammaññū Sutta | One With a Sense of Dhamma — Seven qualities of a monk worthy of respect: having a sense of Dhamma, a sense of meaning, a sense of himself, a sense of moderation, a sense of time, a sense of social gatherings, and a sense of distinctions among individuals.
AN 7:70 Arakenānusasani Sutta | Araka’s Instructions — The Buddha recalls the vivid teachings of Araka—who lived when the human life span was 60,000 years—counseling heedfulness because “next to nothing is the life of human beings.”
AN 7:80 Satthusāsana Sutta | The Teacher’s Instruction — The Buddha teaches Ven. Upāli seven ways of judging whether a dhamma—a teaching or an internal quality—is in line with the Dhamma and Vinaya.

Eights

AN 8:2 Paññā Sutta | Discernment — Eight conditions that lead to the arising and development of the discernment basic to the holy life.
AN 8:6 Lokavipatti Sutta | The Failings of the World — Eight worldly conditions: gain, loss, status, disgrace, censure, praise, pleasure, & pain. If you don’t reflect properly on them, welcoming the desirable and rebelling against the undesirable, they keep you from being released.
AN 8:7 Devadatta Sutta | About Devadatta — Why it’s important for a monk to keep conquering, again and again, any arisen material gain, lack of material gain, status, lack of status, offerings, lack of offerings, evil ambition, and evil friendship.
AN 8:8 Uttara Sutta | About Uttara — Sakka the deva-king teaches the preceding discourse to a monk who remembers only a small part of it.
AN 8:9 Nanda Sutta | About Nanda — How the Buddha’s half-brother Nanda is able to follow the holy life even though he comes from a good family, is strong, good-looking, and fiercely passionate.
AN 8:13 Ājāññā Sutta | The Thoroughbred — Eight qualities of a good monk that parallel eight good qualities of a well-trained royal thoroughbred steed.
AN 8:14 Khaḷuṅka Sutta | Unruly — Eight faults of an unruly monk that parallel eight faults of unruly horses.
AN 8:23 Hatthaka Sutta | About Hatthaka (1) — The Buddha praises a wealthy lay follower for having eight qualities hard to find in a wealthy person.
AN 8:24 Hatthaka Sutta | About Hatthaka (2) — Hatthaka reports that he has won over a large following by using the grounds for the bonds of fellowship taught by the Buddha (see AN 4:32).
AN 8:26 Jīvaka Sutta | To Jīvaka (On Being a Lay Follower) — Jivaka, the Buddha’s physician, asks the Buddha what qualifies one as a lay follower, a virtuous lay follower, and a lay follower who practices for his/her own benefit and the benefit of others.
AN 8:28 Bala Sutta | Strengths — Eight strengths that allow you to know that the effluents are ended.
AN 8:30 Anuruddha Sutta | To Anuruddha — The eight thoughts of a great person.
AN 8:39 Abhisanda Sutta | Bonanzas — Eight bonanzas of merit: taking refuge in the Triple Gem, and adhering to the five precepts in all situations.
AN 8:40 Vipāka Sutta | Results — The specific results that come from breaking each of the five precepts or engaging in the various forms of wrong speech.
AN 8:51 Gotamī Sutta | To Gotamī — The founding of the order of nuns.
AN 8:53 Saṅkhitta Sutta | In Brief — An important sutta in which the Buddha teaches Mahā Pajāpati eight ways of judging whether a dhamma—a teaching or an internal quality—is in line with the Dhamma and Vinaya.
AN 8:54 Dīghajāṇu Sutta | To Dīghajāṇu — Four qualities that lead to happiness in this life, four qualities that drain one’s wealth, and four qualities that lead to happiness in the next life.
AN 8:70 Saṅkhitta Sutta | In Brief (Sublime Attitudes, Mindfulness, & Concentration) — An elderly monk asks for a brief teaching that he can then use when practicing alone. The Buddha teaches him eight concentration practices, developing the jhāna factors based on the four brahmavihāras and the four establishings of mindfulness.
AN 8:71 Gayā Sutta | At Gayā — The Buddha discusses the eight stages in which he developed the knowledge of devas that constituted part of his awakening.
AN 8:95 Kusīta-Ārabbhavatthu Sutta | The Grounds for Laziness & the Arousal of Energy — A humorous sutta showing how the eight situations that a lazy monk will use as excuses for staying lazy are the same eight situations that an energetic monk will use as motivation for being energetic.
AN 8:103 Yasa Sutta | Honor — A longer version of the story in 5:30 and 6:42, in which the Buddha delivers a stern rebuke to Ven. Nāgita, explaining why he is not attracted to “this slimy-excrement-pleasure, this torpor-pleasure, this pleasure of gains, offerings, & fame.”

