2025 – Page 7 – Daily Sutta Reading

MN 86 From… Aṅgulimālasutta: With Aṅgulimāla

…The bandit Aṅgulimāla saw the Buddha coming off in the distance, and thought, “Oh, how incredible, how amazing! People travel along this road only after banding closely together in groups of ten, twenty, thirty, forty, or fifty. Still they meet their end by my hand. But still this ascetic comes along alone and unaccompanied, like a conqueror. Why don’t I take his life?”

Then Aṅgulimāla donned his sword and shield, fastened his bow and arrows, and followed behind the Buddha. But the Buddha used his psychic power to will that Aṅgulimāla could not catch up with him no matter how hard he tried, even though the Buddha kept walking at a normal speed.

Then Aṅgulimāla thought, “Oh, how incredible, how amazing! Previously, even when I’ve chased a speeding elephant, horse, chariot or deer, I’ve always caught up with them. But I can’t catch up with this ascetic no matter how hard I try, even though he’s walking at a normal speed.”

He stood still and said, “Stop, stop, ascetic!”

“I’ve stopped, Aṅgulimāla—now you stop.”

Then Aṅgulimāla thought, “These Sakyan ascetics speak the truth. Yet while walking the ascetic Gotama says: ‘I’ve stopped, Aṅgulimāla—now you stop.’ Why don’t I ask him about this?”

Then he addressed the Buddha in verse:

“While walking, ascetic, you say ‘I’ve stopped.’
And I have stopped, but you tell me I’ve not.
I’m asking you this, ascetic:
how is it you’ve stopped and I have not?”

“Aṅgulimāla, I have forever stopped—
I’ve laid aside violence towards all creatures.
But you can’t stop yourself
from harming living creatures;
that’s why I’ve stopped, but you have not.”

“Oh, at long last a renowned great seer,
an ascetic has followed me into this deep wood.
Now that I’ve heard your verse on Dhamma,
I shall live without evil.”

With these words,
the bandit hurled his sword and weapons
down a cliff into an abyss.
He venerated the Holy One’s feet,
and asked him for the going forth right away.

Then the Buddha, the compassionate great seer,
the teacher of the world with its gods,
said to him, “Come, monk!”
And with that he became a monk.…

Read the entire translation of Majjhima Nikāya 86 Aṅgulimālasutta: With Aṅgulimāla by Bhikkhu Sujato on SuttaCentral.net. Or read a different translation on SuttaCentral.net or DhammaTalks.org. Or listen on PaliAudio.com or SC-Voice.net. Or explore the Pali on DigitalPaliReader.online.

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AN 8.80 Kusītārambhavatthusutta: Grounds for Laziness and Arousing Energy

[Note: Although this sutta is a little long, you can observe the pattern and see how the repetitions add emphasis to the theme.]

“Mendicants, there are eight grounds for laziness. What eight?

1. Firstly, a mendicant has some work to do. They think: ‘I have some work to do. But while doing it my body will get tired. I’d better have a lie down.’ They lie down, and don’t rouse energy for attaining the unattained, achieving the unachieved, and realizing the unrealized. This is the first ground for laziness.

2. Furthermore, a mendicant has done some work. They think: ‘I’ve done some work. But while working my body got tired. I’d better have a lie down.’ They lie down, and don’t rouse energy for attaining the unattained, achieving the unachieved, and realizing the unrealized. This is the second ground for laziness.

3. Furthermore, a mendicant has to go on a journey. They think: ‘I have to go on a journey. But while walking my body will get tired. I’d better have a lie down.’ They lie down, and don’t rouse energy for attaining the unattained, achieving the unachieved, and realizing the unrealized. This is the third ground for laziness.

4. Furthermore, a mendicant has gone on a journey. They think: ‘I’ve gone on a journey. But while walking my body got tired. I’d better have a lie down.’ They lie down, and don’t rouse energy for attaining the unattained, achieving the unachieved, and realizing the unrealized. This is the fourth ground for laziness.

5. Furthermore, a mendicant has wandered for alms, but they didn’t get to fill up on as much food as they like, coarse or fine. They think: ‘I’ve wandered for alms, but I didn’t get to fill up on as much food as I like, coarse or fine. My body is tired and unfit for work. I’d better have a lie down.’ They lie down, and don’t rouse energy for achieving the unachieved, attaining the unattained, and realizing the unrealized. This is the fifth ground for laziness.

6. Furthermore, a mendicant has wandered for alms, and they got to fill up on as much food as they like, coarse or fine. They think: ‘I’ve wandered for alms, and I got to fill up on as much food as I like, coarse or fine. My body is heavy, unfit for work, like I’ve just eaten a load of beans. I’d better have a lie down.’ They lie down, and don’t rouse energy for achieving the unachieved, attaining the unattained, and realizing the unrealized. This is the sixth ground for laziness.

