A monk named “Senior” likes to live alone, but the Buddha questions whether it is the true solitude.At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground. Now at that time there was a certain mendicant named Senior. He lived alone and praised living alone. He entered the village for alms alone, returned alone, sat in private alone, and concentrated on walking meditation alone. [Read More]

Venerable Tissa admonished others but got upset when he was admonished. The Buddha encourages him to let go of his anger.At Sāvatthī. Then Venerable Tissa—the Buddha’s cousin on his father’s side—went to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. He was miserable and sad, with tears flowing. Then the Buddha said to him: “Tissa, why are you sitting there so miserable and sad, with tears flowing?” “Sir, it’s because the mendicants on all sides provoke me with barbed words. [Read More]

Venerable Nanda wore pretty robes, a fancy bowl, and makeup, so the Buddha encouraged him to embrace simplicity. At Sāvatthī. Then Venerable Nanda—the Buddha’s cousin on his mother’s side—dressed in nicely pressed and ironed robes, applied eyeshadow, and took a polished black bowl. He went to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. The Buddha said to him: “Nanda, as a gentleman who has gone forth in faith from the lay life to homelessness, it’s not appropriate for you to dress in nicely pressed and ironed robes, apply eyeshadow, and carry a polished black bowl. [Read More]

The Buddha praises Venerable Visākha Pañcāliputta for teaching the Dhamma.So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Vesālī, at the Great Wood, in the hall with the peaked roof. Now at that time Venerable Visākha, Pañcāli’s son, was educating, encouraging, firing up, and inspiring the mendicants in the assembly hall with a Dhamma talk. His words were polished, clear, articulate, expressing the meaning, comprehensive, and independent. Then in the late afternoon, the Buddha came out of retreat and went to the assembly hall. [Read More]

Venerable Lakuṇṭaka Bhaddiya is a dwarf, considered to be ugly and unsightly. The Buddha warns the monks not to despise him as he had realized full awakening.At Sāvatthī. Then Venerable Lakuṇṭaka Bhaddiya went to see the Buddha. The Buddha saw him coming off in the distance, and addressed the mendicants: “Mendicants, do you you see this monk coming—ugly, unsightly, deformed, and despised by the mendicants?” “Yes, sir.” “That mendicant is very mighty and powerful. [Read More]