PART TWO: THE MIDDLE FIFTY DISCOURSES
5. Kandaraka Sutta: To Kandaraka. The Buddha discusses four kinds of persons found in the world - the one who torments himself, the one who torments others, the one who torments both himself and others, and the one who torments neither but lives a truly holy life.
5. Atṭhakanāgara Sutta: The man from Atṭhakanagara. The venerable Ānanda teaches eleven "doors to the Deathless" by which a bhikkhu can attain the supreme security from bondage.
5. Sekha Sutta: The Disciple in Higher Training. At the Buddha's request the venerable Ānanda gives a discourse on the practices undertaken by a disciple in higher training.
5. Potaliya Sutta: To Potaliya. The Buddha teaches a presumptuous interlocutor the meaning of "the cutting off of affairs" in his discipline. The sutta offers a striking series of similes on the dangers in sensual pleasures.
5. Jivaka Sutta: To Jivaka. The Buddha explains the regulations he has laid down concerning meat-eating and defends his disciples against unjust accusations.
5. Upāli Sutta: To Upāli. The wealthy and influential householder Upāli, a prominent supporter of the Jains, proposes to go to the Buddha and refute his doctrine. Instead, he finds himself converted by the Buddha's "converting magic."
5. Kukkuravatika Sutta: The Dog-Duty Ascetic. The Buddha meets two ascetics, one who imitates the behaviour of a dog, the other who imitates the behaviour of an ox. He reveals to them the futility of their practices and gives them a discourse on kamma and its fruit.
5. Abhayarājakumāra Sutta: To Prince Abhaya. The Jain leader, Niganṭha Nātaputta, teaches Prince Abhaya a "twohorned question" with which he can refute the Buddha's doctrine. The Buddha escapes the dilemma and explains what kind of speech he would and would not utter.
5. Bahuvedaniya Sutta: The Many Kinds of Feeling. After resolving a disagreement about the classification of feelings, the Buddha enumerates the different kinds of pleasure and joy that beings can experience.
6. Apannaka Sutta: The Incontrovertible Teaching. The Buddha gives a group of brahmin householders an "incontrovertible teaching" that will help them steer clear of the tangle in contentious views.
6. Ambalatṭhikārāhulovāda Sutta: Advice to Rāhula at Ambalatṭhikā. The Buddha admonishes his son, the novice Rāhula, on the dangers in lying and stresses the importance of constant reflection on one's motives.
6. Mahärāhulovada Sutta: The Greater Discourse of Advice to Rāhula. The Buddha teaches Rāhula the meditation on the elements, on mindfulness of breathing, and other topics.
6. Cūlamālunkya Sutta: The Shorter Discourse to Mālunkyāputta. A bhikkhu threatens to leave the Order unless the Buddha answers his metaphysical questions. With the simile of the man struck by a poisoned arrow, the Buddha makes plain exactly what he does and does not teach.
6. Mahāmālunkya Sutta: The Greater Discourse to Mālunkyāputta. The Buddha teaches the path to the abandoning of the five lower fetters.
6. Bhaddāli Sutta: To Bhaddāli. The Buddha admonishes a recalcitrant monk and explains the disadvantages of refusing to submit to the training.
6. Laṭukikopama Sutta: The Simile of the Quail. The Buddha drives home the importance of abandoning all fetters, no matter how harmless and trifling they may seem.
6. Cātumā Sutta: At Cātumā. The Buddha teaches a group of newly ordained monks four dangers to be overcome by those who have gone forth into homelessness.
6. Naḷakapāna Sutta: At Naḷakapāna. The Buddha explains why, when his disciples die, he declares their level of attainment and plane of rebirth.
6. Gulissāni Sutta: Gulissāni. The venerable Sāriputta gives a discourse on the proper training of a forest-dwelling bhikkhu.
7. Kīāgiri Sutta: At Kitāgiri. The Buddha admonishes a group of disobedient monks, in the course of which he presents an important sevenfold classification of noble disciples.
7. Tevijjavacchagotta Sutta: To Vacchagotta on the Threefold True Knowledge. The Buddha denies possessing complete knowledge of everything at all times and defines the threefold knowledge he does possess.
7. Aggivacchagotta Sutta: To Vacchagotta on Fire. The Buddha explains to a wanderer why he does not hold any speculative views. With the simile of an extinguished fire he tries to indicate the destiny of the liberated being.