7. Furthermore, a mendicant feels a little sick. They think: ‘I feel a little sick. Lying down would be good for me. I’d better have a lie down.’ They lie down, and don’t rouse energy for achieving the unachieved, attaining the unattained, and realizing the unrealized. This is the seventh ground for laziness.

8. Furthermore, a mendicant has recently recovered from illness. They think: ‘I’ve recently recovered from illness. My body is weak and unfit for work. I’d better have a lie down.’ They lie down, and don’t rouse energy for attaining the unattained, achieving the unachieved, and realizing the unrealized. This is the eighth ground for laziness.

These are the eight grounds for laziness.

There are eight grounds for arousing energy. What eight?

1. Firstly, a mendicant has some work to do. They think: ‘I have some work to do. While working it’s not easy to focus on the instructions of the Buddhas. I’d better preemptively rouse up energy for attaining the unattained, achieving the unachieved, and realizing the unrealized.’ They rouse energy for attaining the unattained, achieving the unachieved, and realizing the unrealized. This is the first ground for arousing energy.

2. Furthermore, a mendicant has done some work. They think: ‘I’ve done some work. While I was working I wasn’t able to focus on the instructions of the Buddhas. I’d better preemptively rouse up energy for attaining the unattained, achieving the unachieved, and realizing the unrealized.’ They rouse up energy … This is the second ground for arousing energy.

3. Furthermore, a mendicant has to go on a journey. They think: ‘I have to go on a journey. While walking it’s not easy to focus on the instructions of the Buddhas. I’d better preemptively rouse up energy …’ … This is the third ground for arousing energy.

4. Furthermore, a mendicant has gone on a journey. They think: ‘I’ve gone on a journey. While I was walking I wasn’t able to focus on the instructions of the Buddhas. I’d better preemptively rouse up energy …’ … This is the fourth ground for arousing energy.

5. Furthermore, a mendicant has wandered for alms, but they didn’t get to fill up on as much food as they like, coarse or fine. They think: ‘I’ve wandered for alms, but I didn’t get to fill up on as much food as I like, rough or fine. My body is light and fit for work. I’d better preemptively rouse up energy …’ … This is the fifth ground for arousing energy.

6. Furthermore, a mendicant has wandered for alms, and they got to fill up on as much food as they like, coarse or fine. They think: ‘I’ve wandered for alms, and I got to fill up on as much food as I like, coarse or fine. My body is strong and fit for work. I’d better preemptively rouse up energy …’ … This is the sixth ground for arousing energy.

7. Furthermore, a mendicant feels a little sick. They think: ‘I feel a little sick. It’s possible this illness will worsen. I’d better preemptively rouse up energy …’ … This is the seventh ground for arousing energy.

8. Furthermore, a mendicant has recently recovered from illness. They think: ‘I’ve recently recovered from illness. It’s possible the illness will come back. I’d better preemptively rouse up energy for attaining the unattained, achieving the unachieved, and realizing the unrealized.’ They rouse energy for attaining the unattained, achieving the unachieved, and realizing the unrealized. This is the eighth ground for arousing energy.

These are the eight grounds for arousing energy.”

Read this translation of Aṅguttara Nikāya 8.80 Kusītārambhavatthusutta: Grounds for Laziness and Arousing Energy by Bhikkhu Sujato on SuttaCentral.net. Or read a different translation on DhammaTalks.net. Or listen on SC-Voice.net. Or explore the Pali on DigitalPaliReader.online.

Or read a translation in Deutsch, Lietuvių Kalba, বাংলা, Español, Bahasa Indonesia, 日本語, မြန်မာဘာသာ, Português, Русский, සිංහල, ไทย, Tiếng Việt, or 汉语. Learn how to find your language.

Ud 1.10 Bāhiyasutta: With Bāhiya

[Note: In AN1.216 the Buddha declared Ven. Bāhiya foremost of his monk disciples with swift insight. Most people are not able to attain enlightenment from such a brief statement. We can draw inspiration from that, along with his humility in being corrected as well as his persistence to learn the Dhamma.]

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Now at that time Bāhiya of the Bark Cloth was residing by Suppāraka on the ocean shore, where he was honored, respected, revered, venerated, and esteemed. And he received robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick. Then as he was in private retreat this thought came to his mind, “I am one of those in the world who are perfected or on the path to perfection.”

Then a deity who was a former relative of Bāhiya, having sympathy and wanting what’s best for him, approached him and said: “Bāhiya, you’re not a perfected one, nor on the path to perfection. You don’t have the practice by which you might become a perfected one or one on the path to perfection.”

“Then who exactly are those in the world who are perfected or on the path to perfection?” “In the northern lands there is a city called Sāvatthī. There that Blessed One is now staying, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha. He is a perfected one and teaches the Dhamma for the sake of perfection.”