Nines

AN 9:1 Sambodhi Sutta | Self-awakening — Nine prerequisites for developing the wings to self-awakening.
AN 9:7 Sutavā Sutta | To Sutavant — Nine principles that an arahant cannot transgress.
AN 9:13 Koṭṭhita Sutta | With Koṭṭhita — Ven. Mahā Koṭṭhita quizzes Ven. Sāriputta as to the purpose of the holy life lived under the Buddha.
AN 9:14 Samiddhi Sutta | About Samiddhi — Ven. Sāriputta quizzes a junior monk about thoughts and resolves: What is their basis? How do they go to multiplicity? What is their origination, meeting place, presiding state, governing principle, surpassing state, heartwood? Where to they gain a footing?
AN 9:15 Gaṇḍa Sutta | A Boil — The body compared to an oozing boil.
AN 9:16 Saññā Sutta | Perceptions — Nine perceptions that lead to the deathless.
AN 9:20 Velāma Sutta | About Velāma — The Buddha tells of a great offering he made in a previous lifetime, but then goes on to tell how goodwill and the perception of inconstancy are much more fruitful than the most fruitful gift possible.
AN 9:31 Anupubbanirodha Sutta | Step-by-step Cessation — What ceases, step by step, as one goes progressively through the nine concentration attainments.
AN 9:32 Vihāra Sutta | Dwellings (1) — The nine concentration attainments listed.
AN 9:33 Vihāra Sutta | Dwellings (2) — The nine concentration attainments defined.
AN 9:34 Nibbāna Sutta | Unbinding — Ven. Sāriputta explains how unbinding is pleasant even though nothing is felt there.
AN 9:35 Gāvī Sutta | The Cow — Using the simile of the foolish, inexperienced cow, the Buddha shows why it is wise to establish oneself well in a concentration attainment before trying to move on to the next one. When these attainments are well mastered in this way, they lead to the six higher knowledges whenever there is an opening.
AN 9:36 Jhāna Sutta | Mental Absorption — How awakening is attained by mastering any of the first seven of the nine concentration attainments and then reflecting on that attainment, analyzing it in terms of the five aggregates.
AN 9:37 Ānanda Sutta | With Ānanda — The levels of concentration—the first three formless attainments and the concentration that is the fruit of arahantship—in which one is not percipient of the five physical senses even though they are present, and yet one is nevertheless percipient.
AN 9:38 Brāhmaṇa Sutta | To Two Brahmans — The Buddha describes how a person in the first eight of the concentration attainments comes to the end of the cosmos, defined as the five strings of sensuality. Only by gaining discernment, though, does one cross over attachment to the cosmos.
AN 9:39 Deva Sutta | The Devas (About Jhāna) — How—through the practice of concentration—to keep secluded from Māra, how to become invisible to Māra, and how to cross over attachment to the cosmos.
AN 9:40 Nāga Sutta | The Tusker — A humorous sutta in which a monk in the nine concentration attainments is compared to an elephant who, going off into seclusion from the bustle of the herd, scratches himself with a branch to allay his itch.
AN 9:41 Tapussa Sutta | To Tapussa (On Renunciation) — How the Buddha, prior to his awakening, was able to overcome his reluctance to renounce sensuality and the pleasures of the lower concentration attainments.
AN 9:42 Pañcāla Sutta | Pañcāla’s Verse — Ven. Ānanda explains a verse spoken by a deva on the topic of jhāna.
AN 9:43 Kāyasakkhī Sutta | Bodily Witness* — Ven. Ānanda defines a “bodily witness” as one who remains “touching with his/her body” all nine concentration attainments and sees with discernment on emerging from the ninth.
AN 9:44 Paññāvimutti Sutta | Released through Discernment* — Ven. Ānanda defines a person “released through discernment” as one who gains release through developing discernment based on any of the nine concentration attainments.
AN 9:45 Ubhatobhāga Sutta | (Released) Both Ways* — Ven. Ānanda defines a person “released both ways” as one who remains “touching with his/her body” and seeing with discernment any of the nine concentration attainments.
AN 9:62 Bhabba Sutta | Capable — Nine qualities that have to been abandoned for reaching arahantship.
AN 9:63 Sikkhā-dubbalya Sutta | Things That Weaken the Training — To break the five precepts weakens the training. To abandon the actions that weaken the training, develop the four establishings of mindfulness.
AN 9:64 Nīvaraṇa Sutta | Hindrances — To abandon the five hindrances, develop the four establishings of mindfulness.

