#Linked Discourses 1

A series of questions on diverse kinds of people“Who in the world has no conflict? Whose life is not lost? Who here completely understands desire? Who always lives as their own master? To whom do mother, father, and brothers bow when they’re established? Who here, though of low birth, is bowed to even by aristocrats?” “Ascetics have no conflict in the world. The life of ascetics is not lost. Ascetics completely understand desire. [Read More]

A series of questions on diverse topics.“What’s the lamp for the world? What in the world is wakeful? Who are one’s work colleagues? What is one’s walk of life? What nurtures the idle and the tireless, like a mother her child? By what do the creatures who live off the earth sustain their life?” “Wisdom is the lamp for the world. Mindfulness in the world is wakeful. Cattle are one’s work colleagues, and the furrow is one’s walk of life. [Read More]

A series of questions on diverse topics.“How should provisions be tied up? What’s the lair of wealth? What drags a person around? What in the world is hard to give up? What are many beings tied up with, like birds in a snare?” “Provisions should be tied up with faith. Glory is the lair of wealth. Desire drags a person around. Desire in the world is hard to give up. Many beings are tied up with desire, like birds in a snare. [Read More]

What is it that one should not give away?“What should one who desires the good not give away? What should a mortal not reject? What should be let out when it’s good, but not when it’s bad?” “A man shouldn’t give away himself. He shouldn’t reject himself. Speech should be let out when it’s good, but not when it’s bad. [Read More]

A series of questions on diverse matters.“What is authority in the world? What’s the best of valuables? What in the world is a rusty sword? Who is a plague on the world? Who gets arrested when they take things away? And who is loved when they take things away? And who is approved by the astute when they come again and again?” “Power is authority in the world. A woman is the best of valuables. [Read More]

A series of questions on the path.“What gets old, what doesn’t get old? What’s called a deviation? What’s a roadblock for skillful qualities? What is ending day and night? What’s the stain of celibacy? What’s the waterless bath? How many holes are there in the world, where one’s wealth leaks out? We’ve come to ask the Buddha; how are we to understand this?” “The physical form of mortals gets old, but their name and clan don’t. [Read More]

Why is it that, though the path has been taught, people still fear?“Why are so many people here afraid, when the path has been taught with so many dimensions? I ask you, Gotama, whose wisdom is vast: Standing on what need one not fear the next world?” “When speech and mind are directed right, and you don’t do anything bad with the body while dwelling at home with plenty of food and drink. [Read More]

A series of questions asked by one deity, answered by another, and then given a better answer by the Buddha.“What’s the best of things that rise? And what’s the finest of things that fall? And what of the things that go forth? And who’s the finest speaker?” “A seed’s the best of things that rise. Rain’s the finest thing that falls. Cattle, of things that go forth. And a child is the finest speaker. [Read More]

A series of questions on what is best.“What’s a person’s best wealth? What brings happiness when practiced well? What’s the sweetest taste of all? The one who they say has the best life: how do they live?” “Faith here is a person’s best wealth. The teaching brings happiness when practiced well. Truth is the sweetest taste of all. The one who they say has the best life lives by wisdom. [Read More]

What is the sign or token of a chariot, a fire, a nation, and a woman?“What’s the mark of a chariot? What’s the mark of fire? What’s the mark of a nation? What’s the mark of a woman?” “A banner is the mark of a chariot. Smoke is the mark of fire. A ruler is a nation’s mark. And a husband is the mark of a woman. [Read More]