Impelled by that deity, Bāhiya left Suppāraka right away. Sojourning no more than a single night in any place, he made his way to Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery in the Jeta Grove at Sāvatthī. At that time several mendicants were walking mindfully in the open air. Bāhiya approached them and said, “Sirs, where is the Blessed One at present, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha? For I want to see him.” “He has entered an inhabited area for almsfood, Bāhiya.”

Then Bāhiya rushed out of the Jeta Grove and entered Sāvatthī, where he saw the Buddha walking for alms. He was inspiring and impressive, with peaceful faculties and mind, attained to the highest self-control and serenity, like an elephant with tamed, guarded, and controlled faculties. Bāhiya went up to the Buddha, bowed down with his head at the Buddha’s feet, and said, “Sir, let the Blessed One teach me the Dhamma! Let the Holy One teach me the Dhamma! That would be for my lasting welfare and happiness.” The Buddha said this: “It’s not the time, Bāhiya, so long as I have entered an inhabited area for almsfood.”

For a second time, Bāhiya said, “But you never know, sir, when life is at risk, either the Buddha’s or my own. Let the Blessed One teach me the Dhamma! Let the Holy One teach me the Dhamma! That would be for my lasting welfare and happiness.” For a second time, the Buddha said, “It’s not the time, Bāhiya, so long as I have entered an inhabited area for almsfood.”

For a third time, Bāhiya said, “But you never know, sir, when life is at risk, either the Buddha’s or my own. Let the Blessed One teach me the Dhamma! Let the Holy One teach me the Dhamma! That would be for my lasting welfare and happiness.”

“In that case, Bāhiya, you should train like this: ‘In the seen will be merely the seen; in the heard will be merely the heard; in the thought will be merely the thought; in the known will be merely the known.’ That’s how you should train. When you have trained in this way, you won’t be ‘by that’. When you’re not ‘by that’, you won’t be ‘in that’. When you’re not ‘in that’, you won’t be in this world or the world beyond or between the two. Just this is the end of suffering.”

Then, due to this brief Dhamma teaching of the Buddha, Bāhiya’s mind was right away freed from defilements by not grasping.

And when the Buddha had given Bāhiya this brief advice he left. But soon after the Buddha had left, a cow with a baby calf charged at Bāhiya and took his life.

Then the Buddha wandered for alms in Sāvatthī. After the meal, on his return from almsround, he departed the city together with several mendicants and saw that Bāhiya had passed away. He said to the monks, “Mendicants, pick up Bāhiya’s corpse. Having lifted it onto a cot and carried it, cremate it and build a monument. Mendicants, one of your spiritual companions has passed away.”

“Yes, sir,” replied those mendicants. They did as the Buddha asked, then returned to the Buddha and said, “Sir, Bāhiya’s corpse has been cremated and a monument built for him. Where has he been reborn in his next life?” “Mendicants, Bāhiya was astute. He practiced in line with the teachings, and did not trouble me about the teachings. Bāhiya of the Bark Cloth has become fully quenched.”

Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:

“Where water and earth,
fire and air find no footing:
there no star does shine,
nor does the sun shed its light;
there the moon glows not,
yet no darkness is found.

And when a sage, a brahmin, finds understanding
through their own sagacity,
then from forms and formless,
from pleasure and pain they are released.”

This too is a heartfelt saying that was spoken by the Blessed One: that is what I heard.

Read this translation of Udāna 1.10 Bāhiyasutta: With Bāhiya by Bhikkhu Sujato on SuttaCentral.net. Or read a different translation on SuttaCentral.net, SuttaFriends.org, DhammaTalks.org, Ancient-Buddhist-Texts.net or AccessToInsight.org. Or listen on SC-Voice.net. Or explore the Pali on DigitalPaliReader.online.

Or read a translation in Deutsch, Srpski, Español, Français, Bahasa Indonesia, Italiano, 日本語, မြန်မာဘာသာ, Nederlands, Norsk, Português, Русский, සිංහල, or Türkçe. Learn how to find your language.

Thig 7.2 Cālātherīgāthā: Cālā

[Note: The reader who shared this inspiring sutta recommends the translation by Susan Murcott in The First Buddhist Women : Translations and Commentaries on the Therigatha. You can check out a copy from the Internet Archive and read it on page 149. These verses are a discussion between Ven. Cālā and Māra.]

“As a nun with developed faculties,
having established mindfulness,
I penetrated that peaceful state,
the blissful stilling of conditions.”

“In whose name did you shave your head?
You look like an ascetic,
but you don’t believe in any creed.
Why do you live as if lost?”

“Followers of other creeds
rely on their views.
They don’t understand the Dhamma,
for they’re no experts in the Dhamma.

But there is one born in the Sakyan clan,
the unrivaled Buddha;
he taught me the Dhamma
for going beyond views.