Tens

AN 10:6 Samādhi Sutta | Concentration — The Buddha—asked to describe an attainment of concentration in which one is not percipient of the physical properties, the formless attainments, this world or the next world, and yet one is still percipient—replies.
AN 10:7 Sāriputta Sutta | With Sāriputta — Ven. Sāriputta gives a slightly different response to the question asked in the preceding sutta.
AN 10:13 Saṁyojana Sutta | Fetters — The ten fetters listed.
AN 10:15 Appamāda Sutta | Heedfulness — Ten similes making the point that heedfulness is the root of all skillful qualities and the foremost among them.
AN 10:17 Nātha Sutta | Protectors — Ten qualities by which you create a protector for yourself.
AN 10:20 Ariyāvāsa Sutta | Dwellings of the Noble Ones — Ten noble dwellings for the mind.
AN 10:24 Cunda Sutta | Cunda — Even if you can talk about the Dhamma, if you are overcome by greed. aversion, delusion, anger, hostility, hypocrisy, spite, selfishness, evil envy, or evil longing, you are still a pauper in the Dhamma.
AN 10:29 Kosala Sutta | The Kosalan — Like supremacy in the human and deva worlds, exalted states of mind—even experiences of all-encompassing white light and non-dual consciousness—are all subject to change and aberration. In this sutta the Buddha offers a series of contemplations for inducing disenchantment and dispassion for even the most supreme things in the cosmos.
AN 10:46 Sakka Sutta | To the Sakyans (on the Uposatha) — The Buddha explains to his relatives why the bliss that comes from earning a wage is next to nothing when compared to the bliss that comes from sacrificing one’s work on the uposatha day to observe the eight precepts.
AN 10:48 Dhamma Sutta | Ten Things Dasa — Ten things that a person gone-forth should reflect on often.
AN 10:51 Sacitta Sutta | One’s Own Mind — Even if you can’t read the minds of others, you should train yourself to read your own mind—and to respond properly to any defilements you read there.
AN 10:54 Samatha Sutta | Tranquility — The same message as the preceding sutta, but expressed in terms of the development of tranquility and insight.
AN 10:58 Mūla Sutta | Rooted — What is the root of all phenomena? Where do they gain a footing? What is their end?
AN 10:60 Girimānanda Sutta | To Girimānanda — The Buddha has Ven. Ānanda instruct Ven. Girimānanda—who is ill—on ten perceptions that heal body and mind. Interestingly, mindfulness of breathing is listed as one of the perceptions.
AN 10:61 Avijjā Sutta | Ignorance — Even though no past beginning point for ignorance can be discerned, it is still possible to feed it—or to starve it—in the present.
AN 10:69 Kathāvatthu Sutta | Topics of Conversation — Encountering a group of monks who have been engaged in worldly conversation, the Buddha teaches them the topics that they should be talking about.
AN 10:70 Kathāvatthu Sutta | Topics of Conversation (2) — Another lesson in right conversation. Not only should you talk about good qualities, but you should also develop them in yourself.
AN 10:71 Ākaṅkha Sutta | Wishes — Ten reasons, of ascending worth, for perfecting the precepts and being committed to the development of tranquility (samatha) and insight (vipassanā).
AN 10:72 Kaṇṭhaka Sutta | Thorns — Ten “thorns” that create difficulties for the practice.
AN 10:75 Migāsālāya Sutta | About Migāsālā — Why you shouldn’t try to measure the attainments of other individuals. (The implicit message here: Pay more attention to your own attainment.)
AN 10:80 Āghāta Sutta | Hatred — Ten ways of subduing hatred.
AN 10:81 Vāhuna Sutta | To Vāhuna — Released from ten things, the Tathāgata dwells with unrestricted awareness.
AN 10:92 Vera Sutta | Animosity — Ten conditions for knowing if you are a streamwinner.
AN 10:93 Diṭṭhi Sutta | Views — Anāthapiṇḍika explains to a group of sectarians why right view is a special form of view: Holding to other views, one is holding to stress, but using right view enables you to see the escape even from right view.
AN 10:94 Vajjiya Sutta | About Vajjiya — Confronted by sectarians who accuse the Buddha of being a nihilist, one who doesn’t declare anything, Vajjiya counters that the Buddha does declare two things: what’s skillful and what’s not.
AN 10:95 Uttiya Sutta | To Uttiya — After learning why the Buddha doesn’t take a stance on the ten declared questions, Uttiya asks him what percentage of the cosmos will be led by his teaching to release. The Buddha remains silent; Ven. Ānanda takes Uttiya aside and, using the simile of the wise gatekeeper, explains why.
AN 10:96 Kokanuda Sutta | To Kokanuda (On Viewpoints) — A wanderer, addressing Ven. Ānanda without knowing that it’s him, asks why the Buddha doesn’t take a stance on the ten undeclared questions.
AN 10:99 Upāli Sutta | To Upāli — Using the simile of the rabbit or cat that thinks it can imitate an elephant, the Buddha discourages Ven. Upāli from living in the forest, and encourages him instead to stay living with the Saṅgha.
AN 10:103 Micchatta Sutta | Wrongness — How wrong view gives rise to other forms of wrongness.
AN 10:104 Bīja Sutta | The Seed — Using the similes of the bitter seed and sweet seed, the Buddha explains how wrong view gives rise to other forms of wrongness, and right view to other forms of rightness.
AN 10:108 Tikicchā Sutta | A Purgative — The right factors of the arahants tenfold path purge away the corresponding wrong factors.
AN 10:118 Orima Sutta | The Near Shore — In many discourses, the Buddha speaks of the near shore and the far shore. In this discourse he explains the near shore as the ten factors of the wrong path, and the far shore as the ten factors of the right. For another explanation of “near shore” and “far shore,” see SN 35:197 and Sn 5.
AN 10:165 Kammāraputta Sutta | To Cunda the Silversmith Cunda — The Buddha explains to Cunda the silversmith—who later offered him his last meal—that purification is a matter, not of rites, but of following the ten courses of good conduct: three bodily, four verbal, and three mental.
AN 10:166 Jāṇussoṇin Sutta | To Jāṇussoṇin (On Offerings to the Dead) — A brahman asks: When the merit of a gift is dedicated to the deceased, do they receive that merit? The Buddha explains that they do if they are hungry ghosts, but then goes on to state that—better than following the course of action leading to rebirth as a hungry ghost, and there waiting for dedications of merit—one should follow the course of action leading to rebirth in heaven, where one can enjoy the fruits of the gifts that one gave in this lifetime.
AN 10:196 Brahmavihāra Sutta | The Sublime Attitudes — The rewards of practicing the sublime abidings.

