Part III - Suññata Vagga

(1) Culasunnata Sutta

The Buddha once told Ananda that he often dwelt in the liberation of the void, Sunnata-vihara When requested by Ananda, he explained what liberation of the void meant Liberation through Insight that discerns voidness of self

(2) Mahastmnata Sutta

Seeing many bhikkhus living together in a crowded dwelling place, the Buddha told Ananda that a bhikkhu should not like living in company Solitude is most beneficial for a bhikkhu He urged bhikkhus to look upon him as a sincere friend who would repeatedly point out their faults to help correct them

(3) Acchariya-abbhuta Sutta

This discourse is an account of the twenty marvellous attributes of the Buddha as extolled by the Venerable Ananda

(4) Bakula Sutta

Bhikkhu Bakula, aged one hundred and sixty years, met his old friend, the naked ascetic Kassapa, after he had been in the Order of the Buddha for eighty years. Kassapa asked him how often he had indulged in sexual intercourse during those eighty years Bakkula told his friend the marvellous attributes he possessed as an Arahat, including the fact that he became an Arahat after seven days of strenuous endeavour, after which he was completely rid of moral defilements

(5) Dantabhiimi Sutta

In this discourse the Buddha explained to the novice Aciravata how a young prince like Prince Jayasena, son of King Bimbisara could not hope to know, to see, to realize such dhammas as concentration and jhanas, living as he did in the lap of luxury, surrounded by pleasures of senses, enjoying the pleasures of senses and consumed and overwhelmed by the flames of desires. The Buddha pointed out the difference in outlook between an Arahat and an ordinary uninstructed person giving the simile of a tamed elephant and a wild elephant of the forest

(6) Bhumija Sutta

This discourse was given by the Venerable Bhumija to his nephew, Prince Jayasena to explain how Fruition would result by practising the Noble Path of Eight Constituents. The Buddha confirmed that only by following the right Path, namely, the Noble Path of Eight Constituents and not any other Path, Fruition would result. The Buddha gave the similes of attempting to make oil out of sand, squeezing the horns of a cow for milk, churning water to make butter, and rubbing two pieces of wet green wood to make fire

(7) Anuruddha Sutta

This discourse was given by the Venerable Anuruddha to Pancakanga, the carpenter, to explain the difference between Appamana Cetovimutti, liberation through practice of four Brahmavihdra Meditation and Mahaggata Cetovimutti, liberation through Kasma Meditation using a meditational device

(8) Upakkilesa Sutta

Once the Buddha left Kosambi because of quarrelling, contentious bhikkhus and went to Pacinavamsa Park where the Venerable Anuruddha, the Venerable Nandiya and the Venerable Kimila were staying When these bhikkhus informed the Buddha about the aura (obhdsd) and vision (dassand) of various shapes and forms they perceived in the course of their meditation, the Buddha taught them about Upakkilesa, mental defilements, that appear at a certain stage in meditation process They should be on their guard not to be led
astray by these deceptive defilements

(9) Balapaptfita Sutta

This discourse was given by the Buddha at Savatthi on fools and characteristic behaviour of fools, on how evil thoughts, words and deeds of fools harm themselves and others, and on how these evil actions lead fools to states of misery and woe The utter wretchedness and intense suffering in such states beggar description. Once a fool, through his evil actions, found himself in one of the nether regions, there was very little likelihood for him to rise again to the upper realms. The chances are more remote than that of a blind turtle to get his head through a single hole in a yoke which was being tossed about in a stormy sea

The discourse deals also with the wise and their characteristics, the wholesome thoughts, words and deeds of the wise, the wholesome effects resulting from such meritorious actions and bliss enjoyed by them in the realms of happiness

(10) Devadiita Sutta

This is a discourse on evil results arising from evil action, giving details of suffering in realms of misery and woe