Suffering, suffering’s origin,
suffering’s transcendence,
and the noble eightfold path
that leads to the stilling of suffering.

After hearing his words,
I happily did his bidding.
I’ve attained the three knowledges
and fulfilled the Buddha’s instructions.

Relishing is destroyed in every respect,
and the mass of darkness is shattered.
So know this, Wicked One:
you’re beaten, terminator!”

Read this translation of Therīgāthā 7.2 Cālātherīgāthā: Cālā by Bhikkhu Sujato on SuttaCentral.net. Or read a different translation on SuttaCentral.net, SuttaFriends.org or DhammaTalks.org. Or listen on SC-Voice.net. Or explore the Pali on DigitalPaliReader.online.

Or read a translation in Deutsch, Русский, Bahasa Indonesia, 日本語, Norsk, සිංහල, or Tiếng Việt. Learn how to find your language.

AN 2.19 Kusal’akusala Sutta: Skillful & Unskillful

“Abandon what is unskillful, monks. It is possible to abandon what is unskillful. If it were not possible to abandon what is unskillful, I would not say to you, ‘Abandon what is unskillful.’ But because it is possible to abandon what is unskillful, I say to you, ‘Abandon what is unskillful.’ If this abandoning of what is unskillful were conducive to harm and pain, I would not say to you, ‘Abandon what is unskillful.’ But because this abandoning of what is unskillful is conducive to benefit and pleasure, I say to you, ‘Abandon what is unskillful.’

“Develop what is skillful, monks. It is possible to develop what is skillful. If it were not possible to develop what is skillful, I would not say to you, ‘Develop what is skillful.’ But because it is possible to develop what is skillful, I say to you, ‘Develop what is skillful.’ If this development of what is skillful were conducive to harm and pain, I would not say to you, ‘Develop what is skillful.’ But because this development of what is skillful is conducive to benefit and pleasure, I say to you, ‘Develop what is skillful.’”

Read this translation of Aṅguttara Nikāya 2.19 Kusal’akusala Sutta. Skillful & Unskillful | dhammatalks.orgby Bhikkhu Ṭhanissaro on DhammaTalks.org. Or read another translation on SuttaCentral.net. Or read the Pāli on DigitalPaliReader.online. Or listen on PaliAudio or SC-Voice.

Or read a translation in other lang u ages.

DN 16 From… Mahāparinibbānasutta: The Great Discourse on the Buddha’s Extinguishment—Inspiring places

[Ven. Ānanda:] “Previously, sir, when mendicants had completed the rainy season residence in various districts they came to see the Realized One. We got to see the esteemed mendicants, and to pay homage to them. But when the Buddha has passed, we won’t get to see the esteemed mendicants or to pay homage to them.”

[The Buddha:] “Ānanda, a faithful gentleman should go to see these four inspiring places. What four?

Thinking: ‘Here the Realized One was born!’—that is an inspiring place.
Thinking: ‘Here the Realized One became awakened as a supreme fully awakened Buddha!’—that is an inspiring place.
Thinking: ‘Here the supreme Wheel of Dhamma was rolled forth by the Realized One!’—that is an inspiring place.
Thinking: ‘Here the Realized One was fully quenched in the element of extinguishment with no residue!’—that is an inspiring place.

These are the four inspiring places that a faithful gentleman should go to see.

Faithful monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen will come, and think: ‘Here the Realized One was born!’ and ‘Here the Realized One became awakened as a supreme fully awakened Buddha!’ and ‘Here the supreme Wheel of Dhamma was rolled forth by the Realized One!’ and ‘Here the Realized One was fully quenched in the element of extinguishment with no residue!’ Anyone who passes away while on pilgrimage to these shrines will, when their body breaks up, after death, be reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm.”…

These four places are as follows:

Birthplace: Lumbini
Enlightenment: Bodh Gaya
First sermon: Isipatana
Passing away: Kusināra

Read the entire translation of Dīgha Nikāya 16 Mahāparinibbānasutta: The Great Discourse on the Buddha’s Extinguishment by Bhikkhu Sujato on SuttaCentral.net. Or read a different translation on DhammaTalks.org, Ancient-Buddhist-Texts.net or AccessToInsight.org. Or listen on PaliAudio.com or SC-Voice.net. Or explore the Pali on DigitalPaliReader.online.

Or read a translation in Deutsch, Srpski, বাংলা, Čeština, Español, Français, עִבְֿרִיתּ, हिन्दी, Magyar, Bahasa Indonesia, Italiano, 日本語, ಕನ್ನಡ, မြန်မာဘာသာ, Nederlands, Norsk, Português, Română, Русский, සිංහල, Slovenščina, Svenska, ไทย, Tiếng Việt, or 汉语. Learn how to find your language.

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