Elevens

AN 11:1 Kimattha Sutta | What is the Purpose? — Beginning with skillful virtues, and ascending all the way through dispassion, the Buddha discusses the purpose and reward of different aspects of the practice, showing how the more basic parts of the practice have the higher ones as their reward.
AN 11:2 Cetanā Sutta | An Act of Will — How the more basic parts of the practice lead naturally to the higher ones.
AN 11:10 Sandha Sutta | To Sandha — Using the simile of the thoughts that absorb a thoroughbred horse as opposed to the thoughts that absorb an unbroken colt, the Buddha describes the jhāna of an arahant as opposed to the “jhāna” of one who has not found escape from the five hindrances.
AN 11:12 Mahānāma Sutta | To Mahānāma (1) — When the Buddha and the monks prepare to leave at the end of the Rains retreat, Mahānāma—a streamwinner—asks the Buddha what he should meditate on in their absence. The Buddha advises developing the five strengths and practicing recollection of six things: the Buddha, the Dhamma, the Saṅgha, his own virtue, his own generosity, and the virtues of the devas that are found within him.
AN 11:13 Mahānāma Sutta | To Mahānāma (2) — The same situation and question as in the preceding sutta, with the same answer expressed in slightly different terms.
AN 11:16 Mettā Sutta | Goodwill — The eleven rewards of developing goodwill as an awareness release.