'That is right, Vāseṭṭha. That these encumbered Brahmins, learned in the Three Vedas, should after death, at the breaking-up of the body, be united with the unencumbered Brahma — that is just not possible. 'Likewise, do these Brahmins learned in the Three Vedas and full of hate..., full of ill-will..., impure..., undisciplined, have any communion, anything in common with the

'Monks, ninety-one aeons ago the Lord, the Arahant, the fully-enlightened Buddha Vipassī arose in the world. Thirty- one aeons ago Buddha Sikhī arose; in the same thirty-first aeon before this Buddha Vessabhū arose. And in present fortunate aeon Buddhas Kakusandha, Koṇāgamana and Kassapa arose in the world. And, monks, in present fortunate aeon I too have now arisen in the

How profound this dependent origination is, and how profound it appears! And yet it appears to me as clear as clear!' 'Do not say that, Ānanda, do not say that! This dependent origination is profound and appears profound.'If, Ānanda, you are asked: "Has ageing-and-death a condition for its existence?" you should answer: "Yes." If asked: "What conditions ageing-and-death?" you should

King Mahāsudassana thought: "Of what kamma is it the fruit, of what kamma is it the result, that I am now so mighty and powerful?" Then he thought: "It is the fruit, the result of three kinds of kamma: of giving, self-control, and abstinence." 'Then the King went into the great gabled chamber, entered and remained in the first jhāna.

Hearing the name "Janavasabha" my hairs stood on end, and I thought: "He whose name is Janavasabha will not be such a low-ranking yakkha!”” “Ānanda, immediately after I heard this voice, the yakkha appeared before me as a noble vision, and uttered a second cry: I have now for the seventh time been reborn and I have now become among

At that time I was the Brahmin, the Great Steward, and I taught those disciples the path to union with the Brahma-world. My holy life leads unfailingly to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to peace, to super¬knowledge, to enlightenment, to Nibbāna. That is the Noble Eightfold Path, namely Right View, Right Thought, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort,

Once the Lord was staying among the Sakyans in the Great Forest at Kapilavatthu, with a large company of some five hundred monks, all Arahants. And devas from ten world-systems frequently came there to visit the Lord and his order of monks. Monks, it has often happened that the devas from ten world-systems have come to see the Tathagata and

Sakkapañha Sutta: Sakka's Questions. Sakka, lord of the gods, felt a strong desire to see the Lord. And Sakka thought: 'Where is the Blessed Lord, the fully-enlightened Buddha, now staying?' Then, perceiving where the Lord was, Sakka said to the Thirty-Three Gods: 'Gentlemen, the Blessed Lord is staying in Magadha...in the Indasāla Cave. How would it be if we were

Mahāsatipaṭṭhāna Sutta, Dīgha Nikāya 22, The Greater Discourse on the Foundations of Mindfulness. Here, monks, a monk abides contemplating body as body, mindful, having put aside hankering and fretting for the world; he abides contemplating feelings as feelings...; he abides contemplating mind as mind...; he abides contemplating mind-objects as mind-objects, ardent, clearly aware and mindful, having put aside hankering and, */