7. Mahāvacchagotta Sutta: The Greater Discourse to Vacchagotta. The story of the wanderer Vacchagotta's full conversion to the Dhamma, his going forth, and his attainment of arahantship.
7. Dīghanakha Sutta: To Dīghanakha. The Buddha counters the disclaimers of a sceptic and teaches him the way to liberation through the contemplation of feelings.
7. Māgandiya Sutta: To Māgandiya. The Buddha meets the hedonist philosopher Māgandiya and points out to him the dangers in sensual pleasures, the benefits of renunciation, and the meaning of Nibbāna.
7. Sandaka Sutta: To Sandaka. The venerable Ānanda teaches a group of wanderers four ways that negate the living of the holy life and four kinds of holy life without consolation. Then he explains the holy life that is truly fruitful.
7. Mahāsakuludāyi Sutta: The Greater Discourse to Sakuludāyin. The Buddha teaches a group of wanderers the reasons why his disciples venerate him and look to him for guidance.
7. Samanamandikā Sutta: Samanamandikāputta. The Buddha explains how a man is "one who has attained to the supreme attainment."
7. Cūlasakuludāyi Sutta: The Shorter Discourse to Sakuludāyin. The Buddha examines the doctrine of a wandering ascetic, using the simile of "the most beautiful girl in the country" to expose the folly of his claims.
8. Vekhanassa Sutta: To Vekhanassa. A discourse partly similar to the preceding one, with an additional section on sensual pleasure.
8. Ghaṭikāra Sutta: Ghaṭikāra the Potter. The Buddha recounts the story of the chief lay supporter of the past Buddha Kassapa.
8. Raṭthapāla Sutta: On Raṭthapāla. The story of a young man who goes forth into homelessness against the wishes of his parents and later returns to visit them.
8. Makhādeva Sutta: King Makhādeva. The story of an ancient lineage of kings and how their virtuous tradition was broken due to negligence.
8. Madhurā Sutta: At Madhurā. The venerable Mahā Kaccāna examines the brahmin claim that brahmins are the highest caste.
8. Bodhirājakumāra Sutta: To Prince Bodhi. The Buddha counters the claim that pleasure is to be gained through pain with an account of his own quest for enlightenment.
8. Angulimäla Sutta: On Angulimāla. The story of how the Buddha subdued the notorious criminal Angulimāla and led him to the attainment of arahantship.
8. Piyajātika Sutta: Born from Those Who Are Dear. Why the Buddha teaches that sorrow and grief arise from those who are dear.
8. Bāhitika Sutta: The Cloak. The venerable Ānanda answers King Pasenadi's questions on the Buddha's behaviour.
8. Dhammacetiya Sutta: Monuments to the Dhamma. King Pasenadi offers ten reasons why he shows such deep veneration to the Buddha.
9. Kannakatthala Sutta: At Kannakatthala. King Pasenadi questions the Buddha on omniscience, on caste distinctions, and on the gods.
9. Brahmāyu Sutta: Brahmāyu. An old and erudite brahmin learns about the Buddha, goes to meet him, and becomes his disciple.
9. Sela Sutta: To Sela. The brahmin Sela questions the Buddha, gains faith in him, and becomes a monk along with his company of pupils.
9. Assalāyana Sutta: To Assalāyana. A young brahmin approaches the Buddha to argue the thesis that the brahmins are the highest caste.
9. Ghotamukha Sutta: To Ghotamukha. A discussion between a brahmin and a bhikkhu on whether the renunciate life accords with the Dhamma.
9. Cankī Sutta: With Cankī. The Buddha instructs a young brahmin on the preservation of truth, the discovery of truth, and the final arrival at truth.
9. Esukärī Sutta: To Esukārī. The Buddha and a brahmin discuss the brahmins' claim to superiority over the other castes.
9. Dhānañjāni Sutta: To Dhānañjāni. The venerable Sāriputta admonishes a brahmin who tries to excuse his negligence by appeal to his many duties. Later, when he is close to death, Sāriputta guides him to rebirth in the Brahma-world but is reprimanded by the Buddha for having done so.
9. Vāsețtha Sutta: To Vāsețtha. The Buddha resolves a dispute between two young brahmins on the qualities of a true brahmin.
9. Subha Sutta: To Subha. The Buddha answers a young brahmin's questions and teaches him the way to rebirth in the Brahma-world.
10. Sangārava Sutta: To Sangārava. A brahmin student questions the Buddha about the basis on which he teaches the fundamentals of the